tax law essay competition

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The Tax Notes Student Writing Competition

Our annual student writing competition recognizes superior student writing on unsettled questions in tax law or policy. The competition is open to any student enrolled in a law, business, or public policy program during the 2023-2024 academic year. Entries should be at least 2,500 words and no more than 12,000 words, including footnotes. 

The winning entries will be published in  Tax Notes' weekly magazines, and winners may receive a 12-month subscription to Tax Notes' daily and weekly products.

The 2024 submission period is now closed. The submission period for the 2025 Student Writing Competition will open in November 2024. Questions may be emailed to   [email protected] . 

For more information about the student writing competition, eligibility, and guidelines, click here .

Congratulations!

2024 Winner Nicholas Lott BYU Law School, Class of 2025

2024 Honorable Mention Luis de la Cruz New York University School of Law, Class of 2024

Past Winners

2023 Winner Andres Berdugo University of California, Irvine School of Law,  Class of 2023 "Form Follows Function: The Continuity of Business Enterprise Doctrine"

2022 Winner Arielle Zhivko Osgoode Hall Law School — York University, JD Candidate, Class of 2024 "Concealed Masterpieces: The Intersection of Taxation and the Art Market"

2022 Honorable Mentions Emily Dace New York University School of Law, LLM Class of 2022

Luke Kastenhuber University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Class of 2024

2021 Winner Bailey Hans Notre Dame Law School "GoFundMe: The Gift That Keeps on Giving, All Tax Season Long"

2021 Honorable Mention Sadi Moradi Georgetown University Law School

2020 Winner Alex Zhang Yale Law School "The State and Local Tax Deduction and Fiscal Federalism"

2020 Honorable Mention Alana Paris Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law

2019 Winner Benjamin Marcus Satterthwaite University of Florida Levin College of Law "Nash Bargaining Theory and Intangible Property Transfer Pricing"

2019 Honorable Mention Daniel Pessar Harvard Law School 

Submit Your Paper

The 2024 submission period is now closed. The submission period for the 2025 Student Writing Competition will open in November 2024. Questions may be emailed to [email protected] .

Competition Guidelines

Eligibility: The competition is open to any student currently enrolled in a law, business, or public policy program. Each student may submit only one paper. Coauthored papers will be accepted.

Topic:  Submissions should focus on an unsettled question in federal, state, or international tax law or policy.

Format:  Entries should be a minimum of 2,500 words and a maximum of 12,000 words, including footnotes. Citations should be formatted as footnotes in accordance with the current version of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation . Bibliographies and reference lists are not allowed. Articles should be submitted as Microsoft Word documents.

Deadline: The 2024 submission period is closed. The submission period for the 2025 Student Writing Competition will open in November 2024.

Submission Process: Entries must be submitted through the Student Writing Competition online portal. Please do not include any identifying information in the article. Entries submitted through email will not be accepted.

Evaluation : Our editorial staff blindly evaluates entries on originality, readability, organization, reasoning, and overall quality of content.

Winning Entries:  Winning entries are published in Tax Notes’ weekly magazines and will be eligible to receive a 12-month subscription to Tax Notes’ daily and weekly products. Winners’ names and schools will be prominently featured on the Tax Notes website. All winning articles will remain in the Tax Notes archives indefinitely. Winning entrants will be subject to our editorial process and publication policies, including signing an outside author agreement.

Notification: Entrants will be notified that their submission has been received within two business days of submission and notified of competition results by August 2024.

Conditions:  Submissions must not have been published in any other publication or forum at the time of submission. If a student accepts an offer of publication before notification of the results of this competition, Tax Analysts must be immediately informed.

Contact:  Please direct any questions to  [email protected] .

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Writing Competition

The 2024 tannenwald writing competition, sponsored by.

The Theodore Tannenwald, Jr. Foundation for Excellence in Tax Scholarship

The American College of Tax Counsel

Named for the late Tax Court Judge Theodore Tannenwald, Jr., and designed to perpetuate his dedication to legal scholarship of the highest quality, 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 .

Cash prizes  of $5,000, $2,500 and $1,500 for the top three papers.

Deadline for submitting papers:   9:00 p.m. EDT, July 10, 2024.

Email Papers to:

[email protected] (with "Tannenwald Competition Submission" in the subject line)

For more information contact: Genevieve Tokic at   [email protected]

Show Your Law and Tech Knowledge in Our Student Writing Contest

By Rebecca Baker

Do you have an original take on the law—but you’re not a lawyer yet? Our student writing competition is the perfect opportunity to show off your work.

We invite students to choose an area of law and example of technology, then describe how that technology might be tested in courts—based on state or federal laws, regulations, or court precedent—and how those developments could update past practices or force a rethinking of the legal landscape entirely.

For instance, you might consider how cryptocurrency impacts securities law, how AI transforms or challenges employment law, how face-reading technology intersects with privacy rights, or ...

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Writing Competitions for Law Students: Tax Law

• Writing Resources
• Fall Semester (Sept. - Dec.)
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• Additional: Awards for Excellence in Legal Writing
• Additional: Opportunities for Law Students to Present Scholarly Work

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.  

IFA USA Branch 2024 Writing Competition

• Sponsor: International Fiscal Association (USA Branch)
• Topic: "Any topic relating to U.S. taxation of income from international activities, including taxation under U.S. tax treaties."
• Format: See  IFA USA Branch 2024 Writing Competition .  "Papers must be no more than 40 typewritten pages in length (double-spaced in 12 pt. font), including footnotes and appendices (both of which may be single-spaced), and in proper citation form."  
• Eligibility : " Open to : All students during the 2023-24 academic year (including independent study and summer 2024 school courses) pursuing a graduate degree (J.D., L.L.M., S.J.D., M.S.T., MTA, Masters of Taxation, or similar program). Any appropriate papers written in fall 2023 or spring and summer 2024."
• Note: "Each submitted paper must be sponsored by a professor of the student."  "The same professor may serve as the faculty sponsor of no more than three papers submitted for the current Competition."  "No more than five papers may be submitted by students from the same school or university for the Competition."  
• Prize: "$5,000 cash, plus expenses-paid invitation to the IFA USA Branch Annual Meeting to be held in 2025 for the competition winner as well as the faculty sponsor.  The award winner and the academic institution of the competition winner will each receive a one-year membership in the IFA USA Branch."  "The winning author, if not already published, will be given publishing opportunities."
• Submission Deadline for the 2024 Writing Prize: September 30, 2024.

2024 Tannenwald Writing Competition

• Sponsors: The Theodore Tannenwald, Jr. Foundation for Excellence in Tax Scholarship & The American College of Tax Counsel
• Topic: "Papers on any federal or state tax-related topic may be submitted in accordance with the  Competition Rules ."
• Format in 2024 Competition was: Competition Rules stated: "Papers shall be 25 - 50 typewritten pages in length double-spaced (Times New Roman or Arial typeface), including footnotes and appendices (both of which may be single-spaced)...."
• Eligibility requirements in 2024 Competition were: "The Competition is open to (i) law students, undergraduate (J.D.) or graduate (L.L.M. or S.J.D.), enrolled full or part-time in a U.S. law school during the academic year; and (ii) other students enrolled during such academic year in a U.S. law school tax course as part of an MBA or other non-law degree program."
• Per-school Limits in 2024 Competition were: "No more than 8 papers may be submitted by J.D. students from the same law school. If the school also has an L.L.M. or other graduate tax program, up to an additional 8 papers may be submitted by students in those programs."
• Prizes in 2024 Competition were: "Cash prizes of $5,000, $2,500 and $1,500 for the top three papers."
• Deadline for submitting papers in 2024 Competition was: J uly 10, 2024.

Tax Notes Student Writing Competition

• Sponsor: Tax Notes
• Topic: "Submissions should focus on an unsettled question in federal, state or international tax law or policy."
• Format in 2024 Competition was: "Entries should be at least 2,500 words and no more than 12,000 words, including footnotes."
• Eligibility requirements in 2024 Competition were: " The competition is open to any student enrolled in a law, business, or public policy program during the 2023-2024 academic year."
• Prizes in 2024 Competition were: "Winning entries are published in Tax Notes’ weekly magazines and will be eligible to receive a 12-month subscription to Tax Notes’ daily and weekly products. Winners’ names and schools will be prominently featured on the Tax Notes website."
• Deadline for submission in 2024 Competition was: June 30, 202 4 .
• << Previous: State & Local Government Law
• Next: Trust & Estate Law >>
• Last Updated: Jul 16, 2024 4:57 AM
• URL: https://guides.brooklaw.edu/writing_competitions

Writing Competitions for Law Students: Tax Law

• Introduction
• Resources for Competitors
• Administrative Law
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Business Law
• Civil Liberties Law
• Criminal Law
• Disability Law
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• Villanova Law Competitions

Tax Law Competitions

ABA Section of Taxation Law Student Tax Challenge

This competition is designed to give students an opportunity to research, write about, and present their analyses of a real-life tax planning problem.

Tax Notes.com Tax Notes Student Writing Competition

Annual student writing competition on unsettled questions in tax law or policy.  Submit by June 30, 2024.

• << Previous: Sports & Entertainment Law
• Next: Transportation Law >>
• Last Updated: Aug 21, 2024 1:27 PM
• URL: https://libguides.law.villanova.edu/writingcompetitions

Announcing the Eighth Annual Student Essay Competition

The  Yale Law Journal  is excited to announce its eighth annual Student Essay Competition. The  Journal ’s Student Essay Competition challenges the next generation of legal scholars and practitioners to reflect on emerging legal problems. The Competition is open to current law students and recent law-school graduates nationwide. Up to three winners will be awarded a $300 cash prize. Winning submissions will be published in the  Yale Law Journal Forum , the  Journal ’s online component. All  Forum  Essays are fully searchable and available on LexisNexis, Westlaw, and our website. Last year’s winning Essays can be viewed on our website.

Competition Topic: Emerging Issues in Criminal Law

This year, we invite submissions focusing on novel developments in criminal law and procedure, broadly understood. We encourage submissions on a range of topics, including corrections and prisons; policing; prosecution; private and public defense; racial disparities in the criminal legal system; the criminalization of queer and trans individuals; crimmigration; abolitionism; mass incarceration; capital punishment; youth justice; felony disenfranchisement; drug policy; evidence; and any related areas. We hope to receive both clinical and academic submissions.

Eligibility and Submission Details

The competition is open to all current law students and recent law-school graduates (JDs and LLMs from the Classes of 2022-2027) from any ABA-accredited law school. Each individual may submit only one piece. Submissions must be previously unpublished Essays and may not be submitted to other publications during the competition period. 

The deadline for submissions is September 6, 2024 at 5pm ET. Submissions must be no shorter than 4,000 words and no longer than 8,000 words, including footnotes.

Essays must be submitted via the Journal ’s online submissions portal. When asked to select “Submission Type,” please select “Student Essay Competition” (do not select “Forum Essay (Students)”).

Please submit your Essay as a Word document. Your submission file should be titled “YLJ Essay Competition - [ESSAY TITLE]” and include a header with “YLJ Essay Competition” in the main text of your document. To ensure anonymized review, please do not include any identifying information, including name, class year, or institution, in your Essay’s body or metadata. Failure to anonymize your Essay may disqualify it from consideration by the Selection Committee.

The Selection Committee will consider all submissions anonymously. Winners will be announced in October 2024. Authors who submit winning Essays commit to publication in the  Yale Law Journal Forum  and agree to participate in our full editing process. This process involves both structural and substantive suggestions, as well as sourceciting for content and adherence to Bluebook style.

Disbursement of the cash prize to each winner is subject to any applicable tax reporting and withholding requirements.

Please direct questions about the Student Essay Competition to the Managing Editors, Beatrice (Bea) Brown ( [email protected] ) and Deja Morehead ( [email protected] ). We look forward to reading your submissions!

Volume 133’s Emerging Scholar of the Year: Robyn Powell

Announcing the ylj academic summer grants program.

Law Student Writing Competitions: Writing Competitions

• Writing Competitions
• Other Links

Current/Upcoming Competitions

Competitions listed here are in order by submission deadline.  Click the links below for more specific details about each competition. 

• Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg "Pursuit of Justice" Legal Writing Competition Sponsor:Philadelphia Bar Association Submission Deadline: August 2, 2024 Topic: Candidates may submit a law review quality submission on any topic relating to rights, privileges, and responsibilities under federal law.
• NYSBA Business Law Section Student Writing Competition - Fall Issue Sponsor: New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Business Law Section Submission Deadline: August 15, 2024 Topic: Articles should demonstrate relevance to the Journal’s audience (New York business lawyers) and be timely.
• 2024 Beckley Student Writing Competition Sponsor: PIABA Foundation Submission Deadline: September 15 Topic: he submission may address any aspect of Securities Law; Securities Arbitration; The Federal Arbitration Act, Title 9, US Code, Section 1-14; or FINRA Code of Arbitration, effective April 16, 2007 and any changes or proposed changes to that Code. The writing can be based in theory or practice, but should ultimately advocate a position on the topic area chosen.
• 2024 International Tax Student Writing Competition Sponsor: International Fiscal Association (USA Branch) Submission Deadline: September 30 Topic: Any topic relating to U.S. taxation of income from international activities, including taxation under U.S. tax treaties.
• Public Contract Law Journal Writing Competition Sponsor: ABA Section of Public Contract Law Submission Deadline: September 30 Topic: Papers should address a topical issue of interest to the public contract and grant law community.
• Judicature Writing Competition for Emerging Scholars Sponsor: Bolch Judicial Institute Duke Law School Submission Deadline: October 1 Topic: Must be related to judges, judging, judicial administration, or the rule of law
• American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers (ACCFSL) Writing Competition Sponsor: American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers Submission Deadline: November 1 Topic: Eligible entries must discuss some aspect of U.S. consumer financial services law. Topics that relate principally to securities regulation, bankruptcy, insurance, or the safety and soundness aspects of banking regulation are not eligible, but works on subjects within these (or other) areas will be considered if they bear directly on U.S. consumer financial services law.
• Albert S. Pergam International Law Writing Competition Sponsor: New York State Bar International Section Submission Deadline: November 3 Topic: The competition is intended to encourage students of law to write on areas of public or private international law.
• Dr. Emanuel Stein and Kenneth Stein Memorial Law Student Writing Competition Sponsor: New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Labor and Employment Law Section Submission Deadline: November 30 Topic: Submissions should focus on any timely, compelling aspect of labor and employment law.

Past Competitions

• 2024 Past Competitions
• 2023 Competitions
• 2022 Competitions

Sponsor: The College of Workers' Compensation Lawyers Submission Deadline: January 15, 2024 Topic: The scope of permissible topics include any aspect of workers' compensation law.

Sponsor: Chicago-Kent College of Law's Institute for Law Submission Deadline: January 17, 2024 Topic: Judges will consider papers on any topic relating to the law governing the workplace, such as employment law, labor law, employee benefits, or employment discrimination.

Sponsor: Asian Pacific American Bar Association Educational Fund (AEF) Submission Deadline: January 19, 2024 Topic: Through this Writing Competition, AEF seeks to encourage legal scholarship on issues of importance to the Asian Pacific American community.

Sponsor: Ohio Bar Submission Deadline: January 26, 2024 Topic: This annual law student scholarship program focuses on recognizing outstanding writing on a litigation-related topic. The program is intended to encourage students to pursue a career in litigation and to become active in the Ohio Bar.

Sponsor: The Beverly Hills Bar Association and Bar Foundation Submission Deadline: February 1, 2024 Topic: his competition encourages law students to integrate Rule of Law concepts into their writings.

Sponsor: ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability and Long & Levit, LLP Submission Deadline: February 1, 2024 Topic: This essay contest is to encourage scholarship and innovative research and writing in the area of legal malpractice law, professional liability insurance, and loss prevention.

Sponsor: Scribes — The American Society of Legal Writers Submission Deadline: February 1, 2024 Topic: The topic should be timely and interesting.

Sponsor: Center for Alcohol Policy Submission Deadline: February 1, 2024 Topic: This national academic event is intended to foster debate, analysis, and examination of state alcohol regulation in the 21st Century.

Sponsor: American Constitution Society (ACS) Submission Deadline: February 5, 2024 Topic: Submissions should be focused on American regulatory or administrative law, broadly construed. Appropriate subjects include empirical or comparative analyses of the effectiveness of specific regulatory regimes or deregulation; doctrinal investigations of the development of administrative law rules or principles by courts and administrative agencies and the effects of that development; and normative analyses of how particular regulatory or administrative regimes or deregulation advance or fail to advance values of fairness, participation, and transparency.

