Writing Competitions

• 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.)

• 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.)

• 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.)

• University of Wisconsin-Madison Havens Wright Center for Social Justice Erik Olin Wright Prize

  For papers by graduate or professional students that best exemplify the concerns that animated Prof. Olin Wright’s work, which included the analysis of class, the study of real utopias, theories of the state, economic sociology, and social inequality, always motivated by an explicit commitment to social justice. A nominating letter from a faculty member familiar with the student’s work is required. (Award of $1,000; submissions accepted between March 1 and April 15, 2025.)

• New York Intellectual Property Law Association Honorable William Conner Writing Competition

  For papers addressing one of the following subject areas of intellectual property, i.e., patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and unfair trade practices, as well as antitrust and data security/privacy issues to the extent they relate to intellectual property. (Winning award of $2500; runner up will receive $1500; deadline March 7, 2025.)

• 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  For unpublished student-authored submissions addressing any legal issue regarding affordable housing, fair housing and/or community development law.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.)

• State Bar of Texas International Law Section Human Rights Essay Contest

  For essays on any aspect of international human rights law. (First-place award of $1500; deadline March 15, 2025.)

• Mitchell Hamline School of Law Roy Snell Health Care Regulatory and Compliance Writing Competition

  Participating students will analyze a hypothetical fact pattern involving an organization facing multifaceted health care regulatory/compliance matters and draft two separate internal memoranda to two different recipients within the organization. Registration is required. (First, second, and third-place awards of $5000, $3000, and $1500, respectively; registration deadline February 2, 2025; prompt release February 3, 2025; submission deadline March 17, 2025.)

• Notre Dame Law School Smith-Doheny Legal Ethics Writing Competition

  For essays concerned with the general category of legal ethics. (Award of $2500; deadline April 15, 2025)

• American Inns of Court 2025 Warren E. Burger Prize

  For unpublished essays on a topic that addresses issues of legal excellence, civility, ethics, and professionalism. (Winning entry will receive unspecified cash prize; deadline July 1, 2025.)

Collections of Writing Competitions

• American Bar Association

  Writing Competitions for Young Lawyers and Law Students

• AccessLex Institute

  Law School Scholarship Databank: Writing Competitions

• Suffolk University Law School

  iCompete Writing: A Compilation of Legal Writing Competitions

• Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law

  A Guide to Legal Writing Competitions for Law Students