Law

Writing Competitions

Many organizations throughout the country, and the world, sponsor writing competitions for law students.  The competitions typically focus on a particular area of the law.  Participating in a writing competition is a great way to explore an area of interest and to hone your writing skills.  As a bonus, the competitions often grant cash prizes, travel opportunities, or publication opportunities for the winning essays.  For more information feel free to contact Professor Rachel Smith (rachel.smith@uc.edu) or view the table below.

Legal Writing Competions.
Topic Sponsor Competition Name Submission Deadline Website Link 1st Prize Value  
International Business Law Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems:  A Journal of the University of Iowa College of Law Trandafir International Business Writing Competition February 1, 2021 http://tlcp.law.uiowa.edu/trandafir-writing-competition $2,000  
Health Law Health Law Institute at Mitchell Hamline School of Law Roy Snell Health Care Regulatory and Compliance Writing Competition February 1, 2021 https://mitchellhamline.edu/health-law-institute/roy-snell-health-care-regulatory-and-compliance-writing-competition/ $5,000  
International Human Rights American University Washington College of Law and the American Society of International Law's Lieber Society International Humanitarian Law Student Writing Competition February 1, 2021 https://www.wcl.american.edu/impact/initiatives-programs/hracademy/award/ present at the conference/travel expenses  
Family Law Association of Family & Conciliation Courts/Hofstra Family Law Writing Competition February 1, 2021 http://www.afccnet.org/ $500  
Federalism McGill University's Faculty of Law and the Peter MacKell Chair in Federalism Baxter Family Competition on Federalism February 1, 2021 https://www.mcgill.ca/federalism/baxter-family-competition-federalism $5,000  
Public Interest Law University of Pennsylvania Law Review Public Interest Essay Competition February 1, 2021 https://www.pennlawreview.com/public-interest-essay-competition/ $5,000  
Administrative Law American Constitution Society for Law and Policy Richard D. Cudahy Writing Competition on Regulatory and Administrative Law February 7, 2021 https://www.acslaw.org/get-involved/awards-and-competitions/the-richard-d-cudahy-writing-competition-on-regulatory-and-administrative-law/ $1,500  
Constitutional Law American Constitution Society for Law and Policy Constance Baker Motley National Student Writing Competition February 7, 2021 https://www.acslaw.org/get-involved/awards-and-competitions/constance-baker-motley-national-student-writing-competition/ $3,000  
Church and State The Program on Church, State & Society at Notre Dame Law School Program on Church, State & Society Announces Student Writing Competition February 15, 2021 https://churchstate.nd.edu/news-events/news/program-on-church-state-society-announces-student-writing-competition/ $4,000  
Native American Law or Indigenous Peoples American Indian Law Review University of Oklahoma College of Law American Indian Law Writing Competition February 26, 2021 https://www.law.ou.edu/faculty-and-scholarship/journals/american-indian-law-review/writing-competition $1,000  
Intellectual Property New York Intellectual Property Law Association (NYIPLA) Hon. William C. Conner Writing Competition February 28, 2021 https://www.nyipla.org/nyipla/ConnerWritingAwards.asp $1,500  
Entertainment/Sports Law Recording Academy & ABA Forum on Entertainment and Sprots Industries Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Competition March 12, 2021 https://www.grammy.com/entertainment-law-initiative $10,000  
International Economic Law Houston Journal of International Law James Baker Hughes Prize March 25, 2021 http://www.hjil.org/submissions/james-baker-hughes/ $500  
Animal Law The American Kennel Club Companion Animal Writing Contest March 31, 2021 https://akcgr.org/akc/writeaboutanimallaw $2,500  
Criminal Law/Procedure State Bar of California Marshall M. Schulman Competition for Student Papers in Criminal Law and/or Criminal Procedure April 2, 2021 http://calawyers.org/Sections/Criminal-Law/Student-Writing-Competition $1,500  
Family Law ABA Section of Family Law Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest April 9, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/family_law/awards-initiatives/essay_contest/ $1,500  
Health Law Virginia State Bar Health Law Section Student Writing Competition April 23, 2021 http://www.vsb.org/site/sections/health/competition $1,500  
National Security The Air Force Judge Advocate General's School and the Air Force JAG School Foundation National Security Law Writing Competition April 30, 2021 afjag.af.mil/Portals/77/documents/AFJAGS/2020%20AFJAGS%20National%20Security%20Law%20Writing%20Competition%20Rules.pdf?ver=2019-11-22-171535-827 $5,000  
LGBTQ+ Legal Issues National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) Bar Association Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition May 14, 2021 https://lgbtbar.org/programs/awards/michael-greenberg-writing-competition/ $500  
International Law Customs and International Trade Bar Association and Brooklyn Law School Andrew P. Vance Memorial Writing Competition May 28, 2021 https://www.law.miami.edu/vance-memorial-writing-competition $1,000  
Property Law ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Law Student Writing Contest May 29, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/real_property_trust_estate/fellowships-and-awards/law-student-writing-competition/ $2,500  
Intellectual Property Virginia State Bar Intellectual Property Law Section VA Bar Intellectual Property Law Student Writing Competition May 31, 2021 https://www.vsb.org/site/sections/intellectualproperty/writing-competition $5,000  
Environmental Law ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Environmental Transactions and Brownfields May 31, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/environment_energy_resources/membership/law_student_resources/ $1,000  
