JANUARY
Entertainment Law Initiative (GRAMMY) Writing Contest
Deadline: Annually during the first week of January.
Topic: Issues confronting the music industry.
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 4 runners-up each receive $1,500. All winners receive expenses to attend the GRAMMY Awards and present their papers at an ABA luncheon.
Length: Not over 3,000 words.
Sponsors: Grammy Foundation & ABA Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Donald C. Alexander Tax Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 6, 2012.
Topic: Federal income taxation.
Length: 20-50 pages.
Prize: 1st place $2,000 + expenses to attend the FBA’s Annual Tax Law Conference; 2nd place $1,000 + expenses to attend the FBA’s Annual Tax Law Conference.
Sponsor: Federal Bar Association Section of Taxation.
American College of Legal Medicine Student Writing Competition in Law, Medicine, & Bioethics /Hirsch Award (formerly the Hoffman Bioethics Competition and the Letourneau Award)
Most Recent Deadline: January 5, 2012.
Topic: Any aspect of legal medicine, including medical licensure and regulation of the profession, business aspects of medical practice, physician liability, managed care organizations, pharmaceutical manufacturers, public health law, the physician-patient relationship, care of special patients, food and drug law, medical research, forensic science, and the history of legal medicine.
Length: Not over 5,000 words.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + expenses to present paper at annual meeting; 2nd place $500; 3rd place $250.
Sponsor: American College of Legal Medicine.
American Indian Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 31, 2012.
Topic: American Indian law.
Length: 20–50 pages.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + publication, 2nd place $500, 3rd place $250. Top three authors will also receive Felix S. Cohen's Handbook of Federal Indian Law.
Sponsor: American Indian Law Review.
Animal Law Review Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 15, 2011. Not offered in 2011-2012.
Topic: Animal law.
Length: 20-50 pages.
Prize: $250 + publication.
Sponsor: Animal Law Review of Lewis & Clark Law School.
Dukeminier Award
Most Recent Deadline: January 2, 2012.
Topic: Legal issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender communities.
Length: Not over 40 pages.
Prize: $1,000 + publication.
Sponsor: Charles R. Williams Project on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the UCLA School of Law.
Health Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 31, 2012.
Topic: Current topics in health care and life sciences law. Papers may address traditional areas of the law as applied to health care (e.g., antitrust, tax, corporate) or areas of law unique to health care (e.g., fraud and abuse, managed care, Medicare/Medicaid, clinical trials.)
Length: Not over 30 pages.
Prize: 1st place $4,000; 2nd place $2,000; 3rd place $500. The top 20% of entries will be considered for publication in Loyola University Chicago's Annals of Health Law.
Sponsor: Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
Mendes Hershman Student Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: January 13, 2012. Papers must be nominated through the dean of the law school.
Topic: Aspects of business law, broadly defined.
Prize: 1st place $2,500; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500. All winners receive expenses to attend the ABA Section of Business Law Spring Meeting.
Length: 20-30 pages preferred; not over 100 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Business Law.
Hogan/Smoger Access to Justice Law Essay Contest (formerly the Roscoe Hogan Environmental Law Essay Contest)
Most Recent Deadline: Annually on January 30 for intent-to-enter form; essay is typically due at the end of March. 2012 deadline is January 31 for the intent-to-enter form and March 31 for essay submission.
Topic: Varies annually. 2012 topic: "Right to Farm and Ag-Gag Laws: Are they Constitutional? Do They Go Too Far?"
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Prize: $5,000 + publication.
Sponsor: Public Justice.
Human Rights Student Scholars Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 13, 2012.
Topic: Human rights law, considered broadly.
Length: 25-50 pages.
Prize: $500.
Sponsor: Virginia Journal of International Law and the University of Virginia School of Law Human Rights Program.
Louis Jackson National Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 17, 2012.
Topic: Workplace law, including employment law, labor law, employee benefits, and employment discrimination.
Length: Not over 35 pages.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 + web publication; 2 runners-up receive $1,000 + web publication.
Sponsor: Jackson Lewis LLP and the Institute for Law and the Workplace at Chicago-Kent College of Law.
JELL Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 31, 2011.
Topic: Any issue concerning food or agricultural law and policy. Topics recently published in JELL will not be favored.
Length: 20-40 pages.
Prize: $500.
Sponsor: Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation of the University of Oregon School of Law.
Ladas Memorial Award in Trademark Law
Most Recent Deadline: January 20, 2012.
Eligibility: Papers may be co-authored. Articles may be unpublished or published within previous year.
Topic: Trademark law or a matter that directly relates to or affects trademarks.
Prize: $2,000 + web publication + travel expenses to attend International Trademark Association Gala + 3-volume treatise.
Length: No page limit.
Sponsor: International Trademark Association and Ladas & Parry LLP.
Francis Lieber Prize
Most Recent Deadline: January 16, 2012.
Eligibility: Author must be 35 or younger.
Topic: Any topic in the field of law and armed conflict, including but not limited to the use of force in international law, the conduct of hostilities during armed conflicts, protected persons and objects under the rules of armed conflict, the law of weapons, operational law, rules of engagement occupation law, peace operations, counter-terrorist operations, and humanitarian assistance.
Prize: $500.
Length: No page limit. 2 awards, one for books and one for articles.
Sponsor: Lieber Society of the American Society of International Law.
Rona R. Mears Student Writing Competition & Scholarship
Most Recent Deadline: January 20, 2012.
Topic: International law topic varies annually. 2012 topic is "The Restatement (Third) of the Foreign Relations Law of the United States is Being Revised. What Section or Group of Related Sections of the Restatement Should Be Revised, Why and How?"
Prize: 1st and 2nd places: $1,000 + publication + expenses to attend Spring Conference of the ABA Section of International Law.
Length: 3,000-5,000 words.
Sponsor: ABA Section of International Law.
Daniel T. Murphy Student Writing Competition
Deadline: January 2, 2012, for requesting anonymous submission number; January 6, 2012 for submission of paper.
Eligibility: Co-authorship is acceptable.
Topic: Varies annually. 2012 topic: "Open for Business? A Global Survey of Economic Recovery Efforts."
Length: 20-30 pages.
Prize: 1st place $300 + publication; 2nd place $150; 3rd place $75.
Sponsor: Richmond Journal of Global Law and Business of the University of Richmond School of Law.
National Native American Law Students Association Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 15, 2012.
Topic: Federal Indian law, tribal law, or international indigeous law.
Length: 25-50 pages.
Prize: 1st place $1,000; 2nd place $500; 3rd place $250.
Sponsor: National Native American Law Students Association.
National Security Forum Writing Competition and Call for Papers
Most Recent Deadline: January 15, 2010. Not offered in 2011.
Topic: Any legal topic related to national security.
Length: Not over 15,000 words.
Prize: Publication.
Sponsor: William Mitchell Law Review and William Mitchell National Security Forum.
Ohio State Bar Association Environmental Law Award
Most Recent Deadline: January 31, 2012.
Topic: Topics advancing the application and practice of environmental, energy, or resources law in Ohio.
Length: Up to 50 pages.
Prize: $1,000.
Sponsor: Ohio State Bar Association and McMahon DeBulis LLP.
Private International Law Paper Prize
Most Recent Deadline: January 21, 2011.
Eligibility: Author must be 35 or younger.
Topic: Any topic in the field of private international law. Submitted papers may be published or unpublished.
Prize: $500.
Length: Not over 8,000 words.
Sponsor: Private International Law Interest Group of of the American Society of International Law.
Private Justice Prize Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 3, 2011.
Topic: Any legal or law practice topic related to the conjuncture of ADR and private justice.
Length: Not over 40 pages.
Prize: 1st place $1,000, web publication, and expenses to attend ABA ADR Section Spring Meeting; 2nd place $500 + web publication; 3rd place $250 + web publication.
Sponsor: Holmes Law Firm.
Scribes Law-Review Award Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 21, 2011 for nominations from law journals.
Eligibility: One student-authored note or comment nominated per law review or journal.
Topic: No limit on subject matter.
Prize: Plaque for winning author and winning law journal.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: Scribes, The American Society of Legal Writers.
Larry M. Simonsmeier Award (formerly the ASPL Legal Research Award)
Most Recent Deadline: January 15, 2012
Topic: Pharmacy law, food & drug law, drug policy, or related areas. Papers must have been published, or accepted for publication, in the previous two calendar years.
Prize: Honorarium + expenses to attend the annual meeting of the American Society for Pharmacy Law.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: American Society for Pharmacy Law.
Southeast/Southwest People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 31, 2012.
Topic: Varies annually. 2012 topic: A cutting-edge legal or law & society issue related to the conference theme of "Transformative Advocay, Scholarship, and Praxis: Taking Our Pulse." The writing may be about legal advocacy or praxis or their intersectionaity with communities.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + expenses to present paper at the People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference; 2nd place $500; 3rd place a book on publishing.
Length: 20-25 pages.
Sponsor: Southeast/Southwest People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference.
Workers' Compensation Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 15, 2012.
Topic: Any aspect of workers' compensation law.
Prize: 1st place $1,500 + expenses to attend Annual Induction Dinner of the College of Workers' Compensation Lawyers; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500.
Length: 10-20 pages.
Sponsor: College of Workers' Compensation Lawyers.
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FEBRUARY
Intellectual Property Law Section Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on February 1.
Eligibility: Law students either attending law school in California, or who are domiciled in California.
Topic: Topics relating to intellectual property law, such as copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, privacy, and right of publicity.
Prize: 1st place $5,000 + publication + expenses to attend Intellectual Property Section's Annual Meeting; 2nd place $3,000; honorable mention $2,000.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Intellectual Property Section of the State Bar of California.
ABA Antitrust Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: February 1, 2012.
Topic: Antitrust issues, including topics relating to civil and criminal antitrust law, competition policy, consumer protection, and international competition. The article must be published in and nominated by a law review or legal journal sponsored by an ABA-accredited law school.
Prize: $2,000 + expenses to attend the Section's Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Length: 20-30 pages preferred; not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Antitrust Law.
Law and Society Association Graduate Student Paper Prize
Deadline: February 1, 2012.
Eligibility: Graduate students and law students. Joint papers are accepted. Papers must be nominated by a non-student member of the Law and Society Association.
Topic: Outstanding research on law and society.
Prize: Up to $500 to cover travel costs to attend the annual meeting of the Law and Society Association.
Length: Not over 18,000 words.
Sponsor: Law and Society Association.
Trandafir International Business Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on February 1.
Topic: International business or economic issues with a legal nexus.
Prize: $2,000 + publication.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: Journal of Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems and the University of Iowa College of Law.
Institute for Justice Center for Judicial Engagement Law Student Essay Contest
Deadline: February 6, 2012.
Topic: A persuasive essay about the virtues of judicial engagement: see the full topic at the contest website.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 + expenses to receive prize at the Institute for Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C.; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500.
Length: Not over 2,000 words.
Sponsor: Institute for Justice.
Richard D. Cudahy Writing Competition
Deadline: February 10, 2012.
Topic: Topics related to regulatory or administrative law, broadly construed.
Prize: Lawyer and student categories: 1st place in each is $1,500.
Length: Not over 25,000 words; shorter submissions are strongly encouraged.
Sponsor: American Constitution Society for Law and Policy.
International Humanitarian Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: February 15, 2012.
Topic: International humanitarian law.
Length: Not specified.
Prize: Publication + expenses to present top two papers at an expert conference in Washington, D.C.
Sponsors: Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law and the Lieber Society on the Law of Armed Conflict of the American Society of International Law.
Bert W. Levit Essay Contest
Deadline: February 17, 2012.
Topic: Essay hypothetical varies annually. The 2012 topic involves an international law firm and ethics questions concerning how the firm handles engagement letters, office restructuring, and taking on new matters in a cross-jurisdictional scenario. See the 2012 contest essay hypothetical.
Prize: $5,000 + expenses to attend National Legal Malpractice Conference.
Length: Not over 3,000 words.
Sponsor: ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability and Long & Levit, LLP.
Constance Baker Motley National Student Writing Competition
Deadline: February 17, 2012.
Eligibility: All entrants must be members of the American Constitution Society as of the day of submission.
Topic: Varying topics on furthering and promoting a progressive vision of the Constitution, law, and public policy: entrants are encouraged to view the topic broadly.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 + publication; 2 runners-up receive $1,000.
Length: 25-50 pages.
Sponsor: American Constitution Society for Law and Policy.
Criminal Law Section Writing Competition
Deadline: February 29, 2012.
Topic: Contemporary issues in criminal law or criminal procedure of concern in California.
Prize: 1st place $500 + publication; 3 honorable mention prizes of $150 + publication.
Length: 1,500-4,000 words.
Sponsor: Criminal Law Section of the State Bar of California.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Berkeley Technology Law Journal Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: February 25, 2011.
Topic: Law and technology topics, including but not limited to intellectual property, antitrust, First Amendment, entertainment and new media, telecommunications, biotechnology, internet, and cybercrime.
Prize: 1st place $2,000 + publication; 2nd place $750, 3rd place $500.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: Berkeley Technology Law Journal.
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MARCH
ABA Science and Technology Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on March 1.
Topic: Varies annually. 2010 topic: Emerging legal issues in the storage of personally identifiable information.
Prize: Expenses to attend the ABA Annual Convention + possible publication.
Length: Not over 2,500 words.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Science and Technology Law.
American Bankruptcy Institute Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: March 1, 2012.
Topic: Bankruptcy jurisdiction, bankruptcy litigation, and evidence in bankruptcy proceedings. Topics may address business or consumer cases.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + publication; 2nd place $750 + publication; 3rd place $500 + publication.
Length: Not over 12 pages.
Special note: Before submission, papers must be screened by a law professor at the entrant's law school; see competition information for more details.
Sponsor: American Bankruptcy Institute Bankruptcy Litigation Committee.
Energy Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: March 1, 2012.
Topic: "Are past legal constructions for the development of other resources effective prologues, or should alternative energy deployment (including renewables) or climate change issues be addressed through sui generis rules?"
Prize: Publication.
Length: Not over 2,000 words.
Sponsor: Renewable and Distributed Energy Resources Committee of the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources.
Affordable Housing and Community Development Law Competition
Deadline: March 2, 2012.
Topic: Affordable housing and/or community development law issues.
Prize: $1,000 + expenses to attend the Forum’s annual conference in Washington, D.C.
Length: 25-50 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Forum on Affordable Housing & Community Development Law.
Elliot A. Spoon Business Law Writing Competition
Deadline: First Friday in March (in 2012, March 2).
Topic: Current topic in business or securities law.
Prize: $500 + publication.