Sponsor: American Bar Association (ABA) Business Law Section Submission Deadline: February 9, 2024 Topic: The competition encourages and rewards law students for their outstanding writing on business law topics.

Sponsor: American Bar Association- Antitrust Law Section Submission Deadline: February 10, 2024 Topic: This project provides an opportunity to expand the role of the ABA in the area of Consumer Protection among law students, professors and practitioners by inviting students to participate in a discussion on hot topics in consumer protection.

Sponsor: American Bar Association Submission Deadline: February 23, 2024 Topic: The goal of the Competition is to encourage and reward law student writings on antitrust law and competition law subjects of general and current interest.

Sponsor: New York Intellectual Property Law Association Submission Deadline: February 25, 2024 Topic: The Honorable William Conner Writing Competition was established to recognize exceptionally written papers that are submitted by law students.

Sponsor: American Indian Law Review (AILR) Submission Deadline: February 29, 2024 Topic: Papers will be accepted on any legal issue specifically concerning American Indians or other indigenous peoples.

Sponsor: The Blanch Law Firm Submission: March 1, 2024 Topic: The goal of the competition is to find an excellent writer to contribute an outstanding article to their online publication.

Sponsor: NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Submission Deadline: March 1, 2024 Topic: Research and write a scholarly article suitable for publication on one of two cutting edge Second Amendment issues - or you can write separately on both questions for two chances to win.

Sponsor: The Center for Legal and Court Technology Submission Deadline: March 1, 2024 Topic: Focus on at least one application of these technologies (e.g., Internet of Medical Things devices, facial recognition technology, autonomous systems, social media monitoring, etc.); Explain whether regulation of the application is needed and to what extent; and Propose means to regulate this application (proposals may range from traditional regulation to reliance on soft governance, and anything in between).

Sponsor: Notre Dame Submission Deadline: March 1, 2024 Topic: Any topic related to the intersection of church, state & society, and in particular how the law structures and governs that intersection.

Sponsor: Health Law Institute at Mitchell Hamline School of Law and the Health Care Compliance Association Submission Deadline: March 13, 2024 Topic: Students must analyze the facts presented in the Competition Problem, identify any and all regulatory/compliance concerns, and advise the recipient of the memorandum.

Sponsor: The Freedom From Religion Foundation Submission Deadline: March 15, 2024 Topic: If you could create a 28th Amendment what would it be?

Sponsor: American Bar Foundation Submission Deadline: March 15, 2024 Topic: Papers must be on topics within the field of law and social science.

Sponsor: Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems and the University of Iowa College of Law Submission Deadline: March 17, 2024 Topic: Any contemporary international business or economic concern.

Sponsor: International Insolvency Institute (III) Submission Deadline: March 31, 2024 Topic: The article or research must be on an international or comparative insolvency topic.

Sponsor: Berkeley Technology Law Journal University of California Submission Deadline: April 2, 2024 Topic: Submission will be accepted on a wide variety of topics at the intersection of law and technology, including but not limited to: technology and the public interest, privacy, internet law, intellectual property, antitrust, First Amendment issues, entertainment and news media, telecommunications, biotechnology, and cybercrime.

Sponsor: Law Student Division of the American Bar Association Submission Deadline: April 5, 2024 Topic: Original essays on any aspect of family law.

Sponsor: Notre Dame Law School Submission Deadline: April 15, 2024 Topic: Entries should concern any issue within the general category of legal ethics.

Sponsor: Smith, Born, Leventis, Taylor & Vega LLC Injury Lawyers Submission Deadline: April 29, 2024 Topic: Submit a creative thoughtful, and well-written response regarding the pros and cons of undocumented employees being entitled to workers’ compensation benefits despite their immigration status.

Sponsor: Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association Submission Deadline: April 30, 2024 Topic: Submit a 20-page paper addressing a recent development in admiralty and maritime law.

Sponsor: American University Washington College of Law Submission Deadline: May 5, 2024 Topic: This competition is designed to encourage law students to write scholarly papers on current topics of interest relevant to health law and/or food and drug law.

Sponsor: Epstein, Becker, & Green Submission Deadline: May 17, 2024 Topic: The competition is designed to encourage JD and LLM students in the preparation of scholarly papers on current topics of interest relating to health law.

Sponsor: NYSBA Submission Deadline: May 30, 2024 Topic: Eligible papers may address any topic of general interest to the to antitrust law community, including topics relating to civil and criminal antitrust law, competition policy, consumer protection and international competition law.

Sponsor: American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Submission Deadline: May 31, 2024 Topic: 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.

Sponsor: American Bar Association (ABA) Environment, Energy, and Resources Section Deadline Submission: May 31, 2024 Topic: Entries should relate to one of the following topics: (1) Air, Water, and Food, (2) Biodiversity, (3) Energy Law, (4) Indigenous Law, (5) Recycling.

Sponsor: Brown Sims Submission Deadline: May 31, 2024 Topic: There is no restriction on the topic except that the writing must be on a legal subject.

Sponsor: American Bar Association (ABA) Real Property, Trust & Estate (RPTE) Section Submission Deadline: May 31, 2024 Topic: Law Student Writing Competition The goal of the Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law student writing contest is to encourage and reward law student writing on the subjects of real property or trust and estate law.

Sponsor: American Bar Association (ABA) Environment, Energy, and Resources Section Submission Deadline: May 31, 2024 Topic: 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.

Sponsor: Everytown Law Submission Deadline: May 31, 2024 Topic: This competition asks law students to consider how to advance gun violence prevention and gun safety through litigation in the civil and criminal justice systems. Though we encourage applicants to be creative, submission topics can range from reducing gun violence through representing survivors to emerging topics in Second Amendment jurisprudence.

Sponsor: Brown Sims Submission Deadline: May 31, 2024 Topic: open

Sponsor: The American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, Inc. Submission Deadline: June 1, 2024 Topic: Papers may be on any legal topic in the employee benefits field and may be up to 40 pages (including footnotes)

Sponsor: Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) Submission Deadline: June 1, 2024 Topic: More and more conservative public officials, candidates and preachers are insisting that the United States is a “Christian nation,” that certain Christian views are privileged and that our laws must reflect their doctrines. Which statements and legislative actions concern you the most or present the greatest threats to our secular democracy? How dangerous is Christian nationalism and how does it adversely affect you and the country? Use examples. Be sure to define Christian nationalism and explain why you oppose it.

Sponsor: California Supreme Court Historical Society Submission Deadline: June 1, 2024 Topic: We encourage all those working on California legal history (NOT just the history of California courts) to apply. Papers may include elements of digital humanities and may also be co-authored.

Sponsor: Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy Submission Deadline: June 3, 2024 Topic: Entries should explore ways in which emerging technologies and services interact with or challenge existing civil rights and consumer protection laws.

Sponsor: Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) Submission Deadline: June 3, 2024 Topic: This Writing Competition is intended to encourage law students interested in the areas of law affecting FDA-regulated industries: food, drugs, medical devices, biologics, dietary supplements, cosmetics, veterinary, cannabis, or tobacco and nicotine products.

Sponsor: ABA Dispute Resolution Section Submission Deadline: June 7, 2024 Topic: The essay may address any aspect of dispute resolution practice, theory, or research that the contestant chooses

Sponsor: ABA Labor and Employment Law Section Submission Deadline: June 15, 2024 Topic: Current and relevant topics of labor and employment law.

Sponsor: ABA Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice Section Submission Deadline: June 30, 2024 Topic: The entry must discuss any topic relating to administrative law.

Sponsor: The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Foundation Submission Deadline: June 30, 2024 Topic: The ACTEC Foundation is proud to support this annual legal writing competition to encourage law students to create scholarly works in the area of trusts and estates.

Sponsor: American Inns of Court Submission Deadline: July 2, 2024 Topic: Please submit an original, unpublished, essay of 10,000 to 20,000 words on a topic of your choice addressing issues of professionalism, ethics, civility, and excellence.

Sponsor: ABA Criminal Justice Section Submission Deadline: July 1, 2024 Topic: Submissions should address the following: How does the use of AI-generated information implicate constitutional safeguards on the reasonableness of searches and seizures?

Sponsor: The Theodore Tannenwald, Jr. Foundation for Excellence in Tax and The American College of Tax Counsel Submission Deadline: July 10, 2024 Topic: Papers on any federal or state tax-related topic may be submitted.

Sponsor: The Criminal Law Section of the California Lawyers Association Submission Deadline: April 30, 2023 Topic: The paper must pertain to criminal law and/or to criminal procedure, with a particular focus on contemporary issues of concern in the State of California.This is a nationwide competition; while the focus is on California law, past winners have included students attending schools from coast to coast.

Sponsor: American University Submission Deadline: May 7, 2023 Topic:This competition is designed to encourage law students to write scholarly papers on current topics of interest relevant to health law and/or food and drug law.

Sponsor: ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Submission Deadline: May 31, 2023 Topic: Submissions must be on a current topic dealing with real property, trust, and estate law.

Sponsor: ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) Submission Deadline: May 31, 2023 Topic: SEER sponsors up to eight law student writing competitions each year. Topics vary.

Sponsor: Brown Sims Submission Deadline: May 31, 2023 Topic: The Award honors excellence in legal writing in American law schools.

Sponsor: Freedom from Religion Foundation Submission Deadline: June 1, 2023 Topic: In short, the essay should seek to answer the question of whether secularism is the "savior" of American democracy.

Sponsor: The American College of Employee Benefits Counsel Submission Deadline: June 1, 2023 Topic: Papers may be on any legal topic in the employee benefits field.

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Law Student Writing Contest: Intersection of Law and Technology

By Rebecca Baker

Do you have an original take on the law—but you’re not a lawyer yet? Our student writing competition is the perfect opportunity to show off your work.

We invite students to choose an area of law and example of technology, then describe how that technology might be tested in courts—based on state or federal laws, regulations, or court precedent—and how those developments could update past practices or force a rethinking of the legal landscape entirely.

For instance, you might consider how cryptocurrency impacts securities law, how AI transforms or challenges employment law, how face-reading technology intersects with privacy rights, or the role biometrics plays in health-care law.

We’ll publish the winning entry—and maybe some other standouts—in December. The chosen entries will appear outside the paywall so it can be shared far and wide. The student with the winning entry will also get a swag bag of Bloomberg Industry Group products.

Here’s what else you need to know:

• You must be a part-time or full-time law student at an accredited US law school or foreign equivalent
• Essays must not exceed 750 words
• Works must be original—they can’t have been published anywhere else
• We don’t publish footnotes or endnotes, but you can hyperlink to sources
• Be sure to credit any sources or quotes
• You can submit charts or graphs to make your article more compelling, but you’re not required to do so
• No more than two authors per entry
• The deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. EDT on Nov. 1, 2023

Judging Process

Bloomberg Law and Bloomberg Tax editorial staff—along with some expert judges—will review entries without your identifying information. We’re looking for a fresh point of view that shows a clear understanding of the topic. Your paper should be convincing and thoroughly researched.

How to Enter

Please include your full name, your school’s name, and your email address at the end of the entry—we’ll redact this information for our judges, so this placement is critical.

Email all entries with “Student Submission” in the subject line to [email protected] . Send the entry in a Word document or typed directly into the body of the email.

By entering the contest, you agree that we may post part or all of your submission, including your name and school, as a part of the contest announcements or promotions.

Have questions? Email Rebecca Baker at [email protected] .

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Tax Problem Question Competition 2023/24

202 4 Competition

The 2024 competition attracted 76 entries and the following prizes were awarded:

Winner (£750 and a mini-pupillage if desired):  Boris Young

Second place (£200):  Ciaron Patton

Third place (£100 ):   Calum Kenneth MacKenzie. Anna Ho Jun Ting, Yahan Li, Kevin Khoo

First Prize – £750 and a mini-pupillage

Runner-up prizes of up to £500 at judges’ discretion – CLOSED 

Students are invited to submit an answer to this year’s problem question by 29 th January 2024 at 5pm. The question can be found here . No previous knowledge of the subject area is required and entrants are required only to read the one case referred to in the problem question. Answers may be up to 1000 words (including footnotes) and conciseness is encouraged.

Entrants must be studying at a UK university/college or have completed their studies at a UK university/college within the past three years (applicants do not necessarily need to have been studying law) but must not have commenced a training contract or pupillage (or equivalent in another jurisdiction).  Each entry should be the work of a single author (so no joint entries are allowed).

Answers should be sent to [email protected] in Microsoft Word format. The covering email should state the entrant’s full name, present (or most recent) university/college and contact details (judging is anonymous so please do not include your name in the essay itself). All submissions will be acknowledged.

2023 Competition

The 2023 competition attracted 120 entries and the following prizes were awarded:

Winner (£750 and a mini-pupillage if desired): Abbi Robinson

Second place (£150): Cheng Zhan

Third place (£100): Louis Triggs

Fourth place (£100): Nhan Pham-Thanh

Fifth place (£100): Julian Aurelio Torres-H-Bonilla

Commended:  Luke Blair, David Horwich, Huxley Sessa, Vasyl Kureza, Wesley Shanley Ding, Saniya Mehmood

2022 Competition

The 2022 competition attracted 93 entries and the following prizes were awarded:

Winner (£750 and a mini-pupillage if desired):  Toby Ferrison

Second place (£250):  Giovanni Manca

Third place (£150):   Christina Kartali

Commended 4th, 5th and 6th (£50 each):  Jerome Clarisse, Louis Triggs, Sebastian Morris-Dyer

2021 Competition

The 2021 competition attracted 71 entries and the following prizes were awarded:

Winner (£750 and a mini-pupillage if desired):  Polina Sokolovska

Second place (£150): Tom Williamson

Joint third place (£100 each): Louis Triggs & Matthew Innes

Commended 5th, 6th and 7th (£50 each): Afreen Abedin, Sfiso Benard Nxumalo & John Yao Wen Yap

Home » Knowledge Base » VIA NLSIR: Best Essays of the 7th Nani Palkhivala Foundation Taxation Law Essay Competition [# 1 by Vartika Patel]

VIA NLSIR: Best Essays of the 7th Nani Palkhivala Foundation Taxation Law Essay Competition [# 1 by Vartika Patel]

• Aug 11, 2014
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The 7th Nani Palkhivala Foundation Taxation Law Essay Competition, 2014   was organised by the National Law School of India Review (NLSIR), the flagship journal of the National Law School of India University, Bangalore.

The results of this prestigious legal essay competition were declared a few days back.

We requested NLSIR and the authors to share the prize winning entries with us so that the essays could be made available for a wider audience. They are sweet chaps and they agreed. A big shout out to all the authors and the people at NLSIR!

Here’s the essay by  Vartika Patel  which won the 1st prize.

‘Aspect Theory’ Justify Overlapping of Central and State taxes by Vartika Patel

‘Aspect theory’ which came in the limelight from the BSNL case was although not named but was applied years before in India  in the case of   Mithan Lal v. The State of Delhi and Anr.[1] Where the constitution bench ruled that –

It would [..] be competent to Parliament to impose tax on the supply of materials in building contracts and to impose it under the name of sales tax, as has been done by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia or by the Legislatures of the American States.

The court in the present case clearly stipulated that the aspect of supply of materials will only be charged under Sales Tax, nothing more or less. There was no confusion regarding the inclusion of service provided by the contractor in the sales tax. The law regarding the aspect which has to be charged under sales tax was unambiguous.

THE FACT OF OVERLAPPING

Subjects which in one aspect and for one purpose fall within the power of a particular legislature may in another aspect and for another purpose fall within another legislative power.[2] There might be overlapping; but the overlapping must be in law. The same transaction may involve two or more taxable events in its different aspects. But the fact that there is an overlapping does not detract from the distinctiveness of the aspects.[3]

In Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Association of India v. Union of India [4] , the levy considered was expenditure tax under Central law with reference to the contention that the same was in substance tax on luxury under Entry 62 of List II. Stand of the Central Government was that expenditure aspect was different from luxury aspect and expenditure aspect could be held to be excluded from the luxury aspect. The plea was upheld. It was observed that-

No one denies the legislative competence of States to levy sales tax on sales provided that the necessary concomitants of a sale are present in the transaction and the sale is distinctly discernible in the transaction but that would not in any manner allow the State to entrench upon the Union List and tax services by including the cost of such service in the value of the goods.[5]

THERE MUST BE DISTINCT ASPECTS OF TAXABLE EVENT

The crucial questions, while applying ‘aspect theory’ therefore, are whether the economists’ concept of such a tax qualifies and conditions the legislative power and, more importantly, whether the impugned two taxable incidents can be isolated and identified as a distinct aspect susceptible of recognition as a distinct field of tax legislation.

