Warren E. Burger Writing Competition

The Warren E. Burger Prize is a writing competition designed to encourage outstanding scholarