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.
| 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/ | |||||