Apex Court held in Larsen & Toubro Ltd. v. Union of India [6] that, the cost of establishment of the contractor which is relatable to supply of labour and services cannot be included in the value of the goods involved in the execution of a contract and the cost of establishment which is relatable to supply of materials involved in the execution of the works contract only can be included in the value of the goods.

In Imagic Creative (P) Ltd. V. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes and others [7] , the S.C.pointed out that payment of service tax, as also VAT, are mutually exclusive. A transaction or activity may consist of different elements providing for attracting different nature of levy.

In the case of Tata Sky Limited vs The State Of Tamil Nadu [8] Countering the submissions made by the writ petitioner that DTH service being already a subject matter of taxation under Entry 92C List I of VII Schedule to the Constitution of India, the same could not be subjected to levy under the Tamil Nadu Entertainments Tax Act, it is stated that the levy of service tax is essentially a subject matter falling under Entry 92C List I of the VII Schedule to the Constitution of India, but the mere availability of Entry 92C List I of the VII Schedule to the Constitution of India to tax the service provided through DTH, however, cannot obliterate or wipe out the levy of tax on the entertainment provided. Being two different fields, there could be no overlapping of this levy. Hence, a harmonious construction consistent with the aspect theory must be adopted.

There is no scope of confusing one for the other. Even if we assume that the concepts are intertwined, the strands can easily be separated by employing the aspect theory. The DTH system had two aspects – (1) a service aspect; and (2) an entertainment aspect. The former is taxed as a service under the service tax regime and the latter is subjected to tax as an entertainment under the said Act read with entry 62 of List II. They are two separate and distinct taxable events in respect of each of the two aspects.

STATE AND CENTRE BOTH ARE ELIGIBLE TO IMPOSE TAX IF TAXABLE ASPECT FALLS UNDER THEIR RESPECTIVE LISTS

In Escotel Mobile Communications Ltd.  vs.  Union of India and Others [9] ,   Court said that “while the State Legislature is competent to impose tax on “sale” by a legislation relatable to entry 54 of List II of Seventh Schedule, the tax on the aspect of “services” rendered not being relatable to any entry in the State List, would be within the legislative competence of Parliament under Article 248 read with entry 97 of List I of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution.”

OVERLAPPING OF LISTS I & LIST II

Concept of repugnancy under Article 254 relating to List III is different from repugnancy arising due to overlapping in List I and List II in which case principle of pith and substance is applied to determine legislative competence. Entries in the lists are not powers of legislation but fields of legislation. Taxation is distinct matter for legislative competence. Power to tax cannot be deduced from general entry. There is no overlapping in taxing power. Entries 82 to 92C and 97 of List I and Entries 45 to 63 of List II deal with taxes. There is no entry relating to tax in List III.[10] So there is no possibility of repugnancy.

Interpretation in case overlapping is alleged

S.C.in  Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Assn. of India v. Union of India [11]  held that [..] Wherever legislative powers are distributed between the Union and the States, situations may arise where the two legislative fields might apparently overlap. It is the duty of the courts, however difficult it may be, to ascertain to what degree and to what extent, the authority to deal with matters falling within these classes of subjects exists in each Legislature and to define, in the particular case before them, the limits of the respective powers. It could not have been the intention that a conflict should exist; and, in order to prevent such a result the two provisions must be read together, and the language of one interpreted, and, where necessary modified by that of the other.

Referring to a strict construction that an ordinary law is normally subjected to, the Apex Court observed that it is based upon the presumption that the Legislature intends to legislate on fields assigned to it under the respective entries in the List. Thus, when the Legislature is given power to make law, “with respect to”, the matters enunciated in the respective Lists, it is a matter to be determined in each case as to the true substance of the enactment, wherein the doctrine of pith and substance and aspect theory assume significance.[12]

DISTINCTION BETWEEN SUBJECT OF TAX AND MEASURE OF TAX

In State of W.B. Vs. Kesoram Industries Ltd [13] , the Apex Court pointed out that the machinery employed for assessing the tax must not be confused with the nature of tax and the amount may be measured in many ways; but the distinction between the subject matter of tax and the standard by which the tax is measured must not be lost sight of. The concepts are described as subject of tax and measure of tax. While the subject of tax is clear and well-defined, the amount of tax is capable of being measured in many ways for the purpose of quantification. The Apex Court pointed out that defining the subject of tax is a simple task, devising the method of taxation is a far more complex exercise and hence, the Legislature has to be given more flexibility in the latter field (Article 14).

Aspect theory is applied only for the purpose of quantification of tax by providing the concept of different taxable events in one transaction it is does not deal with subject of tax , so it must not be construed that it creates conditions for  overlapping of central and State taxes.

DISTINCTION BETWEEN SUBJECT OF LEGISLATION AND TAXATION

In the decision reported in State of W.B. V. Kesoram Industries Ltd. and others [14] , referring to the aspect theory, the S.C. pointed out that [..] there could be no question of a conflict solely on account of two aspects of the same transaction being made a subject matter of legislation by two legislatures falling within two fields of legislation respectively available to them. So long as the essential character of the levy is not departed from within the four corners of the particular Entry, the measure of tax or the manner of levying the tax would not have any vitiating effect.

As per scheme under the Constitution, subject of tax falling in power of a particular legislature in one aspect may fall within legislative power of another in other aspect. Such overlapping is unavoidable. Same transaction may involve two or more events in different aspects. There is distinction between general subjects of legislation and taxation. The entries have to receive liberal construction.[15]

The different aspects of taxation has nothing to do with LIST 1 or LIST II which deals with subjects on which Centre and State can legislate. The conflict here is of ‘Measure of Taxation’ and not of ‘Power of Taxation’. There may be more than one taxable events and when these taxable events involves imposition of different kinds of taxes on different aspects of transaction , there may not be any confusion regarding powers of taxation.

Every tax may be levied on an object or on an event of taxation. Subject of tax is distinct from incidence of taxation.[16]

LAW WITH DOUBLE ASPECT

In Lefroy’s Canada’s Federal System [17]  the learned Author referring to the “aspects of legislation” observes that “subjects which in one aspect and for one purpose fall within the power of a particular Legislature may, in another aspect and for another purpose, fall within another legislative power”.[18]

Learned Author says:

“… that by ‘aspect’ must be understood the aspect or point of view of the legislator in legislating the object, purpose, and scope of the legislation that the word is used subjectively of the legislator, rather than objectively of the matter legislated upon.”

Thus existence of more than one aspect in a transaction means there is more than one point of view of legislator and if harmoniously construed both the point of views must be given importance.

LORD SIMONDS in  Governor-General-in-Council v. Province of Madras [19] in the context of concepts of Duties of Excise and Tax on Sale of Goods said:

“… The two taxes, the one levied on a manufacturer in respect of his goods, the other on a vendor in respect of, his sales, may, as is there pointed out, in one sense overlap. But in law there is no overlapping. The taxes are separated and distinct imposts. If in fact they overlap, that may be because the taxing authority, imposing a duty of excise, finds it convenient to impose that duty at the moment when the excisable article leaves the factory or workshop for the first time on the occasion of its sale…”

LORD FITZGERALD said long ago in Hodge v. The Queen [20] , that the subjects which fall within section 91 in one aspect, may, under another aspect, fall under section 92.”[21]

For instance, a law providing for suspension or revocation of the right to drive a car upon a highway because the driver was drunk has the provincial aspects of control of highways as local works and of the right to drive as a civil right in the province, these things reflecting the provincial responsibility for safe and efficient circulation of traffic. The law mentioned has also the federal aspect of criminal law, reflecting the federal responsibility to forbid and punish such dangerous anti-social conduct.[22] Where does the power to suspend and revoke drivers’ licences reside, or do both parties have it? Such laws with double aspects in the logical sense are the usual and not the exceptional case. [23]

 It follows from this theory that two relatively similar rules or sets of rules may validly be found, one in legislation within exclusive Central government’s jurisdiction, and the other in legislation within exclusive State government’s jurisdiction, because they are enacted for different purposes and in different legislative contexts which give them distinct constitutional characterizations. And to fulfill both purpose of legislation application of aspect theory is must.

Indeed, the law “with respect to” a subject might incidentally “affect” another subject in some way; but that is not the same thing as the law being on the latter subject. There might be overlapping; but the overlapping must be in law. The same transaction may involve two or more taxable events in its different aspects. But the fact that there is an overlapping does not detract from the distinctiveness of the aspects.

The aspect theory is neither an exception nor even a qualification to the rule of exclusive legislative jurisdiction. Its effect must not be to create concurrent fields of jurisdiction, in which Parliament and the legislatures may legislate on the same aspect. On the contrary, the aspect theory can only be invoked when it gives effect to the rule of exclusive fields of jurisdiction. As its name indicates, it can only be applied in clear cases where the multiplicity of aspects is real and not merely nominal.

If there doesn’t exist a distinct aspect of taxable event separate from an already existing taxable event then in that case aspect theory will not be applicable and if erringly (wrongly) applied , will not justify the overlapping of state and central tax.[24]

EVERY TAXABLE ASPECT MUST BE PAID HEED TO

Rationally the  field of taxation is classified both ways – how then do we determine  whether the power to impose tax is exclusively LIST I or LIST II power or is something both legislative authorities have? The basic solution here comes by decisions on the relative importance of the central features and the state features respectively of the challenged law in contrast to one another. Respecting the detailed aspects raised by the challenged law, one must ask – when does the need for a national standard by Central law outweigh the need for State autonomy and possible variety as developed by the laws of the several States, or vice versa?

The aspect theory implies that different aspects of transactions can be taxed under different statutes. The aspect doctrine legitimises the levy of more than one tax on subject matter, if incidence of each of the taxes is different and where each of the taxes is imposed under different statutes and for different reasons. For example, customs duty is levied on import of goods from outside India, excise duty is leviable on manufacture of goods, sales tax is levied on sale of goods and income tax is charged on income of an assessee. However, the aspect theory can be applied only when a tax is levied on different taxable events of the same transaction.[25]

Aspect theory though does not allow the State Legislature to entrench upon the Union List and tax services by including the cost of such service in the value of goods but at the same time does not disentitle the State to tax the sale of goods element involved in the execution of works contract in a composite contract like contract for construction of building and sale of a flat therein.[26]

As per the Aspect Theory, different aspects of the same transaction can involve more than one taxable event. There is nothing to prevent the taxation of different aspects of the same transaction as separate taxable events.[27]

In BSNL case Court also ruled out the possibility of double taxation not allowing the states to encroach upon the Union list and tax services by including the cost of such services in the value of goods. The Court equally warned the Centre for doing the opposite.[28]

Despite several case laws applied aspect theory, still there is ambiguity and chaos regarding the recognition and acceptability of the same. To avoid such ambiguity in imposition of taxes andto avoid double levy under two Central laws, or under Central and State laws, detailed

For instance it would be better if the valuation provisions themselves provide a scope for computation of value of services on actual basis, i.e., by allowing deduction of amount liable to VAT, excise duty or customs duty under the applicable State/Central laws.[29]

Aspect theory provides a better scenario by allowing the Centre and the State to tax whenever there is taxable event irrespective of the fact that that transaction is already taxed for different aspect. It allows the legislature to fulfill its object of formulation of taxing statutes and does not limit the scope of the impost of tax to Centre or State in particular transaction.

[1] [1959]1SCR445.

[2] Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Association of India v. Union of India: [1989]178ITR97(SC).

[3] Shilpa Color Lab v. CCE, Calicut – 2006 (10) TMI 35 – CESTAT, BANGALORE.

[4] [1989]178ITR97(SC).

[5] Idea Mobile Communication Ltd. Vs. C.C.E. & C., Cochin (4th August, 2011), SC: (2011-TIOL-71-SC-ST).

[6] (1993) 1 SCC 365.

 [7] (2008) 2 SCC 614 .

 [8] 2012 Madras High Court.

[9] (2002) Vol. 126 STC 475 (Kerala),

[10] M/s. Shubh Timb Steels Ltd. V/s. UOI & Anr. –  2010-TIOL-765-HC-P&H-ST .

[11] 1989 -TMI – 40104 – (SC).

[12] Tata Sky Limited vs The State Of Tamil Nadu  (19 October, 2012).

[13] (2004) 10 SCC 201.

[17] LEFROY, A. H. F. (AUGUSTUS HENRY FRAZER), CANADA’S FEDERAL SYSTEM (1913 :University of California).

[18] Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Association of India v. Union of India [1989]178ITR97(SC).

[19] AIR 1945 PC 98  .

[20] (1883-84) 9 A.C. 117, at 130.

[21] Also see Union Colliery Co. of British Columbia v. Bryden, 1899 AC 580.

[22] Provincial Secretary of P.E.L v. Egan and A.G. of P.E.I. [1941] S.C.R. 396.

[23] W. R. Lederman, The Concurrent Operation Of Federal And Provincial Laws In Canada , Mcgill Law Journal ,Vol. 9.

[24] Dr. Sanjiv Agarwal ASPECT THEORY INTERPRETATION OF TAX , May 20, 2011 available HERE .

[25] Bharat Shemlani , Two in one blow — Lease Tax/VAT on Transfer of right to use goods vis-à-vis Service Tax on IPR and Franchise Services  available HERE .

[26] Larsen & Toubro v. State of Karnataka [2008-TIOL-186-SC-CT] (L&T).

[28] BSNL and Others v. Union of India (SC) (2006) 145 STC 91.[29] Vineet Sodhani & Deepshikha Sodhani , Sale v. Service, Taxmann [2012] 23 taxmann.com 46 (Article).

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Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems

Trandafir writing competition.

Each year, Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems, in conjunction with the University of Iowa College of Law International and Comparative Law Program, conducts an annual world affairs student writing competition. The competition is open to law students and to graduate students in all disciplines. Below are details about this year's competition. Interested students are asked to review the Official Rules carefully before submitting entries.

Any contemporary international business or economic concern. Recent winning submissions have included such topics as recommendations the United States should follow to update its privacy laws to harmonize with international general data protection regulation commitments, why international labor organizations should adopt fair trade as an enforcement mechanism to end labor violations, and why the United States Treasury should wait for Congress to end corporate tax sheltering tactics.

Publication and a $2,000 cash prize paid upon publication of the winning submission. 

Publication:

The winning essay will be published in Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems, a journal of the University of Iowa College of Law. TLCP reserves the right to work with the winner to edit the winning submission in order to meet the standards necessary for publication. 

Eligibility:

All students currently enrolled in law or graduate degree programs.

To be announced for school year 2024/2025 .

(1) All essays must be typed, double-spaced on 8-1/2" x 11" paper, with a 1" margin on all sides.

(2) There is no minimum page requirement. The essay must not exceed 50 pages, including footnotes.

(3) Citations should follow rules published in THE BLUEBOOK: A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF CITATION (Columbia Law Review Ass’n et al. eds., 21st ed. 2020).

(4) For submission, attach your essay (MS Word 97 or higher) to an e-mail message that includes your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, name of the school you attend, and the title of your essay. No personal identification information should appear on your essay.

(5) To be eligible essays must be standalone pieces which have have not been published or have an outstanding commitment for publication.

(6) All essays must be the work of an individual. Collaboration with others (other than the usual law review or seminar supervision) is prohibited.

(7) The judging panel will be comprised of TLCP editors and University of Iowa College of Law faculty. The panel reserves the right to make no award if a worthy article is not submitted.

E-Mail:  [email protected]  and copy  [email protected] .

Please address any questions to [email protected]

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• ICRC Supply Chain

Call for Applications: The 2024 Essay Competition on the topic “Digitalization of Armed Conflicts”

• Republic of Moldova
• Learning and teaching IHL
• New technologies and warfare
• Cyber and information operations

The International Committee of the Red Cross in the Republic of Moldova (ICRC) is proud to announce an essay competition on the theme Digitalization of Armed Conflicts . The competition seeks to spotlight that, applied in the spirit in which they were designed to protect and function, the Geneva Conventions can rise to the modern challenges of today’s armed conflicts.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, a moment of recommitment towards IHL. The Geneva Conventions were adopted in 1949 and are now universally ratified. They represent a universal acknowledgement that war needs rules to limit its devastating impact. In an often-divided world, when parties respect the law, lives are saved, humanitarian actors are enabled to provide aid to affected populations and the principle of humanity is upheld. 