Length: None specified.
Sponsor: Journal of Business & Securities Law of Michigan State University College of Law.
James Baker Hughes Prize
Deadline: March 4, 2012.
Topic: International economic law, from private business matters to international trade conflicts.
Prize: $500 + publication.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Houston Journal of International Law.
TIPS Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: First Monday in March (in 2012, March 5).
Eligibility: At the time of essay submission, must be a member of the ABA Law Student Division.
Topic: Topics in areas covered by the Section’s substantive law committees including admiralty, appellate advocacy, automobile law, aviation law, business torts, civil procedure, commercial transportation litigation, consumer law, defamation, employee benefits, environmental law, evidence, government liability, insurance law, international law, maritime law, medicine and law, privacy rights, products liability, reinsurance, space law, suretyship, toxic torts, trial techniques, and workers' compensation law.
Prize: $1,500 + expenses to attend ABA annual meeting; 2nd place $500.
Length: Not over 35 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section.
Sarah Weddington Writing Prize in Reproductive Rights Law
Deadline: March 5, 2012.
Eligibility: Current law students and 2011 law school graduates.
Topic: Varies annually. 2012 topic: "Legislating Stereotypes: Reproductive Rights Rollback in the States."
Prize: 1st place $750 + publication + online publication; 2nd place $500 + online publication; 3rd place $250 + online publication.
Length: Not under 20 pages.
Sponsor: Law Students for Reproductive Justice.
Hon. William C. Conner Intellectual Property Law Writing Competition
Deadline: March 9, 2012.
Topic: Patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair trade practices, or antitrust.
Prize: 1st place $1,500; 2nd place $1,000.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: New York Intellectual Property Law Association.
Chief Justice John B. Doolin Writing Competition
Deadline: March 31, 2012.
Topic: Issues relating to Native Americans or other indigenous peoples.
Prize: 1st place $500 + publication; 2nd place $300; 3rd place $200.
Length: 30-50 pages.
Sponsor: Supreme Court of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission, Oklahoma Arts Council, and Sovereignty Symposium Inc.
Prize in International Insolvency Studies
Deadline: March 31, 2012.
Topic: Topics on international insolvency and restructuring issues.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 + expenses to present paper at the Institute's Annual Contest; 2nd place $2,000; 3rd place $1,000; up to 6 finalist prizes of $500.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: International Insolvency Institute.
PIPLA Intellectual Property Law Writing Award
Deadline: March 30, 2012.
Eligibility: Law students either attending law school in the Western District of Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh area), or who have been domiciled there within the past ten years. Co-authored papers are eligible.
Topic: Intellectual property.
Prize: $1,000.
Length: 10-25 pages.
Sponsor: Pittsburgh Intellectual Property Law Association.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Canadian American Bar Association Essay Competition
Most Recent Deadline: March 7, 2010.
Topic: Compare U.S. and Canadian law in an area of law of your choice.
Prize: 1st place $500 + web publication ; 2nd place $100 + web publication.
Length: Not over 2,000 words.
Sponsor: Canadian American Bar Association.
Embryo Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: March 7, 2011.
Topic: Varies annually.
Prize: 1st place $2,500; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: Not over 20 pages.
Sponsor: Nightlight Christian Adoptions.
Family Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: March 15, 2011.
Topic: Current legal issues in family law. Topics which focus on international or interdisciplinary issues of family law are encouraged.
Prize: 1st place $500 + possible publication; honorable mention $250.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Hofstra Law School and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.
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APRIL
Holland & Hart Natural Resources/Environmental Law Writing Contest
Deadline: Annually on April 1.
Eligibility: Fulltime students at the University of Idaho College of Law.
Topic: Natural resources or environmental law and policy.
Prize: $1,000 + publication.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: Holland & Hart, LLP.
For more information: Contact Professors Barbara Cosens, Jerry Long, or Dale Goble.
Rule of Law Writing Competition
Deadline: April 2, 2012.
Topic: Define the Rule of Law, or comment on its importance or effects.
Prize: 1st place $2,500; two runners-up $500.
Length: 4,000-5,000 words.
Sponsor: Beverly Hills Bar Foundation.
Constitutional Environmental Law Student Writing Competition (formerly the Endangered Environmental Law Student Writing Competition)
Deadline: April 13, 2012.
Topic: Recent developments or trends in U.S. environmental law that have a constitutional law or "federalism" element. See sample topics at website.
Prize: $2,000 + publication.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: Environmental Law Institute, National Association of Environmental Law Societies, and the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources.
Paul Faherty Tax Law Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on April 15.
Topic: Any aspect of tax law.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 + web publication; two honorable mentions of $1,000.
Length: 25-30 pages.
Sponsor: Center for Tax Law and Employee Benefits at the John Marshall Law School.
Trinity Law School Writing Competition
Deadline: April 15, 2012.
Topic: "A Christian's Response to Human Rights."
Prize: 1st place $1,000; 2nd place $500; 3rd place $250.
Length: 25-50 pages.
Sponsor: Trinity Law School (a California-accredited law school).
University of Connecticut School of Law Student Legal Writing Competition
Deadline: April 16, 2012 for registration; paper deadline June 1, 2012.
Topic: Legal issues affecting persons struggling with homelessness, mental illness, addiction, or substance abuse.
Prize: 1st place $750; 2nd place $500, 3rd place $250.
Length: 15-30 pages.
Sponsor: University of Connecticut School of Law.
Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest
Deadline: April 27, 2012 for participant number; May 4, 2012 for submitting paper.
Topic: Any aspect of family law.
Prize: Possible publication + complimentary membership in ABA Section of Family Law.
Length: Not over 28 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section on Family Law.
Smith-Doheny Legal Ethics Writing Competition
Deadline: April 27, 2012.
Eligibility: Co-authored essays are eligible, as well as single-author essays.
Topic: Any issue within the general category of legal ethics.
Prize: $2,500.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: Notre Dame Law School.
William W. Greenhalgh Writing Competition
Deadline: April 30, 2012.
Eligibility: Law students who are ABA members at the time the article is submitted.
Topic: Any timely and important issue of American criminal constitutional procedure of interest to practitioners of criminal law.
Prize: $2,000 + expenses to attend Section's annual meeting. All entrants receive one year's free membership in the ABA Section of Criminal Justice.
Length: Not over 4,000 words.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Criminal Justice.
Intellectual Property Student Writing Competition
Deadline: April 30, 2012.
Topic: Legal issues and challenges in the intellectual property field.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 + publication; 2nd place $2,000 + publication; 3rd place $1,000 + publication.
Length: 30-50 pages.
Sponsor: Georgia State University College of Law.
NACTT Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: April 30, 2012.
Topic: Any topic concerning Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code.
Prize: $1,000 + publication.
Length: Not over 15 pages.
Sponsor: National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Admiralty and Maritime Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 8, 2011.
Topic: Recent developments in admiralty and maritime law.
Prize: $500, + up to $500 in expenses to attend the ABA Annual Meeting.
Length: Not over 20 pages.
Sponsor; Admiralty & Maritime Law Committee of the ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section.
ABA Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 30, 2011.
Eligibility: Law student members of the ABA as of the time of submission.
Topic: Recent developments in alternative dispute resolution, covering topics of national rather than local interest.
Prize: $500, publication, and up to $500 to cover attendance at a meeting of the ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section.
Sponsor: Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee of the ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section.
