On behalf of the editor of the State Bar’s Public Law Journal, Stephen Deitsch, the Public Law Section would like to invite students to participate in our first annual law student writing competition. Entries are due by August 17, 2007. The winning paper will be published in the Fall 2007 issue of the Public Law Journal. The winning author will receive a $500 cash prize and will be recognized at the Public Lawyer of the Year award ceremony during the annual State Bar Meeting at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel on September 28, 2007.
The Public Law Section
of the State Bar of
Is pleased to announce
The First Annual
Public Law Section
Law Student Writing Competition
In the furtherance of its mission and goals, the Public Law Section invites papers for possible publication in the Public Law Journal. Such papers should consider an aspect of public law written in the 2006-2007 or current academic year by a student currently enrolled in an accredited
Papers should be limited to between 2,500 and 3,000 words of double-spaced typed text and include citations in either Bluebook or California Style Manual format.
The mission of the Public Law Section is to ensure that laws relating to the function and operation of public agencies are clear, effective and serve the public interest; to advance public service through public law practice; and to enhance the effectiveness of public law practitioners. Comprised of over 1,300 members, including law students, the Section focuses on addressing issues related to administrative law, constitutional law, municipal law, open meeting laws, political and/or election law, education law, state and federal legislation, public employment, government contracts, tort liability and regulations, land use/environment issues, and public lawyer ethics.
The Section provides topical educational programs, seminars and resource materials; works to enhance the recognition of, and participation by, public law practitioners in the State Bar; presents its annual “Public Lawyer of the Year” award to public law practitioners who have made significant and continuous contributions to the profession; and publishes the quarterly Public Law Journal.
The author of the winning student paper will receive a $500 cash prize from the Public Law Section and have his or her paper published in the Fall 2007 edition of the Public Law Journal. The winning author will also be recognized at the Public Law Section’s annual Public Lawyer of the Year award ceremony which takes place during the State Bar Meeting in
Deadline/Method of Submission
Papers must be received by midnight (PST) on August 17, 2007 to be eligible for consideration in this writing contest. Please submit papers by email in either Word or WordPerfect format to Leslie DuFresne of Best Best & Krieger LLP at Leslie.DuFresne@bbklaw.com.
A preliminary review of the submitted papers will be done by selected members of the Section’s Executive Committee. The final three papers will then be distributed to the entire Executive Committee for consideration and a final vote.
Papers will be judged based on the following criteria, though not necessarily in this order:
• complexity of topic
• relevancy to one or more areas of public law
• timeliness of topic to current developments in public law
• originality
• quality of writing
It is expected that a member of the Section’s Executive Committee will notify the winner by September 15, 2007.
Please direct any questions regarding this contest to Leslie.DuFresne@bbklaw.com.