At the same time, new challenges such as cyber warfare have become reality in contemporary armed conflicts. We, therefore, encourage students to approach the topic from various perspectives, such as: What are the ethical challenges of using cyber operations in warfare? How can technology be used responsibly in armed conflicts so as to ensure civilian safety? How can the global community work together to reduce the risks of cyber warfare? How does international humanitarian law protect humanitarian workers from cyber warfare? How can media reporting on military cyber operations help raise awareness about civilian risks during armed conflicts? These are examples, and participants are welcome to choose one of these questions or explore other related topics in their essays.

In today’s world, that is increasingly polarized and where international commitments are being challenged, the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law embody universal humanitarian values that preserve lives and dignity. What the world needs more than ever is a more robust adherence to the Geneva Conventions. This is where the students of today - the future generations of professionals - step in. We at the ICRC support the students in exploring, engaging and debating with the ethical and humanitarian issues arising from armed conflict so that they are able to play their role of re-affirming the enduring relevance of IHL, the deep-rooted respect for human dignity, both in peacetime and in the midst of armed conflict. Doris El Doueihy, Head of Delegation, ICRC, Chisinau

To participate, students must submit their essays along with a copy of their identification and proof of enrollment in a university programme (undergraduate or masters). These documents must be received by the ICRC Chisinau Delegation no later than 31 October 2024 at 23:59 . Submissions can be sent by email to [email protected] or by mail to Bulgara Str. 23, MD-2001, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. Participation in the competition is individual, collective work is not accepted. Essays can be written in Romanian, Russian or English. Winners will be informed in the last week of November 2024 and invited for an awards ceremony scheduled for early December.

The winning entries will be selected by a panel of IHL experts chosen by the ICRC. Participants will be assessed on their logical arguments, the depth to which they develop their answers, structure and demonstrated knowledge of the subject matter. 

The winners will be notified by the end of November 2024 and invited to an awards ceremony. 

The 1 st prize essay:  an internship at the ICRC in Chisinau ;

The 2 nd prize essay:  a day spent at the ICRC in Chisinau and attendance of an ICRC event on IHL ;

The 3 rd prize essay:  ICRC IHL publications

Certificates of participation will be provided for all submissions that are not disqualified.  

Useful links to sources on the topic of the competition:

ICRC Report,  Protecting Civilians Against Digital Threats During Armed Conflict , September 2023

Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog,  Foghorns of War: IHL and Information Operations During Armed Conflict , Tilman Rodenhauser and Samit D’Cunha, October 2023

Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog,  What We Don’t Understand About Digital Risks in Armed Conflict and What to Do About it , Rizk and Cordey, July 2023

ICRC Position Paper,  International Humanitarian Law and Cyber Operations during Armed Conflict , November 2019

Related articles

South Africa: 22nd Annual Regional Seminar on IHL

China: Annual International Humanitarian Law Summer Session Held in Jiangsu

International Humanitarian Law and China: Historical Timeline

Legal Writing Competitions: By Due Date

• By Due Date
• Additional Resources

Legal Writing Competitions

Legal writing competitions are a great way to earn recognition, get your work published, and even earn cash! The Legal Research Center has compiled a list of legal writing competitions, which you can browse by topic or by deadline month.

Some competitions require you to compose a new paper, while others call for the submission of a recently published paper, such as a law review article. Need help developing a topic? See our guides on  Developing a Topic for Research Papers and  Law Review Resources for more information.

This list is updated as new information is received, but note that deadlines and writing topics often change from year to year. Make sure to check each link for the most up-to-date information.

Writing Competitions: By Due Date

• Grammy Entertainment Law Initiative Student Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $10,000 tuition-based scholarship, tickets to GRAMMY Awards Topic: Legal issues facing the music industry
• Harvard Journal of Law & Technology (JOLT) Student Note Competition Deadline: June 9, 2023 Prize: $1700 Topic: Topics may include, but are not limited to, cybercrime, biotechnology, space law, entertainment and news media, comparative legal approaches to intellectual property, the law of the Internet, and technology in the public interest.
• Asian Pacific American Bar Association Educational Fund Robert T. Matsui Annual Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 ; contact [email protected] Prize: $5,000 Topic: Submissions should address a legal topic of importance to the Asian Pacific American community. Eligibility: The Competition is open to all law students and anyone who graduated from law school within the last five years (i.e., 2018 or later) in the United States.
• NYIPLA Honorable William Conner Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,500 Topic: An entry must be directed to any of the following subject areas related to intellectual property, i.e., patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair trade practices, antitrust, and data security/privacy issues. Eligibility: All entrants must be law school students currently enrolled in a J.D. or LL.M. program (day or evening) in an accredited law school in the United States.
• International Refugee Law Student Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $100 Topic: Papers may address any topic related to international law and refugees, stateless persons, internally-displaced persons (IDPs), and/or forced migrants. Eligibility: Student authors must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an accredited university at the time of submission.
• University of Pennsylvania Law Review Dorothy E. Roberts Public Interest Essay Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,000 cash prize; $5,000 grant to support public interest work or the work of a non-profit organization or pro bono clinic Topic: Submissions must focus on a specific legal issue within the realm of public interest law, including any issue relating to social justice or advancing the general welfare and good of the public. In addition, the author must include a brief grant proposal for $5,000 to support public interest work related to the essay topic. Topics can be local, state, national, or international in breadth or impact. Eligibility: The competition is open to all current law students (Classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025) from any ABA-accredited American law school as well as recent graduates of such institutions from the classes of 2015 – 2022. Submissions are limited to one per person and must be an original, unpublished academic essay.
• Brooks Kushman Law Student Intellectual Property Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $5,000 Topic: Trademark or patent law Eligibility: Open to any law student in good standing and currently enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school, and who is a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States.
• ABA Business Law Section Mendes Hershman Writing Contest Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,000 Topic: "Business Law" is a broad category. Without attempting to define the area precisely, the subject is intended to include matters within law school curricula in courses entitled: Eligibility: Author of the paper must be a student enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school’s J.D. program, in good standing, at the time of submission more... less... Agency; Bankruptcy; Business Law; Business Organizations; Commercial Law; Consumer Law Contracts; Corporate Finance; Corporate Governance; Corporations; Creditors Rights; Employment Law; Financial Institutions; Insurance Law; Oil and Gas Law; Professional Responsibility; Remedies; Secured Transactions; Securities Regulations; Uniform Commercial Code
• Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Human Rights Essay Award Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: A scholarship to cover tuition for the Program of Advanced Studies in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law for either the Diploma or Certificate of Attendance options Notes: Essay Award Topic for 2023: Equality and Human Rights: Confronting Racial Discrimination Eligibility: Applicants for the Award must hold a law degree and have a demonstrated experience or interest in international human rights law.

Typically Held in January

These competitions have been held in January in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• National Native American Law Students Association Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Topic: All students are encouraged to submit scholarly articles between twenty (20) and fifty (50) pages, either individually or jointly with other students, about Native American legal issues. Eligibility: Competitors must be active, dues-paying members of National NALSA.
• American Society of Legal Writers Scribes Law-Review Award Deadline: January 15, 2023 Notes: Since 1987, Scribes has presented an annual award for the best student-written article in a law review or journal. The Scribes Law-Review Award is presented at the Scribes annual CLE, which is usually held in April.
• Louis Jackson Memorial National Student Writing Competition in Employment and Labor Law Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $3,000 Topic: Employment and labor law
• American College of Legal Medicine Student Writing Competition Deadline: January 28, 2022 Eligibility: All students studying Medicine, Law, Dentistry, Podiatry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Science, Healthcare Administration or Public Health are encouraged to compete.
• Center for Alcohol Policy National Essay Contest Deadline: January 28, 2022 Prize: $5,000 Topic: After Prohibition, states generally issued licenses for on-premise and off-premise sale of alcohol. Drinking was thus largely confined to bars, restaurants, the home, and private clubs. Alcohol is now regularly offered in places like salons, grocery stores, clothing stores, and galleries. Is this trend towards ubiquitous availability of alcohol a good one? And is there a new regulatory regime needed to address this trend?
• ABA Section of Antitrust Law Robert Pitofsky Law Student Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $2,500 Topic: Antitrust or consumer protection law Eligibility: Open to any law school student in good standing, over the age of 21, who is currently attending an ABA-accredited law school within the United States and its possessions, and who is a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States. Entrants must submit an original article, which has already been published or which is scheduled to be published.
• ABA Antitrust Law Section Harvey Saferstein Consumer Protection Essay Contest Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $5,000 Topic: Consumer protection law
• Federal Bar Association Donald C. Alexander Tax Law Writing Competition Deadline: January 31, 2022 Prize: $2,000 Topic: Federal taxation
• International Trademark Association Ladas Memorial Award Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,250 Topic: Subject of the paper must be trademark law or a matter that directly relates to, or affects, trademarks. Eligibility: Eligible students must be enrolled as either full- or part-time law or graduate students. Eligible papers may include both original unpublished manuscripts and published articles that are submitted to INTA by the submission deadline.
• Baxter Family Competition on Federalism Deadline: TBA for 2025 Prize: $5,000 (CAD) Topic: Federalism: What makes it work (or not!). This broad theme welcomes reflections about the institutional, political and cultural elements that explain successes and failures of federalism, whether small scale or at the macro level. We particularly welcome analyses which explore the potential and pitfalls of cooperative federalism. Cooperative angles are especially encouraged. Eligibility: All undergraduate or graduate students in law or political science students, as well as junior scholars, lawyers or practitioners who graduated in these disciplines with five (5) years of working experience or less, from anywhere around the world.
• Georgetown Institute of International Economic Law Greenwald Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $2,500 Topic: Current issues relevant to international trade law, the jurisprudence of the WTO or regional trade organizations, jurisprudence concerning U.S. trade organizations, an issue relating to the political economy or the efficacy of U.S. or international trade regimes. Eligibility: JD, LLM, and SJD students
• American Constitution Society Constance Baker Motley National Student Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $3,000 Topic: ACS welcomes all student papers furthering and promoting a progressive vision of the Constitution, law, and public policy. Entrants are encouraged to view this topic broadly, and we welcome submissions on a variety of substantive areas. Examples of possible topics include: census report, civil legal aid, civil liberties, constitutional convention, consumer rights, criminal justice, disability rights, freedom of speech, immigration, indigent defense, money in politics (including judicial elections), labor law, LGBTQ+ rights, privacy, protection of health, safety, and the environment, racial equality, religion, role of state attorneys general, second amendment and guns, separation of powers and federalism, women’s reproductive rights and reproductive freedom, voting and political process, and whistleblower protection. Eligibility: The competition is open to all law students who are current, dues-paying ACS National members.
• American Constitution Society Richard D. Cudahy Writing Competition on Regulatory and Administrative Law Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,500 Notes: Submissions should be focused on American regulatory or administrative law, broadly construed. Appropriate subjects include empirical or comparative analyses of the effectiveness of specific regulatory regimes or deregulation; doctrinal investigations of the development of administrative law rules or principles by courts and administrative agencies and the effects of that development; and normative analyses of how particular regulatory or administrative regimes or deregulation advance or fail to advance values of fairness, participation, and transparency. Eligibility: The competition is open to all lawyers and law students. Practicing lawyers, policymakers, academics, and law students all are encouraged to participate. To be considered for the law student category the author(s) must be currently enrolled in a J.D. or LLM program at a U.S. law school.

March Competitions with February Registration Deadlines

Paper submissions for these competitions are due in March, but registration is required and due in February.

• American College of Coverage Counsel Insurance Law Writing Competition Registration Deadline: TBA for 2024 Submission Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $2,000 Topic: This year’s writing competition asks students to choose one of two sides in a case involving an insurance company and a Texas based business in preparing a motion for partial summary judgment on a specific set of grounds as presented by each party.
• Roy Snell Health Care Regulatory and Compliance Writing Competition Registration Deadline: TBA for 2024 Submission Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $5,000 Notes: In keeping with Roy Snell’s keen interest in practical, realistic, and user-centered communication, as well as a commitment to efficiency and clarity in writing, this demanding competition requires students to analyze a hypothetical fact pattern (the Competition Problem) involving an organization facing multifaceted health care regulatory/compliance matters and draft two separate internal memoranda to two different recipients within the organization. Students must analyze the facts presented, identify any and all regulatory/compliance concerns, and advise the recipient of the memorandum. Eligibility: The competition is open to all full and part-time law students in J.D. programs who have completed their 1L year. The competition is also open to any student currently enrolled in a Compliance Certification Board (CCB) accredited program.

Typically Held in February

These competitions have been held in February in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts Law Student Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $5,000 Topic: Open to 2L and 3L students at any Pennsylvania law school and Rutgers Law. Topic: Under the existing rules of judicial conduct, how might Pennsylvania's courts utilize current communication tools, such as social media, to engage the people of Pennsylvania to instill confidence in the workings of the judicial branch and its decisions?
• ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability Ed Mendrzycki Essay Contest Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $5,000 Topic: This year's hypothetical involves multiple ethical and professional liability concerns that arise when a partner in a law firm is retained to represent a client in several business and real estate matters regarding a series of land acquisitions, and the law firm is contacted by the Department of Justice to assist in the investigation of potential money laundering allegations against the client.
• ABA Antitrust Law Section Privacy and Information Security Committee Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Writing Competition Deadline: February 24, 2024 Prize: $5,000 Topic: Participants are required to submit an original written work on data privacy or cybersecurity law. Eligibility: Contestants need not be a member of the American Bar Association (“ABA”), the Antitrust Law Section ("Section") or the Privacy and Information Security Committee ("Committee") although membership in all is encouraged.
• Epstein Becker Green Health Law Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $4,000 Topic: Papers may address any traditional area of the law as applied to health care (e.g., antitrust, tax, corporate) or areas of law unique to health care (e.g., fraud and abuse, managed care, Medicare/Medicaid, clinical trials, telehealth/telemedicine).
• American Indian Law Review National Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,500 Topic: Any legal issue specifically concerning American Indians or other indigenous peoples. Eligibility: 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 Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.
• Sports Lawyers Association Student Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $5,000 Notes: Each entrant must be a current law or LLM student and 18 years of age or older, and a member in good standing of the Sports Lawyers Association.
• Society of International Economic Law/JIEL/OUP Essay Prize Deadline: February 28, 2022 Prize: £200, as well as £400 of Oxford University Press book vouchers Topic: Any topic in the field of international economic law
• ABA Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law Student Legal Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,000 Topic: Entries should address any legal issue regarding affordable housing, fair housing and/or community development law. Eligibility: Open to all law students who are at the time of entry, (a) enrolled in a law school that is at the time of entry, ABA Accredited, (b) member of the ABA and the Forum, (c) at least 21 years old, and (d) U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
• Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems Trandafir Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $2,000 Topic: Any contemporary international business or economic concern. Recent winning submissions have included such topics as recommendations the United States should follow to update its privacy laws to harmonize with international general data protection regulation commitments, why international labor organizations should adopt fair trade as an enforcement mechanism to end labor violations, and why the United States Treasury should wait for Congress to end corporate tax sheltering tactics. Eligibility: All students currently enrolled in law or graduate degree programs.

