Church, State & Society Writing Competition (annual)
- Sponsor: Program on Church, State & Society at Notre Dame Law School
- Topic: "Papers should be focused, broadly, on topics related to church-state relations, law and religion, and religious liberty. For guidance on selecting a topic, students may wish to view our Program website and mission statement: https://churchstate.nd.edu/"
- Format in 2024 Competition was: "Papers must be between 9,000-13,000 words, including footnotes and/or endnotes."
- Eligibility requirements in 2024 Competition included: "The competition is open to law students in good standing, enrolled in a traditional law degree (J.D. or LL.B.), a Master’s degree (LL.M.), or a doctoral degree (S.J.D./J.S.D. or Ph.D.) program at an ABA-accredited law school within the United States. The competition is also open to recent graduates not yet practicing law (i.e., those completing clerkships or engaged in similar pursuits are eligible). Co-authored papers will not be accepted."
- Prizes in 2024 Competition were: "First Place, $3,000 cash award; Second Place, $2,000 cash award; Third Place, $1,000 cash award; Honorable Mention, $500 cash award."
- Deadline for submission in 2024 Competition was: April 12, 2024.
Constance Baker Motley National Student Writing Competition (annual)
Diane and Stephen Uhl Memorial Essay Competition for Law School Students (also referred to as: First Amendment Scholars - Law Student Essay Competition)
- Sponsor: Freedom From Religion Foundation
- Topic in 2024 Competition was: "Law school students will be asked to respond to recent Supreme Court decisions that ignore the Establishment Clause by proposing language for a 28th constitutional amendment that would bring the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses back into balance. Additionally, students will then analyze how the proposed language would alter the result in a recent Supreme Court case."
- Format in 2024 Competition was: "Essays must be no longer than 1,500 (not including footnotes)." Web page links to a document titled: Essay Prompt, Requirements, Eligibility, and Awards.
- Eligibility requirements in 2024 Competition included: "The contest is open to all ongoing law school students attending a North American law school. Students will remain eligible to enter even if they are to graduate from law school by spring or summer of 2024."
- Prizes in 2024 Competition were: "FFRF will award cash prizes to the top three essayists ($4,000, $3,000, $2,000) and optional honorable mentions ($500), if so deserving. All eligible entrants will also receive a one-year complimentary student membership to FFRF, which includes a digital version of 10 issues of Freethought Today."
- Deadline for entry was: March 15, 2024.
Everytown Law Fund Law Student Writing Competition
- Sponsor: Everytown Law Fund
- Topic: "This competition asks students to consider how to advance gun violence prevention and gun safety through litigation in the civil and criminal justice systems." Website provides examples of topics and links to descriptions/text of the 2023 winning submissions.
- Format requirements in 2024 Competition include: "Preferred submission length is 5,000 to 15,000 words, including footnotes, but may be as long as a law review note."
- Eligibility requirements in 2024 Competition include: "All submissions must be composed of original research and writing by currently enrolled law students at ABA accredited law schools. Law school notes and academic articles that you have submitted or you are planning to submit to law school reviews and journals for publication are eligible for submission. Note that submissions that have been previously published or accepted for publication are welcome but must be accompanied by written authorization for re-print to be eligible." "
- Prize Description in 2024 Competition: "Everytown Law may award up to three prizes: a first prize of $2,500 and two runners-up prizes of $1,000. All three top papers may be eligible for publication on Everytown Law’s website or social media."
- Deadline: "All submissions must be received by Friday, May 31, 2024, midnight EST."
Writing Prize for New Student Scholarship in Reproductive Rights & Justice (annual) - In future, check the website of If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice.
- Sponsors: If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice, the Center for Reproductive Rights, & the Center on Reproductive Rights and Justice.
- Suggested Theme in 2023 was: "The suggested theme for this year is “A Different World Is Possible: Repro Health, Rights, and Justice Post-Dobbs.” With the constitutional protection for abortion overturned by the Supreme Court, we encourage students to envision creative and expansive approaches to securing reproductive health, rights, and justice for all people. Submissions might explore topics that intersect with If/When/How’s strategic initiatives, such as removing barriers to abortion access and supporting those who seek reproductive care outside the clinical setting, combatting criminalization, strategies for securing reproductive rights at the state or local level, and public funding of reproductive health care through an intersectional, reproductive justice lens. All submissions on other reproductive rights and justice topics are welcomed."
- Format: In future, Information on how to apply and the length and type of accepted submissions should become available at the website of If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice.
- Prizes in 2023 were: "Winning authors will receive cash prizes: $750 (1st place), $500 (2nd place), or $250 (3rd place), and a copy of the textbook, Cases on Reproductive Rights and Justice (Murray & Luker). The first-place winning submission will also be granted a “presumption of publishability” and receive expedited review by the Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice."
- Deadline: 2023 Writing Prize Call for Submissions is closed. A Feb. 29, 2024 email reply stated: "The Call for Submissions typically opens in August."
