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.
Topic in 2025 Competition: "[A]ny issue within the general category of legal ethics"
Format described in 2025 Competition flyerstates: "Entries must be original, unpublished work. Entries must be a minimum of 5,000 words and a maximum of 15,000 words, inclusive of footnotes." "Coauthored essays may be submitted."
Eligibility requirements in2025 Competition flyer include: "The competition is open to all law students at U.S. and Canadian law schools."
Prize in 2025 Competition: "A prize of $2,500 will be awarded for one winning entry."
Deadline for submission in 2025 Competition: "All entries must be received before 5 p.m., April 15, 2025."
Topic in 2025: Warren E. Burger Prize Rules state: "Authors should address one or more aspects of professionalism, ethics, civility, and excellence within the legal profession. The selected issue(s) should be of contemporary significance with clear relevance to the legal community at large."
Format requirements in 2025:Warren E. Burger Prize Rules state: "Submissions must be original and unpublished works of 10,000-20,000 words including footnotes."
Eligibility requirements in 2025 Warren E. Burger Prize Overview include: "The American Inns of Court invites judges, lawyers, professors, students, scholars, and other authors to participate in the competition." "Either independent or collaborative submissions are allowed." "The use of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) in writing the essay is strictly prohibited. The American Inns of Court reserves the right to disqualify any submissions deemed to have been written using Gen AI."
Prizes in 2025: Warren E. Burger Prize web pagestates "The author of the winning essay will receive a cash prize. The prize will be presented to the recipient at the American Inns of Court annual Celebration of Excellence at the Supreme Court of the United States."