Morris L. Cohen Student Essay Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 15, 2011.
Topic: Any topic related to legal history, rare law books, or legal archives.
Prize: $500, + expenses to attend the annual meeting of the AALS.
Length: Suggested length 20-35 pages.
Sponsor: Legal History and Rare Books Section of the American Association of Law Libraries.
Gellhorn-Sargentich Law Student Essay Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 29, 2011.
Topic: Varies annually.
Prize: $500 + expenses to attend the Section's Fall Conference in Washington, D.C.
Length: Not over 12 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice.
IDEA Student Intellectual Property Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 15, 2011.
Topic: Intellectual property.
Prize: 1st place $500 + publication; 2nd place $200.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: IDEA Intellectual Property Law Review.
Inter-American Bar Association Competition /Best Paper Award
Most Recent Deadline: April 20, 2011.
Eligibility: Must have been a member of IABA for at least 30 days before summer conference.
Topic: International law topics, especially those dealing with specific conference themes.
Prize: Not specified.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: Inter-American Bar Association.
Pennsylvania Bar Association Plain English Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 8, 2010.
Eligibility: Pennsylvania residents attending any law school, plus students attending any law school in Pennsylvania.
Topic: Rewrite a piece of bad legal writing into plain English. Click here for this year's assignment.
Prize: 1st place $1,000, 2nd place $500.
Length: The writing to be redrafted is less than two pages.
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Virginia State Bar Health Law Section Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 15, 2011.
Eligibility: Virginia residents attending any law school or students at Virginia law schools.
Topic: Issues in the practice of health law, with preference to topics relevant to contemporary events, addressing unsettled issues of law, or presenting novel perspectives.
Prize: $750 + publication.
Length: 2,000-2,500 words.
Sponsor: Health Law Section of the Virginia State Bar.
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MAY
ICSID Review - Foreign Investment Law Journal Writing Competition
Deadline: May 1, 2012.
Topic: Procedural or substantive issues in international investment arbitration.
Prize: $1,000 + publication.
Length: 10-15 pages.
Sponsor: International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.
NACC Law Student Essay Competition
Deadline: May 1, 2012.
Topic: Legal interests of children.
Prize: $1,000 + scholarship to attend NACC conference + publication.
Length: 10,000 words.
Sponsor: National Association of Counsel for Children.
AALL/LexisNexis Law Librarianship Award, Student Division
Deadline: May 15, 2012.
Topic: Any subject relevant to law librarianship.
Prize: $650, plus the opportunity to present paper at the AALL Annual Meeting.
Eligibility: Student Division is open to students in law, library, or information management school. There is also an open division and a new members division.
Sponsor: American Association of Law Libraries and Lexis/Nexis.
ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law / College of Labor & Employment Lawyers Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: May 15, 2012.
Topic: Any aspect of public or private labor or employment law. Encouraged topics include public policy issues, practical implications of leading cases or doctrines, statutes or the need for statutory modification, or common law doctrines.
Prize: 1st place $1,500 + publication; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500.
Length: Not over 20 pages.
Sponsor: College of Labor & Employment Lawyers.
IADC Legal Writing Contest
Deadline: May 18, 2012.
Topic: Tort law, insurance law, civil procedure, evidence, damages, dispute resolution, professional ethics, or other areas of the law of practical concern to lawyers engaged in the defense or management or the defense of civil litigation.
Prize: 1st place $2,000; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500.
Length: Suggested limit of 12,000 words.
Sponsor: International Association of Defense Counsel.
Virginia State Bar Intellectual Property Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: May 25, 2012.
Eligibility: Virginia residents attending any law school or students at Virginia law schools.
Topic: Intellectual property law issues or practice.
Prize: $4,000 + publication.
Length: 25-40 pages.
Sponsor: Intellectual Property Section of the Virginia State Bar.
H. Thomas Austern Memorial Writing Long Paper Competition
Deadline: May 31, 2012.
Topic: Current legal issues relevant to the regulation of foods, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, or biologics.
Prize: 1st place $4,000; 2nd place $1,000.
Length: 40-100 pages.
Sponsor: The Food and Drug Law Institute.
H. Thomas Austern Memorial Writing Short Paper Competition
Deadline: May 31, 2012.
Topic: Current legal issues relevant to the regulation of foods, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, or biologics.
Prize: 1st place $4,000; 2nd place $1,000.
Length: Not over 40 pages.
Sponsor: The Food and Drug Law Institute.
Domestic Violence and the Law Writing Competition
Deadline: May 31, 2012.
Topic: Submissions must further the legal needs of domestic violence victims and their children, or advance efforts to address the incidence, causes, and effects of intimate partner violence, from a national or international perspective.
Prize: Honorarium + publication.
Length: Not over 7500 words.
Sponsor: ABA Commission on Domestic Violence.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Judge John R. Brown Award
Most Recent Deadline: May 20, 2011.
Papers must be submitted with a letter of recommendation from a law school faculty member or legal professional. See rules for details.
Topic: Any writing on a legal subject.
Prize: $10,000.
Length: No page limit.
Sponsor: Judge John R. Brown Scholarship Foundation.
Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: May 23, 2011.
Topic: Issues confronting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex communities.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + publication + expenses to attend Lavender Law; 2nd & 3rd place, registration for Lavender Law.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: National LGBT Bar Association.
NAELA Elder Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: May 30, 2011. Not offered in 2012.
Topic: Legal issues affecting seniors or persons with disabilities.
Prize: 1st place $1,500; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500. The top eight articles will be published online.
Length: Not over 35 pages.
Sponsor: National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.
Nonsmokers' Rights Legal Research and Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline for proposal: May 1, 2010. Not offered in 2011.
Topic: Ideas for using legal action to advance nonsmokers’ rights.
Length: Initial proposal of not over 1,000 words. Thirty finalists will be invited to make oral presentations.
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 2nd place $3,000; 3rd place $1,000.
Thirty finalists will receive a $1,000 travel grants to attend the June 2010 World Conference on Nonsmokers Rights, present their proposals, and have web publication of their proposals.
Sponsor: National Center for Nonsmokers Rights.
Selma Moidel Smith Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: May 1, 2011.
Topic: Women’s rights or the status of women in the law.
Prize: $500 + publication.
Length: Not over 15 pages.
Sponsor: National Association of Women Lawyers.
Sir John M. Templeton Fellowships Essay Contest (formerly the Olive W. Garvey Fellowship) Not offered in 2011.
Most Recent Deadline: May 3, 2010.
Eligibility: Student applicants must be 35 or younger.
Topic: Varies annually. Topic for 2010: What ideas or reforms could be developed that would make people better aware that government wants to live at their expense?
Prize: 1st place $2,500; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: 1,500-5,000 words.
Sponsor: The Independent Institute.
Andrew P. Vance Memorial Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: May 23, 2011.
Topic: Customs and international trade law.
Prize: 1st place $1,000; 2nd place $500.
Length: Not over 40 pages.
Sponsor: The Customs and International Trade Bar Association and Brooklyn Law School.
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JUNE
Warren E. Burger Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on June 1.
Eligibility: Law students and lawyers. Joint entries are eligible.
Topic: Aspects of legal excellence, civility, ethics, or professionalism of contemporary significance.
Prize: $5,000 + publication.
Length: 10,000–25,000 words.
Sponsor: American Inns of Court.
Employee Benefits Writing Competition (Clarin M. Schwartz & Sidney M. Peristadt Memorial Awards)
Deadline: June 1, 2012.
