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Competition Listings

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Alternative Dispute Resolution

ICSID Review—Foreign Investment Law Journal Student Writing Competition
Web Site »
Description: Papers should address "a procedural or substantive issue in international investment arbitration."
First Prize: $1,000.00
Additional Prize(s): The winning student will also have his or her essay published in a future issue of the ICSID Review. ("ICSID" stands for the "International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes"; the ICSID Review is published by the well-regarded Oxford University Press.)
Deadline: 05/01/2012
Contact Information:
Mike King
Legal Counsel – Institutional Matters
International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
The World Bank Group
1818 H Street, N.W., MSN U3-301
Washington, DC 20433
202.458.0125
mikeking@worldbank.org

American Indian Law

The Sovereignty Symposium
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address "any area of the law relating to Native Americans or other indigenous peoples."
First Prize: $500.00
Second Prize: $300.00
Third Prize: $200.00
Additional Prize(s): The winning entry will be published in the "2012 Symposium compendium of materials." The second and third place entries will be published therein if space permits. (Legal libraries all over the United States regularly solicit copies of these materials for their collections.)
Deadline: 03/31/2012
Contact Information:
Julie L. Rorie
The Sovereignty Symposium
Oklahoma Judicial Center, Suite 1
2100 North Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
405.556.9371
kyle.shifflet@oscn.net

Bankruptcy

National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees Law Student Writing Competition
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address an issue involving Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code.
First Prize: $1,000.00
Additional Prize(s): The author of the first-place essay will be published in "The Quarterly Journal of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees." The winner will also receive free registration and lodging for the NACTT annual seminar.
Deadline: 04/30/2012
Contact Information:
Debbie Langehennig
NACTT Law Student Writing Competition
National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees
3801 Capital of Texas Hwy. South, Suite 320
Austin, TX 78704
406.453.4663
Trustee@Ch13austin.com

Business Law

Civil-Rights Law

University of Connecticut School of Law Student Writing Competition
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address "a legal issue affecting persons struggling with homelessness, mental illness, addiction, or substance abuse."
First Prize: $750.00
Second Prize: $500.00
Third Prize: $250.00
Deadline: 06/01/2012
Contact Information:
Jennifer Brown Mailly
Assistant Clinical Professor of Law
Externship Director
Student Legal Writing Competition
University of Connecticut School of Law
55 Elizabeth Street
Hartford, CT 06105
860.570.5216
Jennifer.Mailly@law.uconn.edu

Constitutional Law

American Judges Association Law Student Essay Competition
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address the following question: "Is it constitutional for a legislative body to require a DNA test for all persons arrested and charged with a felony?"
First Prize: $3,000.00
Second Prize: $1,500.00
Third Prize: $1,000.00
Additional Prize(s): Winners may, in addition to receiving the monetary prizes described above, receive award certificates, be considered for publication in the AJA's journal, "Court Review," and be publicly recognized at the AJA's annual conference.
Deadline: 06/01/2012
Contact Information:
John Rosson, Chairperson
Essay Competition Committee
American Judges Association
Law Student Essay Competition
300 Newport Avenue
Williamsburg, VA 23185
757.259.1520
aja@ncsc.org

Criminal Law

International Association of Defense Counsel Legal Writing Contest
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address "the fields of tort law, insurance law, civil procedure, evidence, or other areas of practical concern to lawyers engaged in the defense or management of the defense of civil litigation."
First Prize: $2,000.00
Second Prize: $1,000.00
Third Prize: $500.00
Additional Prize(s): There may be, in addition to the prizes just described, Honorable Mention winners. All winners will be considered for publication in the "Defense Counsel Journal."
Deadline: 05/18/2012
Contact Information:
Amy O'Maley, Esq.
IADC Professional Development Director
International Association of Defense Counsel
303 West Madison, Suite 925
Chicago, IL 60606
312.368.1494
mdannevik@iadclaw.org

Criminal Procedure

Environmental Law

ABA's Energy Law Student Writing Competition
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address the following question: "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?"
Additional Prize(s): Winning entries will be published nationwide in an ABA publication, a special combined edition newsletter of the Renewable, Alternative, and Distributed Energy Resources Committee and the Energy and Environmental Markets and Finance Committee.
Deadline: 03/01/2012
Contact Information:
Noemi Alvarez
Section Assistant
312.988.5625
Noemi.Alvarez@americanbar.org

Hogan/Smoger Access to Justice Essay Contest
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address the following topic: "Are Factories Hog-Tying People's Rights? Right to Farm and Ag-Gag Laws." NOTE: YOU MUST SUBMIT AN INTENT TO ENTER FORM BY 1/31/2012.
First Prize: $5,000.00
Additional Prize(s): The author of the winning essay will receive a $5,000 cash prize, recognition in the Public Justice newsletter and on the website, and a free Public Justice Foundation membership for the contest year.
Deadline: 03/31/2012
Contact Information:
Cassandra Goings
Outreach Coordinator
Public Justice Foundation
1825 K Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20006
202.797.8600
cgoings@publicjustice.net

Animals and the Law Student Writing Competition
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address any topic related to animals and the law.
First Prize: $1,000.00
Second Prize: $500.00
Additional Prize(s): Both first and second prizes come with certificates of achievement. The winning papers will, in addition, be considered for publication.
Deadline: 06/29/2012
Contact Information:
Kim Hojohn, Liaison
Committee on Animals and the Law
New York State Bar Association
One Elk Street
Albany, NY 12207
518.463.3200