Typically Held in March

These competitions have been held in March in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• Access To Justice Tech Fellows Legal Tech Fictional Writing Competition Deadline: March 1, 2022 Prize: $1,000 Topic: We’re seeking short fictional stories (1,500 words or less) about how technology is or will impact the legal field and access to justice. The stories are not meant to be academic articles designed for publication in a journal but rather an easily read work of fiction. The topic is fairly broad and can encompass any aspect of the interaction between the law and technological innovation.
• Judge Samuel G. DeSimone Legal Writing Competition Deadline: March 1, 2022 Prize: $3,000.00 Topic: “Given the sweeping ‘Me Too’ movement throughout the nation, should other states join New Jersey and adopt laws similar to S477/A3648, by expanding the two-year civil statute of limitations to seven years for all victims of sex assault, and make the expansion retroactive? Eligibility: The Judge Samuel G. DeSimone Legal Writing Competition is open to full-time and part-time law students who are enrolled in the 2021-2022 academic year in an accredited Law School, who reside in Southern New Jersey.
• Institute for Energy Law Hartrick Scholar Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $2,500 Topic: Any topic related to energy development. This includes, for example, topics concerning oil and gas law, alternative energy resources, energy regulation, and environmental regulation of the energy industries.
• Center for Legal & Court Technology Artificial Intelligence Writing Competition Deadline: March 1, 2022 Prize: $2,500 Topic: Papers must focus on at least one application of these technologies (e.g., Internet of Medical Things devices, facial recognition technology, autonomous systems, social media monitoring, etc.)
• Notre Dame Law School Program on Church, State & Society Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $3,000 Topic: Papers should be focused, broadly, on topics related to church, state & society. For guidance on selecting a topic, students may wish to view our Program website and mission statement: https://churchstate.nd.edu/
• White River Environmental Law Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,000 Topic: Any relevant topic in the fields of environmental law, natural resource law, energy law, environmental justice, land use law, animal law, and agricultural law. Eligibility: Current J.D. or LLM students at any ABA-accredited law school.
• Freedom From Religion Foundation Cornelius Vanderbroek Memorial Essay Competition Deadline: June 1, 2023 Prize: $3,500 Topic: As the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines has become vital to the global effort to end the pandemic, both government and private employers, as well as some schools, around the country have announced vaccine mandates. Historically, very few employees have claimed religious exemptions from required vaccinations. However, people who oppose COVID-19 vaccines for political or other reasons are now abusing religious exemptions in order to flout vaccine mandates. Against this backdrop lawsuits have surged, challenging vaccine requirements on religious grounds and arguing that religious exemptions to such requirements are required by the First Amendment. Craft an argument that religious exemptions from vaccine requirements are not legally required, addressing constitutional questions as well as other legal issues raised by such mandates.
• Berkeley Technology Law Journal Writing Competition Deadline: March 28, 2022 Prize: $1,000 Topic: A wide variety of topics at the intersection of law and technology, including but not limited to: technology and the public interest, privacy, internet law, intellectual property, antitrust, First Amendment issues, entertainment and news media, telecommunications, biotechnology, and cybercrime. Eligibility: The competition is open to all currently enrolled graduate-level law students (including J.D., L.L.M., and J.S.D. candidates, along with law students outside of the United States).
• ABA Section of Family Law Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest Registration Deadline: TBA for 2024 Submission Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,500.00 Topic: The subject may be any aspect of family law. Eligibility: Contestants must be J.D. students at ABA-approved law schools who are: second or third-year full-time students; second through fourth-year part-time students; or first-year students enrolled in schools where the subject of family law is part of the first-year curriculum; and citizens or legal permanent residents of the U.S. more... less... The primary focus of each essay should be an issue of law, although some interdisciplinary material may be useful in addressing a legal issue. Family law includes dissolution of marriage and other intimate relationships, relationships of persons of the same sex, parentage, custody, child support, division of property, alimony (maintenance), attorney's fees, adoption, dependency, termination of parental rights, rights pertaining to procreation, and alternative dispute resolution of Family Law issues. Family Law generally does not include Juvenile Justice, Probate, Labor, Immigration Law, and sociology topics unless those topics are related to more traditional Family Law subjects.

Typically Held in April

These competitions have been held in April in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• American Kennel Club Companion Animal Law Writing Contest Deadline: April 1, 2022 Prize: $2,500 Topic: Students are asked to choose between two topics: The impact of “lawyers for dogs” laws on animal cruelty cases or the constitutionality of mandatory spay/neuter laws. Eligibility: Entrants must be enrolled at an ABA-accredited law school in the United States.
• ABA Standing Committee on Armed Forces Law Keithe E. Nelson Distinguished Service Award Deadline: TBA for 2024 Topic: Military law or the status of lawyers in the Armed Forces
• UIC John Marshall Law School Center for Tax Law & Employee Benefits Paul Faherty Tax Law Writing Scholarship Deadline: April 13, 2021 Prize: $3,000 Notes: Please contact the Center for Tax Law & Employee Benefits for additional information.
• ABA Admiralty and Maritime Law Committee Law Student Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,000 Topic: Recent developments in admiralty and maritime law Eligibility: The Competition is open to any U.S. citizen law student or LLM candidate over the age of 21, currently attending an ABA-accredited law school within the United States and its possessions.
• Marshall M. Schulman Annual Competition for Student Papers in Criminal Law and/or Criminal Procedure Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,500 Topic: Criminal law and/or to criminal procedure, with a particular focus on contemporary issues of concern in the State of California Eligibility: This is a nationwide competition; while the focus is on California law, past winners have included students attending schools across the country.
• Pennsylvania Bar Association Intellectual Property Law Section Writing Contest Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $500 Topic: Patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets or trade dress Eligibility: Open to all law students enrolled in any law school in the United States who intend to take the Pennsylvania bar exam.
• American University Washington College of Law National Health Law Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $2,000 Topic: Papers must address and analyze health law and/or food/drug/device law issues. (Note that a paper that analyzes intellectual property or environmental laws/statutes, even if relating to health or the health care industry, will not be eligible.) Eligibility: Current 2L, 3L, and 4L (evening/part-time) JD and LLM students enrolled in a U.S. law school at the time of paper submission are eligible to participate.
• Public Citizen Law Hogan/Smoger Access to Justice Essay Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $5,000 Topic: Legal Remedies to Combat Climate Change
• National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees Law Student Writing Competition Deadline: April 30, 2021 Prize: $1,000 Topic: Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code
• AALL/LexisNexis Call For Papers Awards (Student Division) Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $650 Topic: A paper may address any subject relevant to law librarianship. It may be scholarly or practical in substance and tone, but the subject should be explored in depth with appropriate reference to sources and documentation of assertions. Eligibility: Those enrolled in library school, information management school or the equivalent, or in law school, during the Fall 2022 or Spring 2023 semester. Entrants in the Student Division need not be members of AALL.
• ABA Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Student Writing Contest Deadline: May 31, 2023 Prize: $2,500 Topic: Real property, trust and estate law.* Eligibility: Open to any law school student in good standing, over the age of 21, who is currently attending an ABA-accredited law school within the United States and its possessions, and who is a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States. more... less... *“Real property, trust and estate law” is a broad category containing numerous practice disciplines. Without attempting to define the area precisely, the subject is intended to include matters within law school curricula in courses entitled: Property; Estate and Gift Tax; Wills and Decedents’ Estates; Real Estate Development; Environmental Law; Land Use Planning; Federal Taxation; Real Estate Finance; Secured Transactions; Debtors and Creditors; Employee Benefit Plans; Planning, Drafting and Negotiating Commercial Transactions; Taxation and Regulation of Non-Profit Organizations; Business Succession Planning; Life Insurance and Other Insurance Products; Trusts and Trust Law; Wealth Management; Fiduciary Income Taxation; Estate Planning; and Probate and Estate Administration.

Typically Held in May

These competitions have been held in May in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• UNIDROIT Essay Competition Deadline: May 1, 2022 Prize: 2,500 € Topic: Any relevant current or future UNIDROIT instrument(s) such as the UNIDROIT Principles on International Commercial Contracts, the Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and its Protocols, the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects, the UNIDROIT-FAO-IFAD Legal Guides on Contract Farming, and/or Agricultural Land Investment Contracts, among others.
• Chief Justice John B. Doolin Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $1,000 Eligibility: Open to any student enrolled in college, at any level.
• National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Bar Association Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $500 Topic: Legal issues affecting LGBTQ+ persons.
• AALL Morris L. Cohen Student Essay Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $500 Topic: Essays may be on any topic related to legal history, rare law books, or legal archives.
• National Crime Victim Law Institute Annual Law Student Victims’ Rights Writing Competition Deadline: May 20, 2024 Prize: $200 Topic: Victims’ rights (preference given to papers focusing on rights enforcement in the context of criminal justice systems) Eligibility: Authors/presenters must be enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school at the date of their submission or have graduated from such a school within the last 18 months.
• IDEA Student IP Writing Competition Deadline: May 28, 2021 Prize: $500 Topic: Intellectual property law
• ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Writing Competitions Deadline: May 31, 2023 Prize: $1,000 Topic: See link for details of eight separate writing competitions: Endangered Species, Energy Law, Forest Law, International Environmental and Resources Law, Native American Resources, Public Land and Resources, Superfund, Brownfields, and Resource Recovery, and Water Law
• American Association of Patent Judges Hon. Frederick E. McKelvey Memorial Scholarship Deadline: June 30, 2023 Prize: $500 Topic: For this year’s entry, an entrant must identify ways patents “promote the progress of … useful arts” (Const.; Art. I, Sec. 8, Cl. 8) and explain how the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) can encourage that. In your answer, please define “useful arts.” Eligibility: Students matriculated at and attending an ABA-accredited law school at least half-time as of February 28, 2022, are eligible to submit an entry for this competition.
• International Insolvency Institute Prize in International Insolvency Studies Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $3,000 Topic: Topics of international insolvency and restructuring significance and comparative international analysis of domestic insolvency and restructuring issues and developments. Eligibility: The Prize Competition is open to full and part-time undergraduate and graduate students and to practitioners in practice for nine years or less. Entries must not have been published.
• Judge John R. Brown Award for Excellence in Legal Writing Deadline: May 31, 2023 Prize: Up to $15,000 Eligibility: Any law student currently enrolled in an accredited law school in the United States seeking a J.D. or LL.B degree is eligible to submit a paper for the Award. The article must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from a law school faculty member or legal professional other than the author of the paper.
• Georgetown Law Technology Student Writing Competition Deadline: May 31, 2023 Prize: $4,000 Topic: This year’s writing competition invites submissions on Personal Information, Power, and the Intersection of Technology and Society. Submitted papers should in some way address data-driven or data-intensive technologies. See link for further details and examples of potential topics. Eligibility: Papers will be accepted from students enrolled at any ABA-accredited law school in the United States during the 2021-2022 academic year. The paper must be the author’s own work, although students may incorporate feedback received as part of an academic course or supervised writing project. The paper must not have been published or committed for publication in another journal.
• Tax Notes Student Writing Competition Deadline: June 30, 2023 Topic: Submissions should focus on an unsettled question in federal, state, or international tax law or policy. Eligibility: The competition is open to any student currently enrolled in a law, business, or public policy program. Each student may submit only one paper. Co-authored papers will be accepted.

Typically Held in June

These competitions have been held in June in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• American College of Employee Benefits Counsel Writing Contest Deadline: June 1, 2023 Prize: $1,800 Topic: Employee benefits legal topics Eligibility: Any J.D. and graduate (L.L.M. or S.J.D.) law students enrolled at any time between August 15, 2021, and August 15, 2022, who have not at any time engaged in the practice of law.
• American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics Health Law and Anti-Racism Graduate Student Writing Competition Deadline: July 1, 2023 Prize: $500 Topic: Note that a wide variety of topics will be viewed as in scope, but papers must focus specifically on health law in the context of anti-racism. If you have questions about the suitability of your topic, please ask.
• Notre Dame Smith-Doheny Legal Ethics Writing Competition Deadline: June 1, 2022 Prize: $2,500 Topic: Any issue within the general category of legal ethics. Eligibility: Open to all law students at U.S. and Canadian law schools.
• CITBA/University of Miami School of Law Andrew P. Vance Memorial Writing Competition Deadline: June 3, 2022 Prize: $1,000 Topic: Current issues relevant to customs and international trade law. Eligibility: Entrants must be currently enrolled in a J.D. or L.L.M. program at any of the nation’s law schools.
• ABA Commission on Disability Rights Adam A. Milani Writing Competition Deadline: June 9, 2023 Prize: Up to $1,000 Topic: The submission may address any aspect of disability law, theory, or practice the contestant chooses. Other permissible topics include issues arising under any of the following statutes: Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Age Discrimination in Employment Act; Family and Medical Leave Act; or any state statutes or municipal ordinances prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Eligibility: The competition is open to all students who attend a law school in the United States. Full-time students who are not law students but who write law-related papers as part of a course at an American law school are also eligible.
• Food and Drug Law Institute H. Thomas Austern Writing Competition Deadline: June 12, 2023 Prize: $750 Topic: Current legal issues concerning food, drugs, animal drugs, biologics, cosmetics, diagnostics, dietary supplements, medical devices, veterinary devices, cannabis, or tobacco
• ABA Section of Dispute Resolution James Boskey Essay Competition Deadline: June 9, 2023 Prize: $1,000 Topic: Any aspect of dispute resolution practice, theory or research that the contestant chooses. Eligibility: The competition is open to anyone, age 21 or older, who was a full-time or part- time J.D. law student, including students in joint J.D. degree programs, at an ABA-accredited law school during the 2020-21 academic year.
• American Journal of Mediation National Dispute Resolution Writing Competition Deadline: December 15, 2023 Prize: $5,000 Topic: Subject matter focus for entries can embrace the full range of the alternative dispute resolution field– consensus-based dispute resolution (e.g., negotiation, mediation), adjudicative processes (e.g., early neutral evaluation, binding or non-binding arbitration and private judging), or mixed processes (e.g., arb-med, med-arb, high low arbitration, baseball arbitration). Papers can also focus on ADR process design, practice techniques, specific case studies, related legislation, and ethical dilemmas and standards for dispute resolution professionals. Eligibility: The competition is open to all North American JD and LLM law students enrolled as of December 15, 2021.
• Chapman LLC Scholarship for Law Students Deadline: June 15, 2023 Prize: $1,000 Topic: Should collegiate athletes be paid? Argue for or against and provide at least 3 reasons for your position. Eligibility: Law student planning on attending, accepted to attend, or currently attending an accredited law school in the U.S.; U.S. citizen 18 years or older.
• Bloomberg Tax Insights Student Writing Competition Deadline: June 15, 2022 Prize: One-year subscription to Bloomberg Tax Topic: Tax policy Eligibility: You must be a part-time or full-time law student at an accredited U.S. law school or foreign equivalent, or a part-time or full-time student pursuing an undergraduate or graduate tax, accounting, or business degree. Co-authored or team papers are OK.
• College of Labor and Employment Lawyers Writing Competition for Law Students Deadline: June 15, 2022 Prize: $3,000 Topic: Labor and employment law
• ABA Forum on Construction Law’s Law Student Writing Competition Deadline: June 30, 2023 Prize: $2,000 Topic: Papers should address a topical issue of interest to the construction industry. Eligibility: The competition is open to any student age 21 years or older enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school during the academic years 2021 and 2022 of the competition who is a legal resident of the United States.
• ABA Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section K. William Kolbe Writing Competition Deadline: June 30, 2023 Prize: $2,500 Topic: Papers should address a current topic of general interest in a legal area covered by the Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section (communications, cable TV, internet, electricity, gas, oil pipelines, aviation, railroads, and water industries).
• American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition Deadline: June 30, 2023 Topic: The paper must relate to the area of trusts and estates, broadly defined. Entrants should write on issues of general interest, rather than state specific issues. Eligibility: Any law student in good standing (full-time or part-time) who is currently enrolled at the time of submission or was a student within the past 90-day period prior to submission as a J.D. or LL.M. candidate in an ABA-accredited law school within the United States or its possessions. more... less... Any one or more of the following topics are appropriate for discussion: Business Planning; Charitable Planning; Elder Law; Employee Benefits; Fiduciary Accounting; Fiduciary Administration; Fiduciary Income Taxation; Fiduciary Litigation; Estate Planning and Drafting; Professional Responsibility; Substantive Laws for the Gratuitous Transmission of Property; Wealth Transfer Taxation (Estate, Gift and GST Tax)
• American Intellectual Property Law Association Robert C. Watson Award Deadline: June 30, 2023 Topic: Intellectual property law
• American Society for Pharmacy Law Simonsmeier Award Deadline: June 30, 2023 Topic: Pharmacy law (law related to pharmacists, pharmacies, the provision of pharmaceutical care, the manufacturing and distribution of drugs, and other food, drug, and medical device policy issues) Eligibility: Papers published in or accepted for publication in any English-language peer-reviewed journal (including law reviews) during the period from January 2020 through December 2021 are eligible.
• Journal of Law in the Middle East by LexisNexis Student Essay Competition Deadline: June 30, 2022 Prize: LexisNexis MENA Book Collection, valued at over USD $1000 Topic: Discuss the legal and ethical considerations of AI applications, with a focus on the Middle East. Eligibility: At the time of submission, the student must be an LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D. or S.J.D. candidate at any institution in the world.
• American Planning Association Smith-Babcock-Williams Student Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $2,000 Topic: Planning, planning law, land use law, local government law or environmental law Eligibility: Open to law students and planning students
• ABA Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Gellhorn-Sargentich Law Student Essay Award Competition Deadline: June 30, 2023 Prize: $5,000 Topic: The entry must discuss any topic relating to administrative law. Eligibility: The Competition is open to law students who are, at the time of entry, (a) enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school, (b) members of the ABA and the Section, (c) at least 21 years old, and (d) U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents.

