Competitions, Fellowships, and Scholarships
International Association of Defense Counsel Legal Writing Contest
Deadline
Description
The International Association of Defense Counsel announces its 2012 Legal Writing Contest, which is open to students in accredited law schools in the United States and Canada. Entries must cover 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. Monetary prizes of $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place will be awarded. Winning and honorable mention entries will be considered for publication in the IADC's quarterly Defense Counsel Journal. Contest rules and writing guidelines may be found at http://www.iadclaw.org/publications/contest.aspx.
American Judges Association/American Judges Foundation Twenty-Fourth Annual Law Student Essay Competition
Deadline
Description
The American Judges Association (AJA) announces its annual essay competition open to all full-time law students enrolled in and attending an accredited law school in the United States or Canada. The first prize is $3,000; second is $1,500; and third is $1,000. The winning essay may be published in AJA's journal, Court Review. Essays submitted for the 2012 competition must address the topic of "Is it constitutional for a legislative body to require a DNA test for all persons arrested and charged with a felony?" Entries must be emailed no later than June 1, 2012, and sent to aja@ncsc.org. Contest rules and regulations may be found at http://aja.ncsc.dni.us.
The University of Connecticut School of Law Student Legal Writing Competition
Deadline
Description
The University of Connecticut School of Law has established a Student Legal Writing Competition to encourage and reward original student writing on legal issues affecting persons struggling with homelessness, mental illness, addiction, or substance abuse.
Topic
Entrants should submit a paper on a legal issue affecting persons struggling with homelessness, mental illness, addiction, or substance abuse.
Eligibility
Papers will be accepted from any student enrolled for the 2011-12 academic year in an ABA-accredited law school in the United States or Canada. Papers must be the law student author’s own work and must not have been submitted for publication elsewhere. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a student may incorporate professorial feedback as part of a course requirement or supervised writing project. All students intending to enter the competition must register by April 16, 2012.
Register via this Intent to Enter Student Writing Competition form.
Format
Papers should be a minimum of 15 pages in length and shall not exceed 30 pages, including footnotes. They must be typed, double-spaced and with one-inch margins, on 8 ½ x 11 inch paper, in a 12-point font, such as Times New Roman. All citations and footnotes should conform to the current edition of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation and should be in a 12-point font.
Judging
Papers will be judged by a panel appointed by the University of Connecticut School of Law. Judges will evaluate papers based on the substance, clarity of the proposal or thesis, logical force, support of argument, and quality of research. Grammar, syntax, and form will also be taken into consideration.
Submission
Entries must be received by 5pm on June 1, 2012. Entries must be submitted in two formats: (1) email an electronic version (in Microsoft Word or PDF format) to Jennifer.Mailly@law.uconn.edu; and (2) mail, with a postmark dated by June 1, 2012, four copies of the paper to:
Student Legal Writing Competition
University of Connecticut School of Law
55 Elizabeth Street
Hartford, CT 06105
Attn: Prof. Jennifer Mailly
Papers are judged anonymously, and no identifying information should appear on either the original or the copies of the paper. Entrants must submit a separate cover letter listing the author’s name, address, telephone number, email address, name of law school, and year of graduation.
Awards
Up to three cash prizes may be awarded: $750 First Prize, $500 Second Prize, and $250 Third Prize. The contest organizers reserve the right not to award prizes if no papers meet quality standards. Winners will be notified by July 16, 2012. All decisions of the judges are final.
View the Competition Flyer with the link below:
Past Submissions
Eating Disorders: Proposing a New Model for Forced Treatment
Kaitlin Shea
Baker Donelson Diversity Scholarship for Students Completing 1L Year
Deadline
Description
Baker Donelson is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where the individual differences among us are understood, respected, appreciated and recognized as sources of strength of the Firm. These qualities enrich the environment in which we work. With this in mind, Baker Donelson will again award three scholarships to diverse law students who will complete their first year of law school by June 2012. Recipients will be awarded a six-week, salaried 2L Summer Associate position for the summer of 2013 in one of our following offices: Birmingham, AL; Orlando, FL; Atlanta, GA; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, LA; Jackson, MS; Chattanooga, Johnson City, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville, TN; or Houston, TX. Additionally, each recipient will be awarded $10,000 which will be paid prior to the student's third year of law school to help defray the cost of law school tuition and related expenses.
The application deadline is June 22, 2012. For complete eligibility criteria, instructions, and to apply for the Scholarship Program please visit: www.bakerdonelson.com/diversity-scholarship-diversity-practices
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Helen Beasley at hbeasley@bakerdonelson.com or 205.328.0480.
The 2012 Tannenwald Writing Competition
Deadline
Description
Sponsored by the Theodore Tannenwald, Jr. Foundation for Excellence in Tax Scholarship and The American College of Tax Counsel, the Tannenwald Writing Competition is open to all full- or part-time law school students, undergraduate or graduate. Papers on any federal or state tax-related topic may be submitted in accordance with the Competition Rules (viewable at www.tannenwald.org). Cash prizes of $5,000, $2,500 and $1,500 will be awarded for the top three papers. The deadline for submitting papers is 9 pm, EST July 3, 2012. Mail papers to: Tannenwald Foundation, Ste. 200 1275 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004, Attn: Melnie Moore. For more information, contact Nancy Abramowitz at 202-274-4164 (nabramo@wcl.american.edu).