Ethics and Professionalism

Notre Dame Law School Smith-Doheny Legal Ethics Writing Competition
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address "any issue within the general category of legal ethics."
First Prize: $2,500.00
Deadline: 04/27/2012
Contact Information:
John Robinson
Associate Professor
University of Notre Dame
The Law School
P.O. Box 780
Notre Dame, IN 46556
574.631.6749
sumption.1@nd.edu

American Inns of Court Warren E. Burger Prize
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address issues of legal excellence, including skills, civility, ethics, and professionalism.
First Prize: $5,000.00
Additional Prize(s): The winning essay will be published in the "South Carolina Law Review." The Warren E. Burger Prize will be presented as part of the American Inns of Court Celebration of Excellence at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Deadline: 06/01/2012
Contact Information:
Cindy Dennis
American Inns of Court
1229 King Street, Second Floor
Alexandria, VA 22314
800.233.3590
cdennis@innsofcourt.org

General Legal Issues

Annual International Conference on Law, Regulations and Public Policy
Web Site »
Description: This competition is interested in the following topics, among many others: intellectual property, the law of the commons, labor law, environmental law, human and civil rights, criminal law, public policy, defense policy, antitrust, and immigration. Please visit the competition's website for further information.
Additional Prize(s): Several papers will be selected and given awards at the conference. They will also be considered for publication in various journals.
Deadline: 03/09/2012
Contact Information:
Global Science & Technology Forum
10 Anson Road, International Plaza
Singapore 07990
info@law-conference.org

National Pro-Life Legal Writing Award
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address "a pro-life topic." Papers must have been published or accepted for publication between January 1 and November 30, 2012, to be eligible.
First Prize: $750.00
Deadline: 11/30/2012
Contact Information:
legalcontest@masscitizensforlife.org

Health Law

Intellectual-Property Law

Robert C. Watson Competition
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should have been previously published, between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012; they should address "the protection of intellectual property."
First Prize: $2,000.00
Additional Prize(s): Reasonable expenses will be reimbursed to the author of the winning paper to travel to Washington, DC to receive the Watson Award on October 26, 2012.
Deadline: 06/30/2012
Contact Information:
American Intellectual Property Law Association
Watson Award Competition
241 18th Street South, Suite 700
Arlington, VA 22202
703.415.0780
watsonaward@aipla.org

International Law

Andrew P. Vance Memorial Writing Competition
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should provide in-depth analyses of a current issue relevant to customs and international-trade law.
First Prize: $1,000.00
Second Prize: $500.00
Additional Prize(s): Awards will be presented at the Customs and International Trade Bar Association's semi-annual dinner.
Deadline: 05/25/2012
Contact Information:
Golda Lawrence
Brooklyn Law School
250 Joralemon Street
Brooklyn
New York, NY 11201
718.780.7531
claire.kelly@brooklaw.edu

Labor and Employment

The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and American Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment Law Annual Student Writing Competition
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address "any aspect of public or private sector labor and/or employment law relevant to the American labor and employment bar." Students are encouraged to: (a) present a public-policy issue; (b) analyze the practical implications of a leading case or doctrine; (c) comment on a statute or the need for a statutory modification; or (d) comment on a common-law doctrine.
First Prize: $1,500.00
Second Prize: $1,000.00
Third Prize: $500.00
Additional Prize(s): The first-place winner will, in addition to receiving the cash prize described above, be published in the "ABA Journal of Labor & Employment Law." He or she will also be a guest at the annual CLE program of the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law and be honored at the Annual Induction Dinner of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.
Deadline: 05/15/2012
Contact Information:
Joel A. D'Alba, President
The College of Labor & Employment Lawyers
1997 Annapolis Exchange Parkway, Suite 300
Annapolis, MD 21401
410.972.4711
swan@laborandemploymentcollege.org

Litigation

Poverty Law

Tax

Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address topics involving trusts, estates, and related taxation.
First Prize: $5,000.00
Second Prize: $3,000.00
Third Prize: $1,000.00
Additional Prize(s): ACTEC will, in addition to awarding the prizes listed above, award some Honorable Mention prizes, of varying cash value, and publish the top papers.
Deadline: 06/01/2012
Contact Information:
Ira Mark Bloom
Justice David Josiah Brewer Distinguished Professor of Law
Albany Law School
80 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208
518.445.2355
ibloo@albanylaw.edu

The Tannenwald Writing Competition
Web Site »
More Information (PDF) »
Description: Papers should address "any federal or state tax-related topic."
First Prize: $5,000.00
Second Prize: $2,500.00
Third Prize: $1,500.00
Additional Prize(s): In the past, winning papers have been considered for publication in "The Florida Tax Review." This year's announcement does not mention this opportunity, but it may be an oversight.
Deadline: 07/03/2012
Contact Information:
Nancy Abramowitz
Professor of Practice of Law
American University Washington College of law
4801 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
1275 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Suite 200
Washington, DC 20016
202.274.4164
nabramo@wcl.american.edu

Torts

Trusts and Estates

Disclaimer: Sturm College of Law does not endorse any competitions listed on this site. Applicants must make their own judgments regarding the quality and reliability of a competition.

University of Denver

Sturm College of Law

Writing Competitions

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