Student Writing Competitions  

ABA Criminal Justice Section

The ABA Criminal Justice Section is sponsoring the 2013 William W. Greenhalgh Student Writing Competition. The topic is Social Media: Implications for Criminal Law, Practice and Procedure.  The winner will receive a $2,000 cash prize and airfare and accommodations to attend a Section meeting. The winning entry may be selected for publication in Criminal Justice magazine.

 The deadline for submission is April 10, 2013

The Environmental Law Institute

The Environmental Law Institute and the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources are sponsoring the Eighth Annual Constitutional Environmental Law Student Writing Competition. They invite law students to submit papers exploring current issues of constitutional environmental law addressing recent developments or trends in U.S. environmental law that have a significant constitutional or “federalism” component. Sample topics are included on the website. The article deemed best by a panel of judges will receive a $2000 cash prize, an offer of publication in the Environmental Law Reporter, and a one-year individual membership to ELI.

 The deadline for submission is April 12, 2013.

ABA Section of Family Law

The ABA Section of Family Law is sponsoring the Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest.  The subject may be any aspect of family law.  The winner will receive a certificate of recognition, a letter to the Law School Dean, and a one-year complimentary ABA Section of Family Law membership.  The winning essay will be considered for publication in Family Law Quarterly and on the ABA Section of Family Law's website.

The deadline for submission is April 26, 2013.

National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees

The NACTT is sponsoring their Fifth Annual Law Student Writing Competition.  The essay, article, or comment should concern Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code.  The winning essay wil receive a $1,000 grand prize, have their essay published in the NACTT Quarterly, and receive free registration and room at the New York Marriott Marquis for the NACTT seminar.

The deadline for submission is April 30, 2013.

ABA Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice

The ABA Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice is sponsoring the 2013 Gellhorn-Sargentich Law Student Essay Competition.  The essay may relate to any aspect of administrative law.  The winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize and airfare to attend the Fall Conference in Washington, D.C.  The winning entry may be selected for publication in the Administrative and Regulatory Law News and/or the Administrative Law Review.

The deadline for submission is May 1, 2013.

National Association of Women Lawyers

The National Association of Women Lawyers is sponsoring the Selma Moidel Smith Law Student Writing Competition.  The paper should be on an issue concerning women's rights or the status of women in the law. The winning author will receive a cash prize of $500 and publication of the winning essay in NAWL's Women Lawyers Journal.

The deadline for submission is May 1, 2013.

ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law

The ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law and The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers are sponsoring their 2012-2013 Law Student Writing Competition.  The topic may be any aspect of public or private sector labor and/or employment law relevant to the American labor and employment bar.  Students are encouraged to discuss a public policy issue, practical implications of a leading case or doctrine, a statute or the need for statutory modification, or a common law doctrine.  The winner will receive $1,500 and have their article published in the ABA Journal of Labor & Employment Law.  Second Place: $1,000; Third Place: $500.

The deadline for submission is May 15, 2013.

American Association of Law Libraries

American Association of Law Libraries with LexisNexis  is sponsoring its “Call for Papers” Competition.  Papers may address any subject relevant to law librarianship.  The winner in will receive $650 and the opportunity to present the winning paper at a program during the 2013 AALL Annual Meeting in Seattle!  Winning papers are also considered for publication in the Association’s prestigious Law Library Journal.

The deadline for submission is May 15, 2013.

The National LGBT Bar Association

The National LGBT Bar Association is sponsoring the Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition.  The essay should address a legal issue affecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.  First prize is $1,000; registration, airfare and hotel to attend the 2013 Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair; and publication in the Tulane Journal of Law & Sexuality: A Review of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the Law.

The deadline for submission is May 17, 2013.

The American College of Employee Benefits Counsel

The American College of Employee Benefits Counsel is sponsoring the Ninth Annual Employee Benefits Writing Competition.  The essay should be on any topic relating to employee benefits law.  The winner will receive a $1,500 cash prize and will be honored during the College's annual black tie dinner in New Orleans.

The deadline for submission is June 1, 2013.

ABA Section of Public Utility, Communications, and Transportation Law

The ABA Section of Public Utility, Communications, and Transportation Law is sponsoring the K. William Kolbe Law Student Writing Competition.  Entrants are encouraged to write on subjects of national interest or significance on a current topic of general interest in a legal area covered by the Section. The prize is $2,500 plus a free Section membership and airfare and hotel accommodations to atted the Fall Council Meeting.

