ABA Competitions

Entertainment and Sports Industries
12th Annual Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Competition
Entry deadline: January 4, 2010
Awards: First Place Winner $5000; Four Semifinalists $1,500 each
Entrants must submit a 3,000-word paper on a compelling legal topic facing the music industry. For competition rules, visit the Entertainment Law Initiative page on Facebook. From the Facebook homepage, search for “The Entertainment Law Initiative”. Non-Facebook users should send an e-mail to eli@grammy.com for more information and instructions.

Business Law
2009 Mendes Hershman Student Writing Contest
Entry deadline: January 8, 2010
Awards: First place will receive $2,500; second place, $1,000; and third place, $500
This writing contest encourages and rewards law student writings on a business law subject of general or current interest. For more information, contact Leslie Banas (312-988-5630). Tell me more

Dispute Resolution
Mediation Video Contest on YouTube®
Entry deadline: January 15, 2010
Awards: First Place Winner $1,000; Second Place Winner $500
Seeks creative, thoughtful, original three-minute videos that demonstrate the process and benefits of mediation. The goal of the competition is to further public understanding of mediation and to promote the use of mediation as a way to resolve disputes. Tell me more

 

International Law
Rona R. Mears Student Writing Competition & Scholarship Awards
Entry deadline: January 15, 2010
Awards: First and Second Place Winners $1,000 and travel stipend to attend the Section's Spring Conference in New York City, April 13-17, 2010 for presentation of award.
Designed to encourage law student interest and participation in the practice of international law. Entrants should submit a paper outlining the scope and application of universal jurisdiction. Tell me more

Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability and Long & Levit LLP
Levit Essay Contest
Entry deadline: February 19, 2010
Award: $5,000 cash prize and an expenses-paid trip to the Spring 2010 National Legal Malpractice Conference in Washington, D.C., April 14-16, 2010
The legal writing contest, only open to law students and young lawyers who are members of the American Bar Association, encourages innovative and original research and writing on issues in lawyers’ professional liability.  Tell me more 

Tort Trial and Insurance Practice (TIPS)
Law Student Writing Contest
Submission deadline: March 1, 2010
Award: First prize includes $1,500 cash, airfare and hotel accommodations to the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco, CA
Submit an essay addressing a current legal topic under the purview of one of the Section’s substantive law committees, and become eligible to win a number of great prizes! Tell me more

 

Environment, Energy, and Resources Law
5th Annual “Endangered Environmental Laws” Student Writing Competition
Entry deadline: 5:00 PM ET - April 12, 2010.
Award: $2,000 cash prize and possible publication in the Environmental Law Reporter
ABA Law Student Division members are eligible to submit any relevant article, case comment, note, or essay addressing a topic related to recent developments or trends in U.S. environmental law that have a significant constitutional or “federalism” component. For more information, contact Louise Yeung or click here.

Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law
K. William Kolbe Law Student Writing Competition
Entry deadline: June 1, 2010
Award: $2,500 cash, a free membership in the Section for one year after graduation, airfare and hotel accommodations to attend the Section’s Fall Council Group Meeting.
Submissions should address current, general interest, legal topic which relates to a specific industry covered by the section. For questions, contact Raiford Smith, ABA Law Student Division Liaison to the Section of Public Utility. Tell me more

ABA Fellowships, Internships and Clerkships

Litigation
Judicial Intern Opportunity Program
Application Deadline: December 31, 2009
Available in: Illinois; Texas; Miami, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA; and Washington DC.
Full-time, six-week minimum, summer internship program open to all first- or second-year minority and/or financially disadvantaged law students who want to do legal research and writing for state or federal judges. Interns receive an award of $1,500. Tell me more

Business Law
Business Law Diversity Clerkship Program
Application deadline: January 29, 2010
Designed to encourage law students to pursue business court clerkship opportunities and to consider careers in the practice of business law. Up to nine interns will receive a $6,000 summer stipend and placement in a business court clerkship. Tell me more

Antitrust
Janet D. Steiger Fellowship Project
Application deadline: February 5, 2010
Provides law students the opportunity to work in the consumer protection and antitrust departments of state and territorial Offices of Attorneys General throughout the United States. These paid Fellowships last for an eight-week period. Tell me more

Homelessness and Poverty
John J. Curtin, Jr. Justice Fund Legal Internship Program
Application deadline: March 26, 2010
Several law students who spend the summer months working for a bar association or legal services program designed to prevent homelessness or assist homeless or indigent clients or their advocates will receive a $2,500 stipend. The program provides much-needed legal assistance to organizations serving the under-represented and offers students direct experience in a public interest forum. Tell me more

ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
2010 Spring and Summer Internships
Application deadline: Mid-December and Mid-April
Paid, volunteer, and for-credit internships are available during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Duties include using Westlaw to research disability law issues, cite-checking cases and legislation, and assisting with various Commission projects. Tell me more

Antitrust Law
Summer Antitrust Law Fellowship Award
Application deadline: April 23, 2010
Created to provided unpaid summer employment opportunities within approved government agencies (federal, state, or international) for law students dedicated to the enforcement of antitrust laws, or other institutions whose primary mission is to advance the study of antitrust and competition law. Each Fellow will receive a gross award of $5,000 and may receive reimbursement for certain travel expenses. In addition, each Fellow will be assigned a Section of Antitrust Law Mentor who will monitor the Fellow's progress and meet with each Fellow several times throughout the summer months and be available to offer any assistance.  Tell me more

Environmental Law
Diversity Fellowship in Environmental Law
Application deadline: Varies by state
Designed to encourage disadvantaged or traditionally underrepresented law students to study and pursue careers in environmental law. Work on environmental justice is coordinated with not-for-profit organizations representing traditionally underserved groups, other not-for-profit environmental organizations, and local, state, and federal governmental organizations which provide placements for summer Fellowship recipients. For more information contact Julie Connell at (312) 988-5625. Tell me more

Criminal Justice
Internship Opportunities
Applications accepted year-round
Previous successful candidates spent a summer or semester in the Washington, DC offices of the Section, assisting with criminal justice policy research, Section Committee projects, and various other activities. Tell me more

International Law
International Internship Program
Application deadlines vary by program
Designed to give law students the opportunity to apply for internships all over the world including Latin America, Europe and Asia. For questions, contact Ingrid White, ABA Law Student Division Liaison to the Section of International Law, or Angela Benson, Section Membership Director. Tell me more

ABA Awards and Scholarships

Business Law
CLEO Scholarship
Application deadline: January 29, 2010
Awards four to five $1,000 scholarships to CLEO Fellow Scholars selected from essay competition submission to attend the Business Law Section Spring Meeting. The CLEO Fellow Scholar must be a first or second year law student that participated in a CLEO pre-law summer institute program or a pre-law weekend program, is a member of the ABA Law Student Division and is interested in pursuing a career in business law. Tell me more

Mental and Physical Disability Law
Paul G. Hearne Award for Disability Rights
Entry deadline: April 1, 2010
This annual award is presented to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to furthering the rights, dignity, and access to justice for people with disabilities. Law students are encouraged to nominate a professor or organization from their law school. Tell me more

Environment, Energy, and Resources Law
Law Student Environment, Energy, and Resources Program of the Year Award
Application deadline: April 23, 2010
Recognizes the best student-organized educational program or public service project that focused on issues in the field of environmental, energy, or natural resources law. For more information, contact Julie Connell at (312) 988-5625. Tell me more.

ABA Law School Visits

Labor & Employment Law  
Careers in Labor and Employment Law
Winter and Spring Schedule
Learn about career paths in labor and employment law from seasoned attorneys.  A panel of practitioners comprised of an employer lawyer, a union lawyer, a plaintiff’s lawyer, and a neutral participant will share their real-life experiences.  Students interested in scheduling a panel at their school should contact Tracey Moore.

Taxation
Careers in Tax Law
Panels are presented by the section at various law schools around the country to introduce law students to career opportunities in the tax law area.  Panelists, representing private practice, the government, academia, and one of the big four accounting firms, share why they pursued a tax law career, pitfalls they may have encountered, and offer advice for pursuing a successful career. Q&As conclude each panel followed by a networking reception. Tell me more

ABA Law Student Division - Networking During The Holidays

Business Law and Young Lawyers
Networking During the Holidays
Free Podcast

Before you head home for the holidays or hit the holiday party circuit, learn how to make the most of social events and family gatherings in advancing your career prospects. To listen to the program, click here. Note: Download might take a couple minutes.

Some of the questions covered:
• How can I most effectively follow-up with contacts I meet at holiday events and happy hours?
• What is the best way to subtly ask a family member for a job?
• When should I arrive at holiday functions, and how long should I stay?
• How can I express my interest in a new position while not speaking badly of my current one?
• What is the best way to transition a conversation from social topics to a more targeted job/internship focus?
• What is the best way to find out about networking and holiday events in my home town?
• What is the most appropriate way to contact those people in my network during the holiday season – should I send a gift, a holiday card, an email, etc.?
• How should I best prepare myself to attend networking functions during the holidays?
• How do I politely decline invitations to events?

Attention All Students

Join your fellow SCBA members at the Nassau Coliseum on January 12, 2010, as the Islanders host the defending Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings.  Great seats are available at a discounted rate of $35/ticket, courtesy of the SCBA.  Please contact Rob Harper, co-chair of the Membership Services and Activities Committee by telephone at 516-227-0625 or email at rharper@farrellfritz.com to reserve your seats. 