Topic: Any legal topic involving employee benefits law, including but not limited to health or pension benefits, 401(k) plans, severance, executive compensation, spousal and domestic partner benefits, and fiduciary obligations.
Prize: Two awards of $1,500.
Length Not over 40 pages.
Sponsor: American College of Employee Benefits Counsel.
IAHA Health Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: June 1, 2012.
Eligibility: Current Illinois residents attending any U.S. law school, and law students attending law schools in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, or Wisconsin.
Topic: Federal or Illinois health law; must address Illinois law in some manner.
Prize: 1st place $2,500; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd place $500.
Length: Not over 15 pages.
Sponsor: Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys.
K. William Kolbe Student Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on June 1.
Topic: Issues pertaining to Section's legal areas, including the communications, cable, internet, electricity, gas, oil, aviation, motor carriers, railroad, and water industries.
Prize: $2,500 + expenses to attend Section's Fall Council Group Meeting + online publication.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law.
Robert T. Matsui Annual Writing Competition
Deadline: June 1, 2012.
Topic: Issues of relevance to Asian Pacific Americans and the law, and more broadly on topics of relevance to racial and ethnic minorities and the law.
Prize: $1,500 + publication.
Length: Not over 10,000 words, of which not over 6,000 may be text.
Sponsor: Asian Pacific American Bar Association Educational Fund.
James William Moore Federal Practice Award
Deadline: Annually on June 1.
Eligibility: Articles must be nominated by a student publication.
Topic: Federal civil practice and procedure, including federal courts management, federal appellate procedure, and appropriate dispute resolution.
Prize: $2,000 + Moore's Federal Rules Pamphlet (4-volume set). In addition, the law review submitting the winning article receives $1,000.
Sponsor: LexisNexis.
Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition
Deadline: June 1, 2012.
Eligibility: Co-authored papers are acceptable.
Topic: Trusts and estates, broadly defined. Eligible topics include business or charitable planning; elder law; employee benefits; fiduciary accounting, administration, income taxation, and litigation; estate planning; professional responsibility; substantive laws for gratuitous transmission of property; and wealth transfer taxation.
Prize: 1st place $5,000 + publication; 2nd place $3,000 + online publication; 3rd place $1,000 + online publication.
Length: 20-30 pages.
Sponsor: American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
James Boskey ADR Writing Competition
Deadline: June 15, 2012.
Topic: Dispute resolution practice, theory, or research.
Prize: $1,000 + online publication.
Length: 15-25 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Dispute Resolution and the Institute for Arbitration Law and Practice, Penn State Dickinson School of Law.
Animals and the Law Writing Competition
Deadline: June 29, 2012.
Topic: Any area of animal law.
Prize: 1st place $1,000; 2nd place $500.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: New York State Bar Association Committee on Animals and the Law.
Court of Federal Claims Bar Association Student Writing Competition
Deadline: June 29, 2012.
Topic: Any topic falling within the procedure, substance, or scope of the jurisdiction of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Cases before the Court include tax refund suits, government contracts, Fifth Amendment takings including environmental and natural resource issues, civilian and military pay, intellectual property, Native American rights, and vaccine injury compensation cases.
Prize: $2,000.
Length: 25 pages preferred; not over 30 pages.
Sponsor: Court of Federal Claims Bar Association.
California Supreme Court Historical Society Student Writing Competition
Deadline: June 30, 2012.
Topic: Any aspect of California legal history from 1846 to the present, ranging from the California Supreme Court, its justices and decisions, to local events of legal historical importance, including biography, significant cases, independent state interpretation, the California Constitution, reorganization of the court system, and areas of law such as criminal law, civil rights, family law, tort liability, environmental law, and taxation.
Prize: $2,500 + publication. 2nd and 3rd place winners may also be chosen.
Length: 6,000-15,000 words.
Sponsor: California Supreme Court Historical Society.
Environmental Law Essay Contest
Deadline: June 30, 2012.
Topic: Environmental law topics of current interest to Michigan practitioners.
Prize: 1st place $2,000 + publication; 2nd place $1,000 + publication; 3rd place $500 + publication.
Length: 8–20 pages.
Sponsor: Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
George Hutchinson Writing Competition
Deadline: June 30, 2012.
Topic: Topics within the substance, procedure, or scope of the jurisdiction of the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes patent and trademark decisions, government contract claims, International Trade Commission, Merit System appeals, and Veterans' appeals.
Prize: $3,000. Second and third place prizes may also be awarded.
Length: 20-50 pages.
Sponsor: Federal Circuit Bar Association.
Edward F. Langs Writing Award
Deadline: June 30, 2012.
Topic: Information technology law.
Prize: Up to three awards; a total of $1,500 to be divided between the authors of the winning essays.
Length: Minimum of 10 pages.
Sponsor: Information Technology Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
Jacques Leroy International Prize
Deadline: June 30, 2012.
Eligibility: Law students under 30 years old. Submissions must be accompanied by a letter from a law professor.
Topic: Business and human rights. 2012 topic: "The Jurist and the Development of Human Rights in the Business World."
Prize: Cash prize of 1,000 euros, + expenses to present the paper at the annual congress of the UIA.
Length: 15,000-20,000 characters, plus a 2,000-character summary of the text.
Sponsor: Union Internationale des Avocats.
Robert C. Watson Award (formerly AIPLA Fellows Award)
Deadline: June 30, 2012. Jointly-authored papers are acceptable.
Topic: Protection of intellectual property.
Prize: $2,000 + expenses to attend the AIPLA's annual meeting in October.
Length: 30-40 pages.
Sponsor: American Intellectual Property Law Association.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
American Judges Association Law Student Essay Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2011.
Topic: Topics vary annually. The 2011 topic is "Must a minor student be given his or her rights, including a Miranda warning and the right to have a parent present, before being questioned by police on school grounds?"
Prize: 1st place $3,000; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: 10-25 pages.
Sponsor: American Judges Association and American Judges Foundation with the support of the National Court Reporters Association.
Cultural Heritage Preservation Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 10, 2011.
Topic: Any aspect of cultural heritage law including cultural property, art law, historic preservation, indigenous cultures, and intangible heritage. Students may submit their own papers, or faculty may nominate student papers.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + publication; 2nd place $500 + web publication.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: Lawyers Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation.
FoxKiser Annual Writing Competition in Law, Science, & Medicine
Most Recent Deadline: June 30, 2010.
Eligibility: Professional-degree and graduate students, including those graduating in 2010. Coauthored papers are eligible. In addition, entrants may submit more than one entry.
Topic: Topics related to law, science, medicine, policy, technology, business, government, and innovation, particularly in relation to the pharmaceutical, medical device, and biologics industries.
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 2nd place $1,500.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: FoxKiser.
IJIEL International Student Essay Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 15, 2010.
Topic: Varies annually. 2010 topic: "TRIPS-plus Obligations and Free Trade Agreements with Developing Countries."
Prize: 1st place $750; 2nd place $250.
Length: Not over 2,000 words.
Sponsor: Indian Journal of International Economic Law of the National Law School of India University.
LatCrit Student Scholar Program
Most Recent Deadline: June 6, 2011.
Topic: Race, ethnicity, and the law.
Length: Not over 10,000 words.
Prize: Expenses to attend LatCrit Annual Conference + publication.
Sponsor: LatCrit, Inc.
