Law students are eligible to enter writing competitions sponsored by organizations around the country. Many of these competitions award scholarships or cash prizes to the winning students.
Here are some you may be interested in:
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Insurance Law Section of the State Bar of Texas Fall 2024 Law Student Writing Competition
For student-authored appellate briefs addressing a discrete insurance law issue. (First, second, and third place scholarships of $4000, $2000, and $1000 respectively will be awarded to statewide winners; Best of School scholarships of $500 may be awarded for schools from which there are at least three submissions and no statewide winner; deadline December 20, 2024.) Download an important addendum to the competition rules here.
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American Bar Association Standing committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability Edward C. Mendrzycki Award
For scholarly essays on a hypothetical involving multiple ethical and professional liability concerns that arise when a law firm adopts an artificial intelligence software platform to assist its lawyers in providing legal services to its clients. (Award of $5000 and travel to spring 2025 National Legal Malpractice Conference in Charlotte, NC; deadline February 1, 2025.)
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Texas Tech University School of Law Inaugural Fred Gray Civil Rights Writing Competition
For original scholarly essays that are thematically linked to the work of Fred Gray and his contributions to the civil rights movement. Topic guidelines, submission process, and competition rules are explained in the linked PDF. (First, second, and third-place awards of $7500, $5000, and $2500 respectively; deadline February 28, 2025.)
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University of Oklahoma American Indian Law Review 2024-2025 National Writing Competition
For papers on any legal issue specifically concerning American Indians or other indigenous peoples. (First, second, and third-place awards of $1500, $750, and $400 respectively; deadline February 28, 2025.)
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NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund 2025 Law Student Second Amendment Research and Writing Competition
For articles addressing a specific Second Amendment Issue. (First, second, and third-place awards of $10,000, $7000, and $3000 respectively; deadline March 1, 2025.)
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American Bar Association Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law 2025 Affordable Housing & Community Development Law Student Legal Writing Competition
For unpublished student-authored submissions addressing any legal issue regarding affordable housing, fair housing and/or community development law. (Winning entry will be eligible for a $1000 cash prize; deadline March 10, 2025.)
Collections of Writing Competitions
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American Bar Association
Writing Competitions for Young Lawyers and Law Students
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AccessLex Institute
Law School Scholarship Databank: Writing Competitions
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Suffolk University Law School
iCompete Writing: A Compilation of Legal Writing Competitions
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Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
A Guide to Legal Writing Competitions for Law Students