Typically Held in July

These competitions have been held in July in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• ABA Criminal Section Justice Annual William W. Greenhalgh Student Writing Competition Deadline: July 1, 2023 Prize: $2,500 Topic: Technology-enhanced searches Eligibility: The contest is open to students who, on the date the entry is submitted, attend and are in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school within the United States and its possessions. Membership in the Criminal Justice Section is not a requirement. Entrants must be at least 21 years of age and legal permanent residents or citizens of the United States.
• American Inns of Court Warren E. Burger Prize Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $5,000 Topic: Authors should address one or more aspects of professionalism, ethics, civility, and excellence within the legal profession.
• Arizona State Law Journal Criminal Justice Reform National Writing Competition Deadline: July 1, 2023 Prize: $1,000 Topic: Criminal justice reform Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled full-time at an ABA-accredited law school at the time of submission.
• INS/IYNA Neuroethics Essay Contest Deadline: July 7, 2023 Prize: $250 Topic: Essay submissions can cover any topic in neuroethics and should address a focused problem at the intersections of the mind and brain sciences, ethics, and law. Example topics include, but are not limited to: neuroenhancement, neurolaw, moral psychology, moral philosophy, brain stimulation, ethics of neurodegenerative illness, neurogenetics, neurotechnology policy and regulation, philosophy of mind, clinical ethics in psychiatry and neurosurgery, neural imaging, big data and neuroscience, brain–computer interaction, military applications of neurotechnology, and free will. Notes: Those included in the definition of ‘post-secondary student’ or ‘early career trainees’ during the Spring 2022 semester may submit an essay to either the Academic or General Audience categories. Authors may submit two different essays — one to each category. See Neuroethics Essay Contest website for more information on essay categories.
• Theodore Tannenwald, Jr. Foundation for Excellence in Tax Scholarship Writing Competition Deadline: July 10, 2023 Prize: $5,000 Topic: Submitted papers must focus primarily upon technical or policy-oriented tax issues relating to any type of existing or proposed U.S. federal or state tax or U.S. federal or state taxation system (including topics relating to tax practice ethical and professional responsibility matters). See Competition Rules for more information.
• Esports Bar Association Journal Top Student Submission Deadline: July 15, 2022 Prize: $3,000 Topic: Esports and the law Eligibility: Submissions are open to current law students, law school faculty, attorneys, and other practitioners over the age of 18. You do not need to be a member of the EBA in order to submit.
• NYSBA Committee on Animals and the Law: Student Writing Competition Deadline: July 7, 2023 Prize: $1,000 Topic: Animal law Eligibility: To be eligible for consideration, the submission must be written by a student currently enrolled (full time or part time) in an ABA-accredited law school. Students expecting to receive their degree in 2022 are eligible for consideration. The submission must be written by one, and only one student, i.e., papers jointly written by more than one student or that have been subjected to line editing by professors or advisors shall not be considered. No paper that has been previously published in any form shall be considered.
• Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund Law School Writing Competition Deadline: July 15, 2022 Prize: $5,000 Topic: TAFEF wants to encourage the submission of articles that address topics in both federal and state False Claims Acts as well as the administrative programs that support whistleblowers and sanction fraudulent claims in government programs. Topics that fall within these parameters are eligible. Eligibility: For the 2022 competition, the article submitted to TAFEF must have appeared in a law journal or review during the 18-month period January 2021 through June 2022. If the law journal or review has not yet been published, you must certify that your submission has been accepted for publication in a law review or journal dated during that period.
• CLGI Global Climate Law and Governance Essay Competition Deadline: July 19, 2022 Topic: Essays can address any aspect of law and governance related to climate change or sustainable development, from local to global. This may include principles or provisions of the Paris Agreement and its Katowice Rulebook; recent trends in climate change dispute settlement and litigation; the challenges and opportunities of design, implementation and reform of legal and institutional frameworks for climate mitigation, adaptation/resilience or finance; climate aspects of trade and investment instruments; and human rights and climate justice. Eligibility: The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students. Students from least developed countries are especially encouraged to apply. Submissions may be co-authored.
• National Institute of Military Justice Rear Admiral John S. Jenkins Writing Award for Law Students Deadline: July 31, 2023 Prize: $250 Topic: Military law Eligibility: Papers and/or published articles are eligible for this award if they were written by a candidate for the J.D. in the previous academic year.

Typically Held in August

These competitions have been held in August in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• Education Law Association George Jay Joseph Award Deadline: August 1, 2022 Topic: The subject matter must address one or more legal issues within any of the various contexts of education, including public and private K-12 schools and institutions of higher education, especially current and emerging issues.
• Philadelphia Bar Association Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Pursuit of Justice Legal Writing Competition Deadline: August 1, 2023 Prize: $2,500 Topic: Candidates may submit a law review quality submission on any topic relating to rights, privileges, and responsibilities under federal law. Eligibility: Open to full-time and part-time law students who completed their second or third year of study by the end of the 2021-2022 academic year at one of the following six institutions : Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Rutgers Law School, Temple University Beasley School of Law, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law and Widener University Delaware Law School. Part-time law students who were in their third or later year of study during the 2021-2022 academic year are also eligible.
• National Association of Women Lawyers Selma Moidel Smith Law Student Writing Competition Deadline: February 1, 2024 Prize: $500 Topic: Entrants should submit a paper on an issue concerning, in your opinion, the most pressing issue related to advancing equality in the legal field. Topics can include but are not limited to, examining race, gender, sex, feminism, LGBTQIA+, pay equity, equal education, and employment opportunity, and or the Equal Rights Amendment, etc. Eligibility: Essays will be accepted from students enrolled at an ABA-accredited law school during the 2020-2021 school year. The essays must be the law student author’s own work and must not have been submitted for publication elsewhere. Papers written by students for coursework or independent study during the summer, fall, or spring semesters are eligible for submission. Notwithstanding the foregoing, students may incorporate professorial feedback as part of a course requirement or supervised writing project.
• Sarin McGill Annual Student Essay Contest on Aircraft Finance & Leasing Registration Deadline: TBA for 2024 Submission Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: Airfare and accommodations to tour McGill University's Institute of Air and Space Law. Topic: Following the Russian Federation’s re-registration, without the consent of the lessors or the states of registration, of aircraft leased to Russian operators, what are the implications for leasing and financing of aircraft, for the Chicago Convention, for the rule of law generally, and especially for third countries to which any such aircraft may be flown? Are there any precedents and, if so, how may they be compared and contrasted with the current situation? What solutions might there be? Eligibility Any student of law, enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate or doctoral programme in any law school or legal professional training school worldwide, at the time of submission of the entry, shall be considered eligible.
• Goettingen Journal of International Law Essay Competition Deadline: August 1, 2021 Topic: The pandemic continues to be omnipresent in our lives and gives rise to a number of legal questions, including in international law. GoJIL is seeking student contributions that explore such questions from novel and interesting perspectives.

Typically Held in September

These competitions have been held in September in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• Philadelphia Bar Association Law Student Essay Contest Deadline: September 6, 2022 Prize: $500 Topic: Advice for new or aspiring law school applicants Eligibility: Any rising 2L, rising 3L, or recently graduated law student attending a Philadelphia area law school (University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, Widener University Delaware Law School, Rutgers University Law School-Camden)
• ABA Aviation and Space Law Committee Writing Competition Deadline: September 9, 2022 Prize: $500 Topic: Submissions should address a recent development in any area of aviation or space law or discuss an area of aviation or space law where a controversy or disagreement exist. Eligibility The competition is open to all current U.S. citizen law student and LLM candidates. Membership in the ABA, TIPS or the Aviation and Space Law is not required for participation, though membership is free for all law students.
• PIABA Foundation James E. Beckley Student Writing Competition Deadline: September 16, 2022 Prize: $1,000 Topic: Any aspect of Securities Law; Securities Arbitration; The Federal Arbitration Act, Title 9, US Code, Section 1-14; or FINRA Code of Arbitration, effective April 16, 2007 and any changes or proposed changes to that Code. Eligibility: The competition is open to all students who attend a law school in the United States. Full-time students who are not law students but who write law-related papers as part of a course at an American law school are also eligible.
• International Fiscal Association International Tax Student Writing Competition Deadline: September 30, 2023 Prize: $5,000 Topic: Any topic relating to U.S. taxation of income from international activities, including taxation under U.S. tax treaties. Eligibility: All students during the 2021-22 academic year (including independent study and summer 2022 school courses) pursuing a graduate degree (J.D., L.L.M., S.J.D., M.S.T., MTA, Masters of Taxation, or similar program). Any appropriate papers written in fall 2021 or spring and summer 2022.
• ABA Section of Public Contract Law Student Writing Competition Deadline: September 30, 2022 Prize: $2,000 Topic: Papers should address a topical issue of interest to the public contract and grant law community. Eligibility: To be eligible to participate in the Competition, as of September 30, 2022 entrants must be 21 or over, U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents of the United States; and current members in good standing of the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Section of Public Contract Law (ABA and Section membership dues paid in full for the current bar year). more... less... Unpublished papers prepared for law school credit are eligible for entry in the Competition. Papers prepared for law school credit that have been submitted to or published by the Public Contract Law Journal are also eligible for the Competition. Papers that have been published in media other than the Public Contract Law Journal prior to September 30, 2022 are not eligible for the Competition. Papers submitted for publication in media other than the Public Contract Law Journal are not eligible for the Competition, unless the other publication agrees that the Public Contract Law Journal shall have the right of first publication of the winning essay.

Typically Held in October

These competitions have been held in October in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• American Agricultural Law Association Modern Agricultural Legal Issues Essay Contest Deadline: October 14, 2022 Topic: Agricultural law Eligibility: The competition is open to law students who are, at the time of entry, (a) enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school, (b) pursuing a J.D. degree; and (c) at least 18 years old.

Typically Held in November

These competitions have been held in November in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• NYSBA Albert S. Pergam International Law Writing Competition Award Deadline: November 3, 2023 Prize: $2,000 Topic: Public or private international law Eligibility: Law Students (including J.D., LL.M., Ph.D. and S.J.D. candidates) are cordially invited to submit to the International Section an article concerning any area of public or private international law or practice. Faculty members of any college or university are ineligible to participate.
• vLex International Law and Technology Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: £1,500 Topic: Can choose one of three topics: law, technology and sports; law, technology and climate; or law, technology and crypto. See competition page for more information. Eligibility: All current students and recent graduates can enter.
• American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers Writing Competition Deadline: November 1, 2023 Prize: $1,500 Topic: Eligible entries must discuss some aspect of U.S. consumer financial services law. Topics that relate principally to securities regulation, bankruptcy, insurance, or the safety and soundness aspects of banking regulation are not eligible, but works on subjects within these (or other) areas will be considered if they bear directly on U.S. consumer financial services.
• Video Game Bar Association David S. Rosenbaum Scholarship Deadline: Contact [email protected] Prize: $2,500 Topic: Video games and the law. Potential topics could include: developments in game accessibility; reputation management and user-creations (mods, skins, etc.); game developer unionization and labor rights.
• Dukeminier Awards Jeffrey S. Haber Prize for Student Scholarship Deadline: TBA for 2023 Prize: $1,000 Topic: Sexual orientation and gender identity law

Typically Held in December

These competitions have been held in December in prior academic years. Check each link for the latest information.

• ABA Health Law Section Student Writing Competition Deadline: December 31, 2021 Prize: $500 Topic: Any aspect of health law
• National Law Review Law Student Writing Competition Deadline: Monthly (reviewed September through May) Notes: The NLR Law Student Writing Competition offers law students the opportunity to submit articles for publication consideration on the NLR Web site.
• Houston Journal of International Law James Baker Hughes Prize Deadline: Information on the 2022 James Baker Hughes Prize coming soon. Prize: $500 Notes: The manuscript’s focus must be on international economic law.
• ABA Standing Committee on Law & National Security Writing Competition Deadline: TBD Notes: The Law Student Writing Competition will not be held for the 2020-2021 academic year.
• American Bankruptcy Institute Bankruptcy Law Student Writing Competition Deadline: TBD Prize: $2000 Notes: As of January 26, 2021, The Annual ABI Law Student Writing Competition will not be held this year. We hope to be able to resume the competition in future years.
• ELI Constitutional Environmental Law Writing Competition Deadline: TBD Prize: $2000 Topic: Any topic addressing developments or trends in U.S. environmental law with a significant constitutional, “federalism,” or other cross-cutting component.
• Hofstra Law School and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Family Law Writing Competition Deadline: TBA for 2024 Prize: $500 Topic: The subject of entries may be within any area of family law, although topics that focus on international or interdisciplinary subjects of family law are especially encouraged.
• If/When/How Sarah Weddington Writing Prize for New Student Scholarship in Reproductive Rights Law Deadline: TBD Prize: $750 Topic: Reproductive rights and justice issues in the U.S.
• International Association of Gaming Advisors Shannon Bybee Scholarship Award Deadline: TBD Notes: Each year IAGA awards prizes for the best scholarly research papers written by accredited law school students as part of their class work during the current school year. To be considered for the award, each submitted paper must either enhance the understanding of gaming law or recommend a beneficial gaming law change.
• LSAC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Writing Competition Deadline: TBD Prize: $5,000 Eligibility: All currently enrolled law students pursuing a JD degree are eligible for the competition.

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-warnings-from-democrats-about-project-2025-and-donald-trump

Fact-checking warnings from Democrats about Project 2025 and Donald Trump

This fact check originally appeared on PolitiFact .

Project 2025 has a starring role in this week’s Democratic National Convention.

And it was front and center on Night 1.

WATCH: Hauling large copy of Project 2025, Michigan state Sen. McMorrow speaks at 2024 DNC

“This is Project 2025,” Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, said as she laid a hardbound copy of the 900-page document on the lectern. “Over the next four nights, you are going to hear a lot about what is in this 900-page document. Why? Because this is the Republican blueprint for a second Trump term.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has warned Americans about “Trump’s Project 2025” agenda — even though former President Donald Trump doesn’t claim the conservative presidential transition document.

“Donald Trump wants to take our country backward,” Harris said July 23 in Milwaukee. “He and his extreme Project 2025 agenda will weaken the middle class. Like, we know we got to take this seriously, and can you believe they put that thing in writing?”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, has joined in on the talking point.

“Don’t believe (Trump) when he’s playing dumb about this Project 2025. He knows exactly what it’ll do,” Walz said Aug. 9 in Glendale, Arizona.

Trump’s campaign has worked to build distance from the project, which the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, led with contributions from dozens of conservative groups.

Much of the plan calls for extensive executive-branch overhauls and draws on both long-standing conservative principles, such as tax cuts, and more recent culture war issues. It lays out recommendations for disbanding the Commerce and Education departments, eliminating certain climate protections and consolidating more power to the president.

Project 2025 offers a sweeping vision for a Republican-led executive branch, and some of its policies mirror Trump’s 2024 agenda, But Harris and her presidential campaign have at times gone too far in describing what the project calls for and how closely the plans overlap with Trump’s campaign.

PolitiFact researched Harris’ warnings about how the plan would affect reproductive rights, federal entitlement programs and education, just as we did for President Joe Biden’s Project 2025 rhetoric. Here’s what the project does and doesn’t call for, and how it squares with Trump’s positions.

Are Trump and Project 2025 connected?

To distance himself from Project 2025 amid the Democratic attacks, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he “knows nothing” about it and has “no idea” who is in charge of it. (CNN identified at least 140 former advisers from the Trump administration who have been involved.)

The Heritage Foundation sought contributions from more than 100 conservative organizations for its policy vision for the next Republican presidency, which was published in 2023.

Project 2025 is now winding down some of its policy operations, and director Paul Dans, a former Trump administration official, is stepping down, The Washington Post reported July 30. Trump campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita denounced the document.

WATCH: A look at the Project 2025 plan to reshape government and Trump’s links to its authors

However, Project 2025 contributors include a number of high-ranking officials from Trump’s first administration, including former White House adviser Peter Navarro and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson.

A recently released recording of Russell Vought, a Project 2025 author and the former director of Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, showed Vought saying Trump’s “very supportive of what we do.” He said Trump was only distancing himself because Democrats were making a bogeyman out of the document.

Project 2025 wouldn’t ban abortion outright, but would curtail access

The Harris campaign shared a graphic on X that claimed “Trump’s Project 2025 plan for workers” would “go after birth control and ban abortion nationwide.”

The plan doesn’t call to ban abortion nationwide, though its recommendations could curtail some contraceptives and limit abortion access.

What’s known about Trump’s abortion agenda neither lines up with Harris’ description nor Project 2025’s wish list.

Project 2025 says the Department of Health and Human Services Department should “return to being known as the Department of Life by explicitly rejecting the notion that abortion is health care.”