Public Land & Resources Law ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Public Land & Resources Writing Competition May 31, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/environment_energy_resources/membership/law_student_resources/ $1,000  
Consitutional Law ABA Constitutional Law Writing Competition May 31, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/environment_energy_resources/membership/law_student_resources/ $1,000  
Environmental Law ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Waste and Resource Recovery Writing Competition May 31, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/environment_energy_resources/membership/law_student_resources/ $1,000  
Environmental Law ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources International Environmental and Resources Law Writing Competition May 31, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/environment_energy_resources/membership/law_student_resources/ $1,000  
Environmental Law ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Forest Law Writing Competition May 31, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/environment_energy_resources/membership/law_student_resources/ $1,000  
Endangered Species ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Endangered Species Writing Competition May 31, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/environment_energy_resources/membership/law_student_resources/ $1,000  
Energy Law ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Energy Law Writing Competition May 31, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/environment_energy_resources/membership/law_student_resources/ $1,000  
Employment Benefits American College of Employee Benefits Counsel Annual Employee Benefits Writing Competition June 1, 2021 https://www.acebc.com/employee-benefits-writing-competition $1,800  
Environmental Law New York State Bar Association Prof. Wm R. Ginsberg Memorial Essay Contest June 1, 2021 http://www.nysba.org/ENVEssayContest/ $1,000  
Justice System--Fiction ABA Journal Ross Essay Contest June 1, 2021 http://www.abajournal.com/contests/ross_essay/ $3,000  
Food Safety Pritzker Hageman, P.A. Food Safety Scholarship June 1, 2021 http://www.pritzkerlaw.com/scholarship/ $3,000  
Food and Drug Law Food and Drug Law Institution (FDLI) H. Thomas Austern Memorial Writing Competitions June 11, 2021 https://www.fdli.org/career/austern-writing-competition/ $750  
Labor & Employment Law The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers/ABA College of Labor and Employment Lawyers -- Writing Competition for Law Students June 15, 2021 https://law.richmond.edu/docs/AME_COL_WRITING_COMPETITION.pdf $3,000  
Labor & Employment Law ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law National Student Writing Competition June 15, 2021 https://www.laborandemploymentcollege.org/white-papers/law-student-writing-competition/law-student-writing-competition-2 $3,000  
Women's Rights National Association of Women Lawyers Selma Moidel Smith Law Student Writing  Competition June 30, 2021 https://www.cschs.org/programs/student-writings/ $2,500  
Tax Law Tax Analysts Tax Analysts Annual Student Writing Competition June 30, 2021 https://www.taxnotes.com/awards/for-students publication  
Trusts and Estates American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition June 30, 2021 https://actecfoundation.org/resources-for-law-students/law-student-writing-competition/ $5,000  
Bicycle Safety Law The Advocates at Driggs, Bills & Day The Advocates Scholarship June 30, 2021 https://www.utahadvocates.com/scholarship/ $1,000  
Intellectual Property American Intellectual Property Law Association Robert C. Watson Award June 30, 2021 https://www.aipla.org/resources/programs-awards/robert-c.-watson-award travel expenses  
Public Utility, Transportation, Communication Law ABA Law Student Division K. William Kolbe Writing Competition June 30, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/infrastructure-regulated-industries/awards.html $2,500  
Pharmacy Law American Society for Pharmacy Law Larry M. Simonsmeier Award June 30, 2021 http://www.aspl.org/larry-m-simonsmeier-award Award  
Criminal Justice ABA Section of Criminal Justice William W. Greenhalgh Student Writing Competition July 1, 2021 https://www.americanbar.org/groups/criminal_justice/awards/writing_competition/ $2,500  
Civil Liberties Chicago-Kent College of Law Roy C. Palmer Civil Liberties Prize July 1, 2021 https://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/academics/palmer-civil-liberties-prize $10,000  
Holocaust University of Alberta Holocaust Remembrance Essay Award July 1, 2021 https://www.ualberta.ca/law/campus-life/scholarships-awards/index.html $2000 honorarium  
Ethics/Professional Responsibility American Inns of Court Warren E. Burger Writing Competition July 1, 2021 http://home.innsofcourt.org/AIC/Awards_and_Scholarships/Warren_E_Burger_Prize/AIC/Awards_and_Scholarships/Warren_E_Burger_Prize/Warren_E_Burger_Prize.aspx $5,000  
Tax Law Theodore Tannenwald, Jr. Foundation for Excellence in Tax Scholarship Tannenwald Writing Competition July 9, 2021 https://www.wcl.american.edu/impact/initiatives-programs/tannenwald/tannenwald-writing-competition/ $5,000  
Military Law National Institute for Military Justice Admiral John S. Jenkins Prize for Excellence in Military Studies July 31, 2021 https://nimj.org/nimj-writing-competitions/rear-admiral-john-s-jenkins-writing-award/ $250  
Securities Law & Arbitration Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA) James E. Beckley Writing Competition September 17, 2021 https://piaba.org/2019-beckley-student-writing-competition-0 $1,000  
Misc. The National Law Review The NLR Law Student Writing Competition  Monthly http://www.natlawreview.com/NLR-law-student-writing-competition publication  
    ABA Writing Competitions https://abaforlawstudents.com/events/law-student-competitions/writing-competitions/