Adam A. Milani Disability Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2011.
Topic: Any aspect of disability law, theory, or practice, or issues arising under any of the following statutes: Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, or any state statutes or municipal ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Prize: $300-$1,000, depending on whether multiple awards are given.
Length: 20 pages. Submissions should be trial-level or appellate briefs.
Sponsor: Mercer University School of Law.
Alice Paul Feminist Jurisprudence Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2011.
Eligibility: Co-authored essays are eligible as well as those by a single author.
Topic: Feminist jurisprudence.
Prize: $1,000.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: American University Washington College of Law.
RPTE Section Student Writing Contest, aka Jacques T. Schlenges Contest, aka Quarles & Brady Contest.
Most Recent Deadline: June 17, 2011.
Topic: Current topics in real property, trust and estate law.
Prize: 1st place $2,500 + expenses to attend the Section’s Fall Council Meeting; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Real Property, Trust & Estate Law.
Smith-Babcock-Williams Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 6, 2011.
Topic: Planning or areas of law germane to planning, such as land use, local government, or environmental law.
Prize: 1st place $2,500 + publication in The Urban Lawyer; 2nd place $1,000; up to 2 honorable mentions of $250.
Length: Not over 45 pages.
Sponsor: American Planning Association.
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JULY
Holocaust Remembrance Essay Award
Deadline: Annually on July 1.
Topic: The relationship between law, human rights, and the Holocaust.
Prize: $500 Canadian.
Length: 7,500-10,000 words.
Sponsor: University of Alberta Faculty of Law.
Roy C. Palmer Civil Liberties Prize
Deadline: Annually on July 1.
Eligibility: Law students and scholars.
Topic: Tension between civil liberties and national security in contemporary American society.
Prize: $10,000.
Length: Article of any length, or book.
Sponsor: Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Tannenwald Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on July 1.
Eligibility: Any law student. Each paper must be sponsored by a law professor.
Topic: Technical or policy-oriented tax issues relating to any type of existing or proposed state or federal tax.
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 2nd place $2,500; 3rd place $1,500.
Length: 25–50 pages.
Sponsor: Theodore Tannenwald, Jr., Foundation for Excellence in Tax Scholarship and American College of Tax Counsel.
George Jay Joseph Education Law Writing Award
Deadline: July 2, 2012.
Topic: One or more legal issues within the context of education, including public and private K-12 schools and institutions of higher education, especially current and emerging issues in elementary and secondary public education.
Prize: Publication + opportunity to present topic at the ELA's annual conference.
Length: 35-55 pages.
Sponsor: Education Law Association.
Eisenberg Prize
Deadline: July 13, 2012.
Topic: Appellate practice and procedure. Articles must have been published in the 12 months preceding the deadline.
Eligibility: The competition is open to all persons, including practicing lawyers, law students, and law professors.
Prize: $2,000.
Length: Immaterial.
Sponsor: American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Rear Admiral John S. Jenkins Award for Student Excellence in Military Legal Studies
Most Recent Deadline: July 1, 2010.
Topic: Military legal studies, including military justice and international humanitarian law.
Prize: $250, + assistance in publication if not previously published.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: National Institute of Military Justice.
SEAFWA Wildlife & Conservation Law Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: July 31, 2011.
Eligibility: Law students who are legal residents of selected southeastern states & trust territories, or who attend ABA law schools in these states.
The jurisdictions are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, & West Virginia.
Topic: Legal issues relating to fish & wildlife, habitat, or conservation law; or choose from pre-selected topics.
Prize: Publication + expenses to attend conference to present the paper.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Legal Committee of the Southeastern Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA).
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AUGUST
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
ATRIP Essay Competition
Most Recent Deadline: August 31, 2011.
Topic: Any topic related to intellectual property law.
Prize: Invitation to present paper at ATRIP international annual conference.
Length: Not over 8,000 words.
Sponsor: International Association for the Advancement of Teaching and Research in Intellectual Property.
Shannon Bybee Scholarship Award
Most Recent Deadline: August 6, 2011.
Topic: Gaming law. Paper must have been prepared for course credit.
Prize: Two awards of $2,500.
Length: 3,000-5,000 words preferred.
Sponsor: International Association of Gaming Advisors.
Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: August 15, 2011.
Topic: Topics related to the annual symposium topics. In 2011, the topics are international commercial arbitration, transnational litigation, and the intersection thereof. Papers need not discuss U.S. law.
Prize: $300.
Length: 15-40 pages.
Sponsor: Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution at the University of Missouri School of Law.
Freedom and Justice Legal Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: August 26, 2011.
Topic: Varies annually: specified topics on legal issues pertaining to economic liberties. 2011 topic: "To what extent does the Constitution limit the severit of the civil punishment that may be imposed on those convicted of a misdemeanor under the Park doctrine?"
Prize: Publication.
Length: Not over 2,400 words.
Sponsor: Washington Legal Foundation.
National Security Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: August 15, 2011.
Topic: Varies annually. 2011 topic: "The Constitution and National Security -- First Amendment Issues."
Prize: $500 + publication + expenses to attend the Annual Review of the Field of National Security Law Conference. Attendance at conference is mandatory.
Length: Not over 5,000 words.
Sponsor: ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security.
Paralyzed Veterans' Legal Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: August 1, 2011.
Eligibility: Law students, law professors, and law school graduates. Joint entries are permitted.
Topic: Varies annually. 2011 topic: "Should the Board of Veterans' Appeals be modified, decentralized, or abolished?"
Prize: $3,000 each in student division and professional division.
Length: 15-30 pages.
Sponsor: Paralyzed Veterans of America.
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SEPTEMBER
Victoria Fisher Memorial Prize Essay
Deadline: Annually on September 30.
Topic: Women and the law.
Prize: £250.
Length: Not over 10,000 words.
Sponsor: University of Leicester (U.K.) Law Faculty.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
ABA/ Public Contract Law Journal Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: September 30, 2011.
Topic: Topical issues in public contract or grant law.
Eligibility: Law students who are members of the ABA Section of Public Contract Law at the time of article submission.
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 2nd place $2,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Public Contract Law and the Public Contract Law Journal.
Futuristic Persons Appellate Brief Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: September 9, 2011.
Topic: Write an appellate brief in support of or in opposition to the granting of U.S. citizenship to a futuristic person, defined as a being claiming to have the rights and obligations associated with humans but who is beyond currently accepted notions of legal personhood. Terasem Movement provides three specific cases for background.
Prize: $1,000 + participation in the Annual Colloquium on the Law of Futuristic Persons, a virtual workshop.
Length: 4,000-6,000 words.
Sponsor: Terasem Movement.
Contact: Lori Rhodes, Lori@TerasemCentral.org; 321-676-3690 ext. 100.
Note: The Terasem Movement also has a standing call for submissions for its two online journals, the Journal of Geoethical Nanotechnology and the Journal of Personal Cyberconsciousness.
Futuristic Persons Paper Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: September 9, 2011.
Topic: The legal rights and obligations of futuristic persons, defined as beings claiming to have the rights and obligations associated with humans but who are beyond currently accepted notions of legal personhood.
Prize: $1,000 + participation in the Annual Colloquium on the Law of Futuristic Persons, a virtual workshop.
Length: 6,000-10,000 words.
Sponsor: Terasem Movement.
Contact: Lori Rhodes, Lori@TerasemCentral.org; 321-676-3690 ext. 100.