It recommends that the Food and Drug Administration reverse its 2000 approval of mifepristone, the first pill taken in a two-drug regimen for a medication abortion. Medication is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. — accounting for around 63 percent in 2023.

If mifepristone were to remain approved, Project 2025 recommends new rules, such as cutting its use from 10 weeks into pregnancy to seven. It would have to be provided to patients in person — part of the group’s efforts to limit access to the drug by mail. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge to mifepristone’s FDA approval over procedural grounds.

WATCH: Trump’s plans for health care and reproductive rights if he returns to White House The manual also calls for the Justice Department to enforce the 1873 Comstock Act on mifepristone, which bans the mailing of “obscene” materials. Abortion access supporters fear that a strict interpretation of the law could go further to ban mailing the materials used in procedural abortions, such as surgical instruments and equipment.

The plan proposes withholding federal money from states that don’t report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention how many abortions take place within their borders. The plan also would prohibit abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid funds. It also calls for the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that the training of medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, omits abortion training.

The document says some forms of emergency contraception — particularly Ella, a pill that can be taken within five days of unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy — should be excluded from no-cost coverage. The Affordable Care Act requires most private health insurers to cover recommended preventive services, which involves a range of birth control methods, including emergency contraception.

Trump has recently said states should decide abortion regulations and that he wouldn’t block access to contraceptives. Trump said during his June 27 debate with Biden that he wouldn’t ban mifepristone after the Supreme Court “approved” it. But the court rejected the lawsuit based on standing, not the case’s merits. He has not weighed in on the Comstock Act or said whether he supports it being used to block abortion medication, or other kinds of abortions.

Project 2025 doesn’t call for cutting Social Security, but proposes some changes to Medicare

“When you read (Project 2025),” Harris told a crowd July 23 in Wisconsin, “you will see, Donald Trump intends to cut Social Security and Medicare.”

The Project 2025 document does not call for Social Security cuts. None of its 10 references to Social Security addresses plans for cutting the program.

Harris also misleads about Trump’s Social Security views.

In his earlier campaigns and before he was a politician, Trump said about a half-dozen times that he’s open to major overhauls of Social Security, including cuts and privatization. More recently, in a March 2024 CNBC interview, Trump said of entitlement programs such as Social Security, “There’s a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting.” However, he quickly walked that statement back, and his CNBC comment stands at odds with essentially everything else Trump has said during the 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump’s campaign website says that not “a single penny” should be cut from Social Security. We rated Harris’ claim that Trump intends to cut Social Security Mostly False.

Project 2025 does propose changes to Medicare, including making Medicare Advantage, the private insurance offering in Medicare, the “default” enrollment option. Unlike Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans have provider networks and can also require prior authorization, meaning that the plan can approve or deny certain services. Original Medicare plans don’t have prior authorization requirements.

The manual also calls for repealing health policies enacted under Biden, such as the Inflation Reduction Act. The law enabled Medicare to negotiate with drugmakers for the first time in history, and recently resulted in an agreement with drug companies to lower the prices of 10 expensive prescriptions for Medicare enrollees.

Trump, however, has said repeatedly during the 2024 presidential campaign that he will not cut Medicare.

Project 2025 would eliminate the Education Department, which Trump supports

The Harris campaign said Project 2025 would “eliminate the U.S. Department of Education” — and that’s accurate. Project 2025 says federal education policy “should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.” The plan scales back the federal government’s role in education policy and devolves the functions that remain to other agencies.

Aside from eliminating the department, the project also proposes scrapping the Biden administration’s Title IX revision, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It also would let states opt out of federal education programs and calls for passing a federal parents’ bill of rights similar to ones passed in some Republican-led state legislatures.

Republicans, including Trump, have pledged to close the department, which gained its status in 1979 within Democratic President Jimmy Carter’s presidential Cabinet.

In one of his Agenda 47 policy videos, Trump promised to close the department and “to send all education work and needs back to the states.” Eliminating the department would have to go through Congress.

What Project 2025, Trump would do on overtime pay

In the graphic, the Harris campaign says Project 2025 allows “employers to stop paying workers for overtime work.”

The plan doesn’t call for banning overtime wages. It recommends changes to some Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, regulations and to overtime rules. Some changes, if enacted, could result in some people losing overtime protections, experts told us.

The document proposes that the Labor Department maintain an overtime threshold “that does not punish businesses in lower-cost regions (e.g., the southeast United States).” This threshold is the amount of money executive, administrative or professional employees need to make for an employer to exempt them from overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

In 2019, the Trump’s administration finalized a rule that expanded overtime pay eligibility to most salaried workers earning less than about $35,568, which it said made about 1.3 million more workers eligible for overtime pay. The Trump-era threshold is high enough to cover most line workers in lower-cost regions, Project 2025 said.

The Biden administration raised that threshold to $43,888 beginning July 1, and that will rise to $58,656 on Jan. 1, 2025. That would grant overtime eligibility to about 4 million workers, the Labor Department said.

It’s unclear how many workers Project 2025’s proposal to return to the Trump-era overtime threshold in some parts of the country would affect, but experts said some would presumably lose the right to overtime wages.

Other overtime proposals in Project 2025’s plan include allowing some workers to choose to accumulate paid time off instead of overtime pay, or to work more hours in one week and fewer in the next, rather than receive overtime.

Trump’s past with overtime pay is complicated. In 2016, the Obama administration said it would raise the overtime to salaried workers earning less than $47,476 a year, about double the exemption level set in 2004 of $23,660 a year.

But when a judge blocked the Obama rule, the Trump administration didn’t challenge the court ruling. Instead it set its own overtime threshold, which raised the amount, but by less than Obama.

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Krasnodar Krai, Russia

The capital city of Krasnodar krai: Krasnodar .

Krasnodar Krai - Overview

Krasnodar Krai is a federal subject of Russia located in the south-west of the country, part of the Southern Federal District. Krasnodar is the capital city of the region.

The population of Krasnodar Krai is about 5,687,400 (2022), the area - 75,485 sq. km.

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Krasnodar krai latest news and posts from our blog:.

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8 July, 2012   / Unexpected flooding that occurred on July 6-7 in Krasnodar krai killed at least 150 people mostly in small town of Krymsk. The water level in Krymsk region rose to 7 meters, entire villages were washed away. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the flood occurred at night, when most people were asleep in their homes.

History of Krasnodar Krai

The territory of today’s Krasnodar Krai was inhabited as early as the Paleolithic, about 2 million years ago. It was inhabited by various tribes and peoples since ancient times. There were several Greek colonies on the Black Sea coast, which later became part of the Kingdom of the Bosporus. In 631, the Great Bulgaria state was founded in Kuban. In the 8th-10th centuries, the territory was part of Khazaria.

In 965, the Kievan Prince Svyatoslav defeated the Khazar Khanate and this region came under the power of Kievan Rus, Tmutarakan principality was formed. At the end of the 11th century, in connection with the strengthening of the Polovtsy and claims of Byzantium, Tmutarakan principality came under the authority of the Byzantine emperors (until 1204).

In 1243-1438, this land was part of the Golden Horde. After its collapse, Kuban was divided between the Crimean Khanate, Circassia, and the Ottoman Empire, which dominated in the region. Russia began to challenge the protectorate over the territory during the Russian-Turkish wars.

More historical facts…

In 1783, by decree of Catherine II, the right-bank Kuban and Taman Peninsula became part of the Russian Empire after the liquidation of the Crimean Khanate. In 1792-1793, Zaporozhye (Black Sea) Cossacks resettled here to protect new borders of the country along the Kuban River. During the military campaign to establish control over the North Caucasus (Caucasian War of 1763-1864), in the 1830s, the Ottoman Empire for forced out of the region and Russia gained access to the Black Sea coast.

Prior to the revolutionary events of 1917, most of the territory of present Krasnodar krai was occupied by the Kuban region, founded in 1860. In 1900, the population of the region was about 2 million people. In 1913, it ranked 2nd by gross harvest of grain, 1st place for the production of bread in the Russian Empire.

Kuban was one of the centers of resistance after the Bolshevik revolution of 1917. In 1918-1920, there was a non-Bolshevik Kuban People’s Republic. In 1924, North-Caucasian Krai was founded with the center in Rostov-on-Don. In 1934, it was divided into Azov-Black Sea Krai (Rostov-on-Don) and North Caucasus Krai (Stavropol).

On September 13, 1937, the Azov-Black Sea region was divided into Rostov Oblast and Krasnodar Krai that included Adygei Autonomous Oblast. During the Second World War, the region was captured by the Germans. After the battle for the Caucasus, it was liberated. There are about 1,500 monuments and memorials commemorating heroes of the war on the territory of Krasnodar Krai.

In 1991, the Adygei Autonomous Oblast withdrew from Krasnodar Krai and became the Republic of Adygea.

Beautiful nature of Krasnodar Krai

Sunflower field in Krasnodar Krai

Author: Alexander Egorov

Krasnodar Krai landscape

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On the coast in the Krasnodar region

Author: Sotnikov

Krasnodar Krai - Features

Krasnodar Krai is located in the south-western part of the North Caucasus. The territory is washed by the Azov and Black Seas. The length of the region from north to south - 327 km, from west to east - 360 km. The Republic of Adygea, another federal subject of Russia, is located entirely within the Krasnodar region.

The Kuban River divides Krasnodar Krai into two parts: the northern - lowland (2/3 of the territory), located on the Kuban-Azov plain, and the southern - foothills and mountains (1/3 of the territory), located in the western highlands of the Greater Caucasus. The highest point is Mount Tsakhvoa (3,345 m).

The population is concentrated in the basin of the Kuban (also known as the Cossack land). The main cities and towns of Krasnodar Krai are Krasnodar (974,000), Sochi (433,500), Novorossyisk (277,000), Armavir (186,000), Anapa (95,900), Eisk (83,200), Kropotkin (76,300), Gelendzhik (75,100), Slavyansk-na-Kubani (67,200), Tuapse (60,400).

Krasnodar Krai is the warmest region of Russia. The climate is mostly temperate continental, on the Black Sea coast from Anapa to Tuapse - semi-arid Mediterranean climate, south of Tuapse - humid subtropical. Winters are mild and summers are hot. The average temperature in January in the plains is minus 3-5 degrees Celsius, on the Black Sea coast - 0-6 degrees Celsius, in July - plus 22-24 degrees Celsius.

Krasnodar Krai - Economy and Tourism

There are reserves of oil, natural gas, iodine-bromine water, marble, limestone, sandstone, gravel, silica sand, iron ore, rock salt, mercury, gypsum, gold. Krasnodar krai is Russia’s oldest oil producing region (since 1865).

The local economy is based on the industrial, construction, fuel and energy, agriculture, transport, resort and recreational, tourist sectors.

The seaports of the Krasnodar region provide direct access, through the Azov and the Black Seas, to international trade routes and handle more than 35% of foreign trade and transit cargoes of all Russian seaports. The air gateway of the region is Krasnodar International Airport (Pashkovsky Airport) - one of the largest airports in Russia.

Tourism is an important sector of the economy of Krasnodar krai. It is actively developing on the coast of the Black and Azov Seas, as well as in mountain and steppe districts of the region. The main centers of tourism are the resorts of federal significance (Sochi, Gelendzhik and Anapa) and the resorts of regional significance (Yeisk, Goryachiy Klyuch and Tuapse district).

Due to a combination of favorable climatic conditions, availability of mineral waters and curative mud, Krasnodar krai is the most popular resort and tourist region of Russia and in fact the only one in Russia seaside spa and recreational center.

Krasnodar krai of Russia photos

Krasnodar krai scenery.

Cretaceous rocks in Krasnodar Krai

Steep cliffs on the coast in the Krasnodar region

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Country road in Krasnodar Krai

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Pictures of Krasnodar Krai

Memorial Field of Cossack glory in Kushchevskaya village in Krasnodar Krai

Author: Sergey Timofeev

Jet fighter monument in the Krasnodar region

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Village in Krasnodar Krai

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Producing Territories: Spatial Practices and Border Effects Between Krasnodar Krai and the Republic of Adygea

• First Online: 15 November 2016

Cite this chapter

• Hege Toje 5  

Part of the book series: Approaches to Social Inequality and Difference ((ATSIAD))

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This chapter investigates the dynamics of an internal border between Krasnodar Krai and the Republic of Adygea in the northwestern Caucasus. In the wake of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Adygea changed its territorial status from being an autonomous oblast, subordinated to Krasnodar Krai, to republic. It is argued that this provided a new political platform for Adyghe territoriality, and the concept “border effect” is developed to capture moments in which sorting practices locate categories of people and goods according to territorial/spatial belonging. By looking at the complex and disparate processes of territorialization, Toje attempts to disentangle how border effects, in absence of a policed border, crystalize as a result of territorial transformation in the northwestern Caucasus.

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Toje, H. (2016). Producing Territories: Spatial Practices and Border Effects Between Krasnodar Krai and the Republic of Adygea. In: Bringa, T., Toje, H. (eds) Eurasian Borderlands. Approaches to Social Inequality and Difference. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58309-3_8

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South Africa enacts law to end Eskom’s monopoly and boost electricity market competition

South Africa’s electricity crisis, characterized by blackouts and financial struggles for Eskom, led to legislative reforms aimed at breaking Eskom’s monopoly. The 2024 Electricity Regulation Amendment Act introduces competition, promotes renewables, and allows private sector involvement. However, challenges include regulatory uncertainties, resistance from vested interests, and concerns over investor confidence.

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By Rod Crompton*

South Africa endured  an electricity crisis  from 2008 characterised by intermittent rolling blackouts and a growing culture of non-payment. The state-owned utility, Eskom,  came to be regarded  as the single largest risk to South Africa’s economy. At the end of March 2020 Eskom’s debt stood at  R488 billion (US$27.4 billion ).

Government has attempted several measures to overcome the country’s energy problems. These have included new Eskom boards, new CEOs, bailouts for Eskom and a National Energy Crisis Committee that includes the private sector. Now it’s trying legislative reform.

In mid-August 2024 President Cyril Ramaphosa  approved a new law  that marks the most significant change to date in the electricity supply industry. The  Electricity Regulation Amendment Act  is the beginning of the end of Eskom, the near state monopoly that has dominated South Africa’s electricity sector since the 1950s.

The law paves the way for Eskom to end its transmission business over the next five years. It seems likely to be a generator for a long time, however: its new coal-fired stations are designed  to operate for 50 years . The new act envisages a hybrid market model, designed to accommodate various kinds of transactions.

Competition and market prices are expected to emerge over time. New kinds of businesses are emerging, such as traders in electricity, “prosumers” (consumers that also produce electricity for sale into the grid), electricity market operators and system operators.

Ramaphosa  promised  that:

the Act will lead to long-term energy security, a more competitive energy system, more rapid uptake of renewable energy sources, and ultimately lower energy prices for all South Africans.

The new law is indeed groundbreaking, and an important step along South Africa’s  zig-zag, stop-start path to electricity market reform . But electricity market reform is a process that evolves over years as technologies and markets change. It is not a destination.

Based on my 40-odd years in the energy sector, including six on the Eskom board, I believe that on balance, the new law is good news for electricity market reform. However, there are some matters to be concerned about.

Change is hard in South Africa. It has taken 26 bumpy years since the 1998 White Paper to get to this entry point to market reform. It would be naive to expect a smooth ride from here on. Vested interests in and around Eskom and the municipalities will want to cling to their powers. New technologies are disrupting the old way of doing things. There is no national champion driving electricity reform and with weak government there is the risk of reform being diverted elsewhere.

A long, hard road

Electricity market reform in South Africa has its origins in a  White Paper on Energy Policy  published in 1998. The first round of efforts to implement this policy and to begin the unwinding of Eskom’s monopoly led to:

• Eskom being separated into divisions in 2000
• the establishment of Electricity Distribution Holdings to own the new Regional Electricity Distributors in 2003
• the establishment of the  National Energy Regulator of South Africa  in 2005
• the establishment of the Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme Office in 2006
• an Independent System Operator Bill in 2012.

But this first attempt at reform petered out by 2015. After a lull of some years, a second round of attempts at market reform was initiated by the Eskom Roadmap  published in 2019 . This, along with public pressure from increasing power cuts, led to the  Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill  being released for public comment in March 2021. After 42 months, the president signed the act on 16 August 2024.

What changes are envisaged?

Within the next five years a new juristic person, the Transmission System Operator SOC Ltd, is to be created. The foundations of this exist in the form of the National Transmission Company of South Africa, which Eskom has already set up as a wholly owned subsidiary.