Elliot A. Spoon Business Law Writing Competition

The Journal of Business and Securities Law is now accepting submissions for the Elliot A. Spoon Business Law Writing Competition.

For more information, please click on the picture.  The deadline is March 5, 2010 (11:59 p.m. EST).

ABA Law Student Division 2010-2011 Leadership Positions Are Now Being Accepted

The ABA Law Student Division has numerous leadership positions available either by election or appointment. 

Join the 2010-2011 Leadership Team!

ABA Law Student Division leadership will provide:

• The opportunity to network with law students and legal professionals from across the country;
• The ability to cultivate and demonstrate your leadership skills to the legal community on a regional and national level;
• The opportunity to work with other law student leaders and law professionals on legal advocacy, ethics, professionalism and general practice issues;
• The ability to foster your hands-on problem solving, diplomacy and project management skills - all of which are valuable assets that will follow you throughout your career and in your daily life; and
• The opportunity to refine your ability to debate issues, create policy, and present legal education issues that affects law students regionally and nationally.

Click here for the eligibility requirements, nomination/application forms, and delivery instructions.  The deadline is February 1, 2010.

2010 Bert W. Levit Essay Contest

The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability and the San Francisco law firm of Long & Levit LLP is sponsoring the The 2010 Bert W. Levit Essay Contest. The 2010 contest is administered and judged by a subcommittee designated by the ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability.

The essay contest topic this year concerns pleading and proof burdens, in a legal malpractice case, on the issue of collectability of damages in the underlying case.

For the essay contest hypothetical and rules, please click here.  The postmark deadline is February 19, 2010.


The contest is open to law students and young lawyers who will have enrolled as members of the American Bar Association no later than February 15, 2010.  To enroll, click here.

National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees Second Annual Law Student Writing Competition

The National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees has established an annual student writing competition to encourage and reward original law student writing on issues concerning consumer bankruptcy and the law. For more information, please click on the picture.

Entries must be received by April 30, 2010.

2010 Commercial and Federal Litigation Section Minority Fellowship

The New York Bar Foundation is accepting applications for the 2010 Commercial and Federal Litigation Section Minority Fellowship. The fellowship is valued at $5,000 and will take place in summer 2010. The fellowship is available to all 1L minority students currently enrolled in a law school in New York State. The fellowship will take place in New York City in the Chambers of Honorable Bernard J. Fried, Justice of the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court, New York County.

For more information, please click here.  Please note: the deadline for submission of all application materials is Friday, January 29, 2010.

NYSBA's Third Annual Animal Law Student Writing Competition

New York State Bar Association's ("NYSBA") Committee on Animals and the Law is hosting the Third Annual Animal Law Student Writing Competition.  The essay must be concerning some animal law issue and be submitted to the NYSBA on or before June 15, 2010.  The winner will receive a $1000 scholarship and second place will receive a $500 scholarship.  For more information, please click on the picture.

Deadline Extended: 2009 Dr. Emanuel Stein Memorial Writing Competition

New York State Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section presents the 2009 Dr. Emanuel Stein Memorial Writing Competition.  For more information, please click here.  The submission deadline has been extended to December 18, 2009.

NYC Bar Association: C. Bainbridge Smith Scholarship 2009

The New York City Bar Association is offering the 2009 C. Bainbridge Smith Scholarship.

If you are interested, please click on the pictures and fill out the form. The form and a copy of your resume should be sent to Marie Koch, Director of Student Services and Scholarship aid, via email at mkoch@tourolaw.edu or hand delivered to Room 302.

To be eligible for the award, students must be: 

• Candidates from your second- and third-year classes are eligible.
• Candidates must (i) have spent at least a significant portion of their lives in New York City and (ii) presently be attending law schools within the city.
• Candidates should be students with character and intelligence and promising aptitude for law who face special economic disadvantages (including lack of funds, or physical or cultural handicaps).

The deadline for all nominations is Monday, January 4, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.

Nassau County Bar Association's Seventy-Seventh Traditional Wassail Celebration

The Nassau County Bar Association invites Touro Law students to capture the holiday season at the Seventy-Seventh Traditional Wassail Celebration on December 10, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at Domus.  Domus is located at the NCBA at 15^th and West Streets, Mineola, NY.

There will be a complimentary buffet and a seasonal music presentation.

There is no charge for this event, however the NCBA requests that each person bring an unwrapped toy to be distributed by We Care to needy children of Nassau County.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Marie Koch, Director of Student Services and Scholarship Aid, via email at mkoch@tourolaw.edu.