Note: The Terasem Movement also has a standing call for submissions for its two online journals, the Journal of Geoethical Nanotechnology and the Journal of Personal Cyberconsciousness.
Intellectual Property Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: September 9, 2011.
Topic: Legal issues and challenges that surround intellectual property, with an emphasis in new media topics.
Prize: 1st place $1,000, publication, and travel expenses to attend the Intellectual Property Symposium in Costa Mesa, California; 2nd place $500; 3rd place $500.
Length: 8,000-12,000 words.
Sponsor: Whittier Law Review.
National Security Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: September 15, 2011.
Topic: "The Constitution and National Security -- First Amendment Issues."
Prize: $500 + publication + expenses to attend the Annual Review of the Frield of National Security Law Conference in December 2011.
Length: Not over 5,000 words.
Sponsor: ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security.
Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: September 15, 2011.
Topic: Any topic within the broad field of economic, social, and cultural rights within the United States.
Prize: $500 + expenses to attend the annual conference of the PHRGE Institute on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights to be held in Boston in November, 2011.
Length: 8,000-12,000 words.
Sponsor: Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy of Northeastern University School of Law.
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OCTOBER
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
James E. Beckley Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: October 3, 2011.
Topic: Any aspect of securities law, securities arbitration, the Federal Arbitration Act, or FINRA Code of Arbitration.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + publication; 2nd place $750; 3rd place $500.
Length: Not over 35 pages.
Sponsor: Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association.
California State Bar International Law Section Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: October 15, 2010.
Topic: Any subject, public or private, in international law.
Prize: 1st place $2,000 + publication + expenses to attend the Section's Annual Meeting; 2nd place $750 + publication; 3rd place $250 + publication.
Length: 5,000-20,000 pages.
Sponsor: International Law Section of the State Bar of California.
CPR Original Student Article Award
Most Recent Deadline: October 28, 2011.
Topic: Varies annually. 2011 focus: Appropriate dispute resolution processes, techniques, systems, commitment, and scholarship which address the resolution, prevention, or creative management of major disputes involving public or business institutions, such as those between corporations, between government and corporations, or among multiple parties.
Papers must be prepared for a course and recommended by a professor.
Prize: Nominal.
Length: Unspecified.
Sponsor: International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution.
E-Discovery Legal Research and Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: October 15, 2011.
Topic: "Are further amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure necessary to help litigants address the complexities, costs, and burdens associated with electronic discovery?"
Prize: 1st place $2,500; two runners-up $1,000.
Length: Not over 5,000 words.
Sponsor: Redgrave LLP and Dish Network LLC.
National Law Review Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: October 17, 2011.
Topic: Suggested topics are intellectual property law, tax law, and labor and employment law. Articles related to other areas of law are also accepted.
Prize: Online publication.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: National Law Review.
Ross Essay Contest
Deadline: October 24, 2011.
Eligibility: Members of the American Bar Association, both students and lawyers.
Topic: Varies annually. 2011 topic: "How can large firms change the way in which law is practiced over the next five years, in a way that no other group can?"
Prize: $5,000 + online publication.
Length: Not over 600 words.
Sponsor: ABA Journal.
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NOVEMBER
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
ASECA Securities Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: November 18, 2011 (receipt date: must be mailed).
Topic: Securities law.
Prize: 1st place $5,000 + expenses to attend the ASECA Annual Dinner; 2nd place $3,000; 3rd place $2,000.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: Association of Securities and Exchange Commission Alumni.
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DECEMBER
American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on December 1.
Topic: Consumer financial services law.
Prize: $1,000 for the best student case note or comment + expenses to attend the annual meeting of the ACCFSL.
Length: Unspecified.
Sponsor: American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers.
ABA Health Law Section Annual Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on the first Friday of December. (In 2011, December 2.)
Topic: General health care topics.
Prize: 1st place $500 + publication + expenses to attended the ABA Health Law Section conference; 2nd place publication.
Length: 25–50 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Health Law Section.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
ABA Forum on the Construction Industry Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: December 31, 2011.
Topic: Issues of current interest to the construction industry.
Prize: 1st place $2,000 + expenses to attend Forum's Spring meeting.
Length: Papers must be suitable for one of the forum's two publications. Those suitable for The Construction Lawyer must conform to law review style. Those suitable for the newsletter Under Construction should be 1,000-2,000 words.
Sponsor: ABA Forum on the Construction Industry.
Alcohol Policy Essay Contest
Most Recent Deadline: December 19, 2011.
Topic: Varies by year. 2011 topic: "The Importance of Toward Liquor Control to Modern Alcohol Policy."
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 2nd place $2,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Center for Alcohol Policy.
Jerome I. Braun Prize in Western Legal History
Most Recent Deadline: December 1, 2011.
Topic: Topics illuminating the contributions of the law, lawyers, judges, and law-related organizations to the social, political, economic, and cultural history of the trans-Mississippi North American West.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + publication; 2nd place $500.
Length: 25-40 pages.
Sponsor: Ninth Judicial Circuit Historical Society.
Lieber Society Richard R. Baxter Military Writing Prize
Most Recent Deadline: December 31, 2011.
Eligibility: Members, active or retired, of the regular or reserve armed forces of any nation.
Topic: Any topic significantly enhancing the understanding and implementation of the law of war.
Length: Not over 35 single-spaced pages.
Prize: $500.
Sponsor: Lieber Society, an interest group of the American Society of International Law.
NACDL Law Student Essay Contest
Most Recent Deadline: December 31, 2011.
Topic: Varies annually. 2011 topic: "'Tough on Crime' vs. 'Smart on Crime': What's the Difference?"
Prize: 1st place $200 + publication; 2nd place $100 + publication; honorable mention receives publication.
Length: 600-1200 words.
Sponsor: National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
NAPW Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: December 15, 2010.
Eligibility: Law students and 2010 law school graduates.
Topic: Varies annually. 2010 topic: "Birthing Rights as a Matter of Gender Equality."
Prize: 1st place $1,000; 2nd place $500; 3rd place $250.
Length: Minimum of 25 pages.
Sponsor: National Advocates for Pregnant Women.
New York State Bar Intellectual Property Law Section Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: December 7, 2011.
Eligibility: Students in New York law schools, or out-of-state students who are members of the New York State Bar Association Intellectual Property Law Section (you need not be a resident of New York to join the section).
Topic: Protection of intellectual property.
Prize: 1st place $2,000; 2nd place $1,000 + expenses to attend the Intellectual Property Law Section's Annual Meeting.
Length: Not over 35 pages.
Sponsor: Intellectual Property Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.
NYU Environmental Law Essay Contest
Most Recent Deadline: December 20, 2010.
Topic: Environmental issues of national or international importance.
Prize: $1,000 + publication.
Sponsor: New York University Environmental Law Journal.
Albert S. Pergam International Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: December 2, 2011.
Topic: Any area of public or private international law.
Prize: $2,000 + publication.
Length: Not over 35 pages.
Sponsor: New York State Bar Association International Law and Practice Section.
Dr. Emanuel Stein and Kenneth Stein Memorial Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: December 2, 2011.
Topic: Any timely, compelling aspect of labor and employment law.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 + publication; 2nd place $2,000; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: Not over 20 pages.
Sponsor: Labor and Employment Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.
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Ongoing Acceptance of Submissions
Chicana/o Latina/o Law Review Call for Submissions
Deadline: Ongoing acceptance of submissions.
