ABA/PCLJ Annual Writing Competition (2007)

For the PCLJ Suggested Note Topics Blog, click here.

Papers should address a topical issue in public contract or grant law. Open to J.D. candidates, L.L.M. candidates, and attorneys recently admitted to the Bar. Compete in one of two separate divisions — Student Division & Attorney Division. Separate prizes for each division. Prize Money of $5,000 for First Place Papers and $2,500 for Second Place Papers and $1,000 for Third Place J.D. Level Papers.
Quality Papers will be considered for Publication in the Public Contract Law Journal.

All entries must be postmarked by Sept. 30, 2007.


                                                          Rules

1. The competition will be conducted in two divisions. Each division will be judged separately, and separate prizes will be awarded to the winners of each division. Division I is open to candidates for a J.D. degree attending law schools within the United States and its possessions. Division II is open to lawyers under the age of 36 years old or admitted to practice less than five years as of September 30, 2007, and candidates for an L.L.M. degree attending law schools within the United States and its possessions. All authors must be current members of the American Bar Association.

2. Papers should address a topical issue of interest to the public contract and grant law community. The Public Contract Law Journal maintains a list of suggested note and article topics.

3. Papers prepared for law school credit are eligible for entry in the competition, provided the work is original and the editing and citation work have been done by the author. Joint papers are not acceptable. Articles prepared for law review, or publication elsewhere, are eligible for the competition provided they are not published prior to October 15, 2007 and provided that the author certifies that all work submitted is the author's work product, without substantial editing from others.

4. Papers must be 8-1/2” X 11”, double-spaced, and typed in 12 point font, including cited material and footnotes.

5. Papers shall conform to the Harvard Bluebook citation style and the Public Contract Law Journal Style Guide.

6. The following information shall be presented on the title page: title; author's name; ABA membership number; law school attending and author's year in school, if applicable; for Division II entries, the author’s age or years of practice, if applicable; date submitted for academic credit or law review publication, if applicable; author's permanent and temporary addresses and telephone numbers. 

7. Copies may be submitted by e-mail or regular U.S. mail (if by mail, please send 3 copies and an electronic copy on a CD), in Word or WordPerfect format, to the following address:

Karen L. Manos, Esq.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP
1050 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., 2nd Floor
Washington, D.C. 20036
kmanos@gibsondunn.com

8. All entries must be postmarked (or if transmitted by e-mail received) by September 30, 2007.

9. Winners will be selected and notified by January 15, 2008. The first place winner in each division will receive a cash award of $5,000; second place in each division will receive a cash award of $2,500; and third place in Division I will receive a cash award of $1,000. Winning entries will be considered for publication in the Public Contract Law Journal, and selected competitors may be invited to present their papers during the 14th Annual Federal Procurement Institute in Annapolis, Maryland; however, publication and presentation decisions are made independent of the writing competition and there is no guarantee that a winning entry will be published or selected for presentation.

10. An impartial panel will judge the entries. The judges may withhold some or all of the awards if the submissions are not of notable quality. In the event of a tie, the award will be shared.