The University of Connecticut School of Law Student Legal Writing Competition

Description

The University of Connecticut School of Law has established a Student Legal Writing Competition to encourage and reward original student writing on legal issues affecting persons struggling with homelessness, mental illness, addiction, or substance abuse.

Topic

Entrants should submit a paper on a legal issue affecting persons struggling with homelessness, mental illness, addiction, or substance abuse.

Eligibility

Papers will be accepted from any student enrolled for the 2012-13 academic year in an ABA-accredited law school in the United States or Canada.  Papers must be the law student author’s own work and must not have been submitted for publication elsewhere.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a student may incorporate professorial feedback as part of a course requirement or supervised writing project.  All students intending to enter the competition must register by April 15, 2013.  Registration Form

Format

Papers should be a minimum of 15 pages in length and shall not exceed 30 pages, including footnotes.  They must be types, double-spaced and with one-inch margins, on 8 ½  x 11 inch paper, in a 12-point font, such as Times New Roman.  All citations and footnotes should conform to the current edition of The Bluebook:  A Uniform System of Citation and should also be in a 12-point font.

Judging

Papers will be judged by a panel appointed by the University of Connecticut School of Law.  Judges will evaluate papers based on the substance, clarity of the proposal or thesis, logical force, support of argument, and quality of research.  Grammar, syntax, and form will also be taken into consideration.

Submission

Entries must be received by 5pm on June 3, 2013.  Entries must be submitted in two formats: (1) email an electronic version (in Microsoft Word or PDF format) to Karen.DeMeola@law.uconn.edu; and (2) mail, with a postmark dated by June 3, 2013, four copies of the paper to:

Student Legal Writing Competition
University of Connecticut School of Law
55 Elizabeth Street
Hartford, CT 06105
Attn: Assistant Dean Karen Lynn DeMeola

Papers are judged anonymously, and no identifying information should appear on either the original or the copies of the paper.  Entrants must submit a separate cover letter listing the author’s name, address, telephone number, email address, name of law school, and year of graduation.

Awards

Three cash prizes will be awarded: $750 First Prize, $500 Second Prize, and $250 Third Prize.  Winners will be notified by July 30, 2013.  All decisions of the judges are final.

Winners of the 2012 University of Connecticut School of Law Student Legal Writing Competition
 

The University of Connecticut School of Law is pleased to announce the winners of the 2012 University of Connecticut School of Law Student Legal Writing Competition. The annual competition seeks original law student writing on legal issues affecting persons struggling with homelessness, mental illness, addition or substance abuse. Cash prizes are awarded for first, second and third-place winners. This year, we had a record number of entries, with submissions from students enrolled in law schools throughout the country. We thank all contestants and congratulate the winners. Details about next year's competition will be posted on this webpage this fall.

First Place ($750) - The Voluntary Confession that Wasn't: Overturning Colorado v. Connelly for the Mentally Ill by David Cutshall, University of Virginia School of Law '12

Second Place ($500) - Drug Abusers and Addicts and the Immigration and Nationality Act by Nikiya Natale, University of Texas School of Law '13

Third Place ($250) - Social Security Disability for the Chronically Homeless by Andrea Callow, Loyola University Chicago School of Law '12