Topic: Chicana/o Latina/o legal topics of interest.
Prize: None, but publication for selected papers.
Length: Not over 25,000 words.
Sponsor: Chicana/o Latina/o Law Review.
EASL Law Student Initiative
Deadline: Ongoing acceptance of submissions.
Topic: Entertainment, arts, or sports law.
Prize: All winning submissions will be published, and all winners will receive complimentary membership in EASL Section of NY State Bar Association for the following year. No limit on the number of papers which may win.
Length: No length requirement.
Sponsor: Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.
Global Gavel Call for Submissions
Deadline: Ongoing acceptance of submissions.
Topic: International law topics of interest to Washington practitioners.
Prize: None, but publication for selected papers in quarterly newsletter (scroll to bottom of web page for articles).
Length: Not specified, but articles should be in law review style.
Sponsor: International Practice Section of the Washington State Bar Association.
Harvard Law & Policy Review Call for Submissions
Deadline: Ongoing, but student articles are typically selected in early August and early January for publication.
Topic: Wide-ranging topics giving innovative approaches to policy challenges.
Length: 4,000-6,000 words for the print edition; less than 4,000 words for online edition.
Sponsor: Harvard Law & Policy Review, which is the official journal of the American Constitution Society.
Hughes-Gossett Award for Students
Deadline: Ongoing acceptance of submissions. All student papers submitted to the Journal of Supreme Court History are annually entered to compete for the Hughes-Gossett Award.
Topic: U.S. Supreme Court history.
Prize: $500 + publication.
Length: No length requirement.
Sponsor: Supreme Court Historical Society.
Dr. Joseph Rossman Memorial Award / JPTOS Call for Papers
Deadline: Ongoing acceptance of submissions. All papers submitted to the Journal of the Patent and Trademark Office Society are annually entered to compete for the Rossman Award. JPTOS solicits submissions from both students and faculty.
Topic: Topics in intellectual property, patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
Prize: $1,500.
Length: No page limit.
Sponsor: Journal of the Patent and Trademark Office Society.
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Restricted Eligibility Competitions
Several legal writing competitions restrict eligibility such that law students in many states or at many law schools, including the University of Idaho College of Law, are not eligible to compete. This is true of most (but not all) contests sponsored by state bar associations. Following is a list of other annual competitions with restricted eligibility.
Boston Patent Law Association Writing Competition (selected schools only)
Boston Patent Law Association
Justice Robert H. Jackson Award (selected schools only)
Sponsor: Washington Foreign Law Society
Liberty Mutual Prize (author must have J.D.)
Sponsor: Boston College Law School
Peterson Prize National Writing Competition (for "scholars and professors")
Sponsor: Willamette University College of Law
William Pew Religious Freedom Scholarship Writing Competition (restricted to participants in the the Blackstone Legal Fellowship)
Sponsor: Alliance Defense Fund.
Prize Essay Contest (selected schools only)
Sponsor: Southern Trial Lawyers Association
Saint Louis University Student Legal Writers Association (selected schools only)
Sponsor: Saint Louis University School of Law
Texas International Law Section Law Student Legal Writing Contest
Sponsor: International Law Section, State Bar of Texas.
Thomas J. Trenta Memorial Law Student Writing Competition (selected schools only)
Sponsor: Health Care Section of the State Bar of Michigan
Discontinued Writing Competitions
The following law student writing competitions frequently appear in writing competition lists and web searches; however, they do not seem to have offered a competition for several years.
ABA Journal of Labor & Employment Law Student Writing Competition, a/k/a Labor Lawyer Writing Contest
Last offered as an independent competition in 2010; starting in 2011, merged with College of Labor & Employment Lawyers Writing Competition.
Air & Space Law Student Writing Competition (last held in 2009)
Sponsor: ABA Forum on Air & Space Law
American Business Law Journal Student Writing Competition
Sponsor: Academy of Legal Studies in Business
Attorney-CPA Foundation Essay Contest (last held in 2009)
Sponsor: Attorney-CPA Foundation.
Aviation Law Writing Competition
Sponsor: Lawyer Pilots Bar Association
Favil D. Berns Memorial Jewish Legal Writing Competition
Sponsor: Decalogue Society of Lawyers
Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law, and Justice Writing Award (last held in 2009)
Sponsor: Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law, and Justice
Building Block CLE Intellectual Property Writing Competition
Sponsor: Building Block CLE
Nathan Burkan Memorial Competition (last held in 2009)
Sponsor: American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
Canadian Law Student Essay Contest (last held in 2009)
Sponsor: American College of Trial Lawyers
Center for Global Trade & Development Writing Contest (last held in 2008)
Sponsor: Center for Global Trade and Development of Chapman University School of Law
Edward L. Dubroff Legal Writing Competition
Sponsor: American Immigration Law Foundation
Essay Contest on Judicial Independence
Sponsor: American College of Trial Lawyers
Fiction Writing Contest
Sponsor: New York Law Journal
Foley & Lardner LLP Intellectual Property Writing Competition (last held in 2009)
Sponsor: Foley & Lardner LLP
Mark Gordon Memorial Technology Law Writing Competition
Sponsor: International Technology Law Association (ITechLaw)
Akiyu Hatano Student Writing Award (last held in 2009)
Sponsor: Asian American Law Journal
International Ombudsman Association Student Writing Competition (last held in 2010)
Sponsor: International Ombudsmen Association
Legal Affairs Writing Contest
Sponsor: Marbury Institute of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP
Legal Assistance (LAMP) Essay Contest
Sponsor: ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel
Judge John M. Manos Writing Competition in Evidence
Sponsor: Cleveland State Law Review
Beverly C. Moore, Jr., Memorial Student Writing Competition (last held in 2008)
Sponsor: Thomson-West
New York Law School Real Estate Law Writing Competition (last held in 2010)
Sponsor: New York Law School
NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Law Student Essay Contest (last held in 2009)
Sponsor: NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund
NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Third Year Law Student Scholarship Writing Contest (last held in 2009)
Sponsor: NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund
PATH Writing Competition
Sponsor: People Advocating Therapeutic Homes
William J. Pierce Writing Contest (last held in 2008)
Sponsor: National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws
Program for Judicial Awareness Writing Competition (last held in 2009)
Sponsor: Pacific Legal Foundation
Richmond Journal of Law & Technology Writing Competition
Sponsor: Richmond Journal of Law & Technology
Diane R. Royal Administrative Law Essay Contest
Sponsor: Administrative Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan
Santa Clara Computer & High Technology Law Journal Comment Contest
Sponsor: Santa Clara Computer & High Technology Law Journal
Ibrahim Shihata Prize (last held in 2008)
Sponsor: Washington Foreign Law Society
John T. Stewart, Jr. Scholarship Writing Competition (last held in 2008)
Sponsor: Transportation & Transportation Security Law Section of the Federal Bar Association and the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association
STLR Writing Competition
Sponsor: Stanford Technology Law Review
William E. Swope Antitrust Writing Competition (last held in 2008)
Sponsor: Jones Day
William Trickel, Jr., Memorial Writing Award
Sponsor: Health Law Section of the Florida Bar
UCLA JOLT Writing Contest (last held in 2009)
Sponsor: UCLA Journal of Law and Technology.
VJOLT Intellectual Property Law Writing Competition (last held in 2009)
Sponsors: Virginia Journal of Law and Technology and Altacit Global
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Last updated 2012-02-03
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