The role of the new entity will be as follows.

• As a system operator it will have the task of keeping demand and supply in balance every second of the day and deciding where power is drawn from first.

This is where it runs into “player and referee” challenges as it must ensure fair competition between multiple electricity generators: Eskom and privately owned ones.

• It will be a market operator. This will involve providing a platform for competitive, wholesale or retail buying and selling of electricity. It will have to establish rules to govern the market (much like stock markets have rules for buying and selling shares). It must ensure that financial settlements between buyers and sellers are settled in a fair, neutral and transparent manner.
• It will be a central purchasing agency that will provide market support functions.

Eskom has been a near monopoly for a long time and is unlikely to give up its market dominance without a fight. There are some provisions in the new act which are intended to protect the market from Eskom dominance.

As usual, the devil will be in the detailed regulations and codes. On 19 April 2024,  Eskom launched a draft market code  for public comment by 30 September 2024. At the same time, the National Energy Crisis Committee launched its  description  of the market model.

Possible brakes on progress

Access to transmission and distribution infrastructure will be crucial for a market to operate. Independent generators will need to transport their electricity to their customers. Initially, customers will remain with their existing suppliers but as the electricity markets evolve, retail customers will be able to choose their suppliers.

The new act grants “third-party access” to such infrastructure. But that access is not defined. Usually, the first party is the owner of the infrastructure and the second party is its customers. The third party is anyone else.

Third-party access usually means that the owner of a natural monopoly can serve its customers first and that any capacity left over can be used by others. The act makes this clear – access can be refused “where it lacks the necessary capacity”. This provision protects incumbents like Eskom and municipalities and could slow down the evolution of market competition.

The new act raises several concerns.

A 20-year cap is introduced for the duration of generation, transmission or system operation licences (or a lesser period decided by the national energy regulator).

Large power infrastructure such as transmission lines, coal and nuclear generators typically have useful lives of more than 20 years. Investors will want to recover their investments within the 20-year licence period through higher tariffs. After 20 years, customers will have something of a “free ride” as the asset will have been paid for.

In contrast, the licence period for long-life distribution assets is left to the regulator to decide.

Another major concern is that the act gives the responsible minister new and wide-ranging powers.

The minister can decide, for example:

• to deviate from an integrated resource plan or a transmission development plan if it is in the national interest and when it is “reasonable and justifiable”, without public consultation. (Previously the national interest was only invoked in land expropriation.)
• to establish an “energy infrastructure project”, which is not defined, but can include “gas infrastructure”. This curious new type of project appears to contemplate cross-border trade in gas (type unspecified) for gas-to-power but might also be used for new nuclear capacity.

As South Africa’s power system increasingly moves to private ownership, investor confidence becomes more important. Wide-ranging ministerial discretion contributes to investor uncertainty.

There is a risk that the new act or parts of it may be stillborn as the South African Local Government Association has objected to certain provisions and  threatened legal action . Media reports suggest that President Ramaphosa has left the door open  to excluding certain provisions .

• Eskom forecasts no load-shedding after operational turnaround
• National implications – uMngeni’s Mayor Pappas tackles PMB, Eskom, shows all politics IS local
• It’s gotten way cheaper to kiss Eskom goodbye

*Rod Crompton : Visiting Adjunct Professor, African Energy Leadership Centre, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand

This article was originally published by The Conversation and has be republished with permission.

Cyril Ramaphosa: The Audio Biography

Listen to the story of Cyril Ramaphosa's rise to presidential power, narrated by our very own Alec Hogg.

Harvard’s Institute of Politics Announces Fall 2024 Resident Fellows

Introduction

CAMBRIDGE, MA - The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School today announced the appointment of six Resident Fellows who will join the IOP for the Fall 2024 semester. The fellows bring diverse experience in politics, elected office, polling, journalism, and economic development to address the challenges facing our country and world today.

"We are thrilled to welcome this Fall's cohort of Resident Fellows to Harvard to engage and collaborate with our students and community, and to get their thoughts and insight in the final few months of this year's historic election. Their diverse experiences will no doubt inspire our students to consider careers in public service and prepare them to provide essential political leadership in the months and years ahead," said IOP Director Setti Warren .

"We are excited to have such a remarkable group of Fellows at the IOP this Fall. They bring varied perspectives on how to best approach some of our country's most consequential challenges, and I am confident our students will gain important insight into the fields of politics, civic engagement, journalism, and more," said Michael Nutter , Chair of the Institute of Politics' Senior Advisory Committee, and former Mayor of Philadelphia.

"We are thrilled to welcome the incredibly accomplished members of the 2024 Fall Fellows Cohort as we begin the fall semester prior to the incredibly important U.S. election. As we close out the 'biggest election year in history,' our world remains in the throes of a major period of democratic backsliding. American voters, including many Harvard students, will once again face the possibility of reactionary backsliding and threats to fundamental rights. Closer to home, we are keenly aware of the threats to free speech on campus. While this semester will bring renewed challenges to and debates concerning those fundamental rights, we are hopeful that study groups will remain a source of vibrant, productive, and gratifying discussions on Harvard's campus. In that spirit, this semester's cohort of Fellows will bring in critical perspectives from the varied worlds of governing, policymaking, polling, reporting, and campaigning to equip students with the tools necessary to create a better tomorrow. We are confident that this cohort of Fellows will help this program to remain a bastion of freedom of speech and civil discourse on Harvard's campus," said Éamon ÓCearúil ‘25 and Summer Tan ‘26 , Co-Chairs of the Fellows and Study Groups Program at the Institute of Politics.

IOP Resident Fellows are fully engaged with the Harvard community. They reside on campus, mentor a cohort of undergraduate students, hold weekly office hours, and lead an eight-week, not-for-credit study group based on their experience and expertise.

Fall 2024 Resident Fellows:

• Betsy Ankney: Former Campaign Manager, Nikki Haley for President
• John Anzalone: One of the nation's top pollsters and strategists, and founder of Impact Research, a public opinion research and consulting firm
• Alejandra Y. Castillo: Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development
• Asa Hutchinson: Former Governor of Arkansas and 2024 Presidential Candidate
• Brett Rosenberg: Former Director for Strategic Planning, National Security Council and Deputy Special Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, Department of State
• Eugene Scott: Host at Axios Live, and former reporter who has spent two decades covering politics at the local, national and international level, including at the Washington Post and CNN

Brief bios and quotes can be found below. Headshots are available upon request.

Betsy Ankney Ankney is a political strategist with over 15 years of experience on tough campaigns. She has been involved in campaigns and Super PACs at the national and state level and played a role in some of the biggest upsets in Republican politics. She has been an advisor to Ambassador Nikki Haley since 2021, serving as Executive Director for Stand for America PAC and most recently as Campaign Manager for Nikki Haley for President. After starting with zero dollars in the bank and 2% in the polls, the campaign defied the odds, raised $80 million, and Nikki Haley emerged as the strongest challenger to Donald Trump. Ankney served as the Political Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 2020 cycle. She advised senate campaigns across the country, working directly with candidates and their campaigns on budgets, messaging, and fundraising. Prior to her work at the NRSC, Ankney managed multiple statewide campaigns, including Bruce Rauner for Governor in Illinois and Ron Johnson for Senate in Wisconsin. For her work on Ron Johnson’s race, she was named “Campaign Manager of the Year” by the American Association of Political Consultants for 2016. Ankney got her start in politics at the 2008 Republican National Convention and served in various roles at the Republican National Committee as well as on multiple campaigns and outside efforts. She serves on the boards of The Campaign School at Yale and The American Association of Political Consultants. She is from Toledo, Ohio and attended Vanderbilt University.

"I am honored to be a part of the fantastic program at the Harvard Institute of Politics. As we enter the final stretch of one of the wildest and most unpredictable election cycles in modern history, I look forward to having conversations in real time about our political process, what to look for, and why it matters." – Betsy Ankney

John Anzalone Anzalone is one of the nation’s top pollsters and messaging strategists. He has spent decades working on some of the toughest political campaigns in modern history and helping private-sector clients navigate complex challenges. He has polled for the past four presidential races, most recently serving as chief pollster for President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign. In that role, he helped develop the messaging and strategy that drove paid communications, major policy rollouts, speeches, and convention thematics. He has also polled for the campaigns of President Obama and Hillary Clinton, and has helped elect U.S. senators, governors, and dozens of members of Congress. Anzalone works with governors across the country, including current Governors Gretchen Whitmer (MI) and Roy Cooper (NC). He polls regularly for the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Senate Majority PAC, and AARP. With more than 30 years of experience in message development and strategic execution, he has been called on by key decision-makers, executives, and CEOs to provide counsel in a changing world and marketplace. He has extensive experience using research and data to break down complex subjects into digestible messages that resonate with target audiences. He grew up in St. Joseph, Michigan, and graduated from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is married and has four children, two dogs, and lives in Watercolor, Florida.

"After a 40-year career in politics I am so excited to give back by sharing and mentoring politically active and curious students, but also to have an opportunity to learn from them myself. During the next three months we will be living the 2024 elections together in real time. There is nothing more exciting than that regardless of your political identity." – John Anzalone

Alejandra Y. Castillo The Honorable Alejandra Y. Castillo was nominated by President Biden and sworn in as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development on August 13, 2021, becoming the first women of color to hold this position. Ms. Castillo led the Economic Development Administration (EDA) between August 2021-2024 through an unprecedented moment of growth and opportunity. As the only federal agency focused exclusively on economic development, she guided EDA’s the implementation of over $6.8 billion dollars in federal funding, powering EDA and its mission to make transformational placed-based investments to support inclusive and equitable economic growth across America. Spanning over two decades of public service and non-profit work, she has served in three Presidential administrations --Biden, Obama and Clinton. Her career has also included a drive to shattering glass ceilings and providing inspiration to multiple generations of diverse leaders. Castillo is an active member in various civic and professional organizations, including the Hispanic National Bar Association, the American Constitution Society, as well as the Council on Foreign Relations. Castillo holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook; a M.A. in Public Policy from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin; and a J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law. A native of Queens, NY., the daughter of immigrants from the Dominican Republic.

"I am excited to join this Fall semester IOP Fellowship class and have the opportunity to engage with students and faculty members across the University. The IOP fellowship presents a great forum to discuss and evaluate the future of U.S. industrial strategy and economic growth in light of the historic federal investments in place-based economic development during the last three years. I am honored to join my colleagues in making this an exciting and informative semester for students." – Alejandra Y. Castillo

Asa Hutchinson Governor Asa Hutchinson is a former Republican candidate for President of the United States. He served as the 46th Governor of the State of Arkansas and in his last election, he was re-elected with 65 percent of the vote, having received more votes than any other Republican candidate for governor in the State’s history. As a candidate for President, Hutchinson distinguished himself as an advocate for balancing the federal budget, energy production and enhanced border security. He also was a clear voice for the GOP to move away from the leadership of Donald Trump. Hutchinson’s time as governor is distinguished by his success in securing over $700 million per year in tax cuts, safeguarding the retirement pay of veterans from state income tax, shrinking the size of state government, creating over 100,000 new jobs and leading a national initiative to increase computer science education. The Governor’s career in public service began when President Ronald Reagan appointed him as the youngest U.S. Attorney in the nation for the Western District of Arkansas. In 1996, he won the first of three consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his third term in Congress, President George W. Bush appointed Governor Hutchinson to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration and later as the nation’s first Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Border Protection. He is a former Chairman of the National Governors. He grew up on a small farm near Gravette. He and his wife, Susan, have four children and seven grandchildren. Governor Hutchinson is currently CEO of Hutchinson Group LLC, a security consulting firm.

"After 8 years as Governor it is time to teach and mentor. I am honored to have the opportunity this fall to share my experiences and perspective but to also learn from the students and my colleagues who will also be resident fellows at the IOP. The timing is historic with our democracy facing a critical choice this fall as to the direction of our country." – Asa Hutchinson

Brett Rosenberg Rosenberg is a foreign policy expert who has served in the White House, Department of State, and Senate. During the Biden Administration, Rosenberg was the inaugural Deputy Special Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, President Biden’s and the G7’s flagship program designed to meet infrastructure needs in low- and middle-income countries. At the White House, Rosenberg served on the National Security Council as Director for Strategic Planning, working on shaping and realizing approaches to issues spanning from international economics to Western Hemisphere engagement, as well as helping to write the National Security Strategy. Prior to her service in the Biden administration, Rosenberg was Associate Director of Policy for National Security Action, where she remains a senior advisor. Rosenberg began her career in Washington as a legislative aide to then-Senator Kamala Harris, where she advised the senator on a range of domestic and economic policy issues. Rosenberg is a Nonresident Scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and her writing has appeared in outlets including Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The New Republic, and McSweeneys. She received her A.B. in History from Harvard College and her PhD (DPhil) in International Relations from the University of Oxford, where she was a Rhodes Scholar.

"What a privilege it is to be part of this incredible community in this incredible moment. I can't wait to learn from the students, faculty, and other fellows as we dive in together to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing the United States and the world." – Brett Rosenberg

Eugene Scott Eugene Scott is a host at Axios Live, where he travels the country interviewing political and policy leaders. He was previously a senior political reporter for Axios covering 2024 swing voters and voting rights. An award-winning journalist, Scott has spent two decades covering politics at the local, national and international levels. He was recently a national political reporter at The Washington Post focused on identity politics and the 2022 midterm election. Following the 2020 presidential election, he hosted “The Next Four Years,” then Amazon’s top original podcast. He also contributed to “FOUR HUNDRED SOULS: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019,” which topped the New York Times’ bestseller list. In addition to writing, Scott has regularly provided political analysis on MSNBC, CBS and NPR. Scott was a Washington Correspondent for CNN Politics during the 2016 election. And he began his newspaper career at the Cape Argus in Cape Town, South Africa not long after beginning his journalism career with BET News’ “Teen Summit.” Scott received his master’s degree from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and his bachelor’s from the University of North Carolina Hussman School of Journalism and Media. He is a D.C. native and continues to live in the Nation’s Capital.

"Learning from and with the professionals that visited the IOP during my time on campus was one of the highlights of my time at the Kennedy School. I am eager to help lead students in understanding the press and this country as we navigate the final weeks of arguably the most consequential election of our time." – Eugene Scott

Additional information can be found here .

About the Institute of Politics Fellows Program The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School was established in 1966 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The Institute’s mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, and policymakers on a non-partisan basis to inspire them to pursue pathways in politics and public service. The Institute blends the academic with practical politics and offers students the opportunity to engage in current events and to acquire skills and perspectives that will assist in their postgraduate pathways.

The Fellows Program has stood as the cornerstone of the IOP, encouraging student interest in public service and increasing the interaction between the academic and political communities. Through the Fellows Program, the Institute aims to provide students with the opportunity to learn from experienced public servants, the space to engage in civil discourse, and the chance to acquire a more holistic and pragmatic view of our political world.

For more information on the fellowship program, including a full list of former fellows, visit: iop.harvard.edu  

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Guest Essay

Kamala Harris Begins to Sketch a New Economic Vision

By Jen Harris

Ms. Harris served as the senior director of international economics on the National Security Council and National Economic Council.

Kamala Harris is beginning to offer the first definitive clues of a new economic vision — one with the potential not only to offer a unifying vision for the Democratic Party but also to serve as the foundation for a governing philosophy that crosses party lines.

In recent years, both parties have broken with a markets-know-best default setting. The question is, what comes next?

One influential school of thought , advanced by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, argues for increasing the supply of essentials such as housing, health care and clean energy, in part by using government to break the choke points that make these goods too scarce and costly in the first place. This has truth — the much-criticized million-dollar-toilet problem gets at something real.

But it doesn’t fully reflect the realities of how powerful interests hold captive parts of our economy, and then our political system. A second intellectual camp focuses on these forces, and its avatars include Lina Khan, the chair of the Federal Trade Commission and the modern antitrust movement, and the U.A.W. leader Shawn Fain and re-energized labor unions. Yet it, too, is incomplete as a governing wisdom, as it lacks affirmative answers for our largest challenges, like how to decarbonize quickly and at scale, and how to contend with a rising geopolitical competitor in China.

Ms. Harris’s early proposals suggest she is drawing from both strands in telling a more holistic and entirely new story about how the economy works and the aims it should serve. Put differently, her slogan “We’re not going back” might well extend beyond political and social rights to include a different brand of economics.

This new story has two themes — call them “build” and “balance.” The first focuses on pointing and shaping markets toward worthy aims; the second corrects upstream power imbalances so that market outcomes are fairer and need less after-the-fact redistribution.

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