The deadline for submission is June 1, 2013.

University of Connecticut School of Law

The University of Connecticut School of Law is sponsoring their annual Law Student Legal Writing Competition.  The essay should address a legal issue affecting persons struggling with homelessness, mental illness, addiction or substance abuse.  First prize is $750; second prize, $500; third prize, $250.  Students intending to enter must register by April 15, 2013.

The deadline for submission is June 1, 2013.

American Planning Association

The American Planning Association  is sponsoring the 30th Annual Smith-Babcock-Williams Student Writing Competition.  Entries should demonstrate original thought on a question of significance in either city planning or associated areas of law (e.g., land use, local government or environmental law).  The winning entry in the competition will be awarded a prize of $2,500 and will be submitted for publication in The Urban Lawyer, the law journal of the American Bar Association's Section of State & Local Government Law. In addition to the first prize, the competition will award a second prize of $500 and a third prize of $250.

The deadline for submission is June 7, 2013.

ABA Section of Dispute Resolution

The ABA Section of Dispute Resolution is sponsoring the James B. Boskey Law Student Essay Contest on Dispute Resolution.  The essay may address any aspect of dispute resolution practice, theory or research that the contestant chooses.  The winning author receives $1,000 cash.  the winning entry and the runner-up will be posted online.

The deadline for submission is June 14, 2013.

ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law

The ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law is sponsoring the 2013 Law Student Writing Contest.  The essay must be on a current topic dealing with real property, trust and estate law.  Sample subjects are listed on the website.  The winner will receive $2,500, airfare and hotel accommodations to the Fall Leadership Meeting in New Orleans, LA, and possible publication of the essay in Probate & Property magazine.  Second place is $1,500; third is $1,000.

The deadline for submission is June 14, 2013.

American College of Trust and Estate Counsel

The ACTEC is sponsoring the Mary Moers Wenig 2013 Student Writing Competition.  The topic should be an area of general interest relating to trusts and estate, broadly defined.  First prize is $5,000 and publication in the ACTEC Law Journal.  Second prize is $3,000 and online publication; third prize is $1.000 and online publication.

The deadline for submission is June 14, 2013.

Asian Pacific American Bar Association Education Fund

The AEF is sponsoring the Robert T. Matsui Annual Writing Competition.  The topic should relate to Asian Pacific Americans and the law.  The winning entry will receive a monetary award of $1,500 and be published by the Asian Pacific American Law Journal.

The deadline for submission is June 15, 2013.

Theodore Tannenwald, Jr. Foundation for Excellence in Tax Scholarship

The Theodore Tannenwald, Jr. Foundation for Excellence in Tax Scholarship is sponsoring the 2013 Tannenwald Competition.  Papers must focus primarily upon technical or policy-oriented tax issues relating to any type of existing or proposed U.S. federal or state tax or U.S. federal or state taxation system (including topics relating to tax practice ethical and professional responsibility matters).  Each submitted paper must be sponsored by a law school professor.  The winning author will receive $5,000; second place, $2,500; third, $1,500.

The deadline for submission is July 1, 2013.

American Inns of Court

The American Inns of Court is sponsoring the Warren E. Burger Prize writing competition.  The essay should be 10,000 to 25,000 words on a topic of your choice addressing issues of legal excellence, civility, ethics and professionalism.  The winner will receive a cash prize of $5,000 which will be presented at the annual Celebration of Excellence a the Supreme Court of the United States.  The essay will be published in the South Carolina Law Review.

The deadline for submission is July 15, 2013.

ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security

The ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security is sponsoring the 2012-2013 National Security Law Student Writing Competition.  This year's writing competition encourages scholarly debate on issues involving nuclear power, nuclear proliferation and national security law with the topic: Nuclear Issues and National Security Law: student analysis of a timely issue at the intersection of law and national security.  The winning essay will receive a cash prize of $500 and free registration to the 23rd Annual Review of the Field of National Security Law Conference to held in Washington, DC (date to be announced). In addition to registration for the conference, the prize will include reimbursement for coach travel and one night’s lodging. Additionally, the essay will be published in the National Security Law Report.

 The deadline for submission is October 1, 2013.