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Writing Competitions for Law Students: Legal Issues Concerning Indigenous Peoples

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Sponsors/facilitators of student writing competitions provide more detailed instructions and rules at their websites.  Students need to review the information and rules available at these websites.  

Legal Issues Concerning Indigenous Peoples

American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources (SEER): Law Student Writing Competitions (5 competition topic categories) - see: American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: 2024 Law Student Writing Competition Official Rules.  01/08/2025: SEER states: "The 2025 competition details will be posted on this page in January 2025."

  • Sponsor: Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources of the American Bar Association
  • Topics in 2024 Competition were: "Entries for the Competition should demonstrate original thought on a question of legal and/or policy significance relating to one of the following topics: (1) Air, Water, and Food, (2) Biodiversity, (3) Energy Law, (4) Indigenous Law, (5) Recycling.  Each entrant must select one of the five competition topics to write on. The decision of whether a particular essay qualifies as to subject matter is entirely within the discretion of the Section."
  • Eligibility requirements in 2024 Competition included: "The Competition is open to any law student who, at the time of entry, (1) is enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school during the academic year of the Competition, (2) is a legal resident of the United States, and (3) is at least 18 years old.  Directors, officers, and employees of the ABA and their immediate family or household members are not eligible."
  • Prizes in 2024 Competition were: "The first-place winner in each of the five topic categories will receive a $1,000 cash prize. The winners will be announced on the Section’s website.  At the sole discretion of the Sponsor, the winning essay may be posted on the Section website."
  • Deadline for submission in 2024 Competition was: May 31, 2024.

American Indian Law Review National Writing Competition

  • Sponsor: University of Oklahoma College of Law
  • Topic of 2024-2025 Competition is: Papers on "any legal issue specifically concerning American Indians or other indigenous peoples."
  • Format: "Papers"  "Entries must be a minimum of 20 double-spaced pages in length and a maximum of 50 double-spaced pages in length exclusive of footnotes and endnotes.  All citations should conform to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (21st ed.)."
  • Eligibility requirements in 2024-2025 Competition: "The competition is open to students enrolled in J.D. or graduate law programs at accredited law schools in the United States and Canada as of the competition deadline of Friday, February 28, 2025.  Editors of the American Indian Law Review are not eligible to compete."
  • Prizes: "The first place winner receives $1,500 and publication by the American Indian Law Review, an official periodical of the University of Oklahoma College of Law with international readership. The second place winner receives $750, and third place receives $400. Each of the three winning authors will also be awarded an eBook copy of Cohen's Handbook of Federal Indian Law, provided by LexisNexis."
  • Deadline for submission in 2024-2025 Competition: "All emailed entries must be received no later than 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Friday, February 28, 2025. Entries will be acknowledged upon receipt."

Hager Prize

  • Sponsor: The Sovereignty Symposium
  • Topic in 2025 Competition: The Hager Prize "will be awarded for the best writing, either student or Symposium faculty, on the ICWA or any legal issue concerning Native American children."
  • Format requirements in 2025 Competition include: "The entries in the writing competitions must not be more than fifty (50) single-spaced pages in length."  "The paper used shall be 8-1/2” x 11” in size."  "Use a 12-point font in Times New Roman format. The left and right margins must be 2”; the top and bottom margins must be 1.5”."
  • Note About Eligibility: Based on a March 26, 2024 email reply, a law student could submit "a class paper or similar."  Regarding a note or something similar written for a law review or law journal: the law student should contact Lori Harless.  "If you have any questions, call Lori Harless at (405) 208-5017."
  • Hager Prize in 2025 Competition: "$1,000"  "The winning entry will also be published in the 2025 Symposium book."
  • Deadline for submission in 2025 Competition: March 24, 2025.

National Native American Law Students Association Writing Competition (annual) + National Native American Law Students Association 2024-25 Law Student Writing Competition Official Rules

  • Sponsor and hosts of 2024-25 Writing Competition: "The National NALSA Writing Competition is sponsored by the National Native American Law Students Association ('National NALSA").  This 2024-25 academic year, Seattle University School of Law is hosting the Competition in collaboration with the Center for Indian Law and Policy, American Indian Law Journal ('AILJ'), and Seattle University’s Native American Law Students Association ('NALSA') chapter."
  • Topic in 2024-25 Competition: "Submissions for the Competition is limited to your original writing on a question of legal and/or policy significance related to the field of Indigenous Peoples law.  This can include, but is not limited to, topic areas relating to Native Nations, InterTribal organizations, and Indigenous communities.  The decision of whether a particular essay qualifies as to subject matter is entirely within the discretion of the Host."
  • Submission requirements in 2024-25 Competition include: "All submissions must be the original, unpublished work of the participant.  Any relevant article or essay may be submitted for the Competition, including writing submitted for academic credit.  Submissions must not have been previously published in any media.  Only one essay may be submitted to the Competition by each participant.  Failure to submit an original essay will result in disqualification and may result in the selection of a new winner.  Please note that artificial intelligence tools (ChatGPT, Lexis+ AI, etc.) are permitted for limited use, but all work should remain primarily the author’s, and all information should be properly cite checked and cross-referenced." "Essays must be in Word or PDF format on 8-½ x 11-inch paper, double-spaced, with one-
    inch margins, 12-point type (10-point for footnotes, single-spaced, which must be in Bluebook format), and should be roughly 20-30 pages in length."
  • Eligibility in 2024-25 Competition: 2024-2025 Official Rules state: "The Competition is open to any law student who, at the time of entry in the Competition, (1) is enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school during the academic year of the Competition, (2) is a member in good standing with National NALSA and, if applicable, active in their local NALSA chapter, (3) have met all financial obligations of membership in National NALSA as well as their local NALSA chapter, (4) is a legal resident of the United States, and (5) is at least 18 years old."      
  • Prizes in 2024-25 Competition: "The top three essays will each receive a cash prize.  The first-place winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize.  The second-place winner will receive a $750 cash prize.  The third-place winner will receive a $250 cash prize.  All three winners will be published in the American Indian Law Journal ('AILJ') and must agree to the terms of publication.  Any questions related to publication in the AILJ may be directed to AILJ1@seattleu.edu.  Winners will be solely responsible for reporting and payment of all taxes (federal, state, local, and other) on prizes."
  • Deadline for submission in 2024-25 Competition: February 22, 2025, 11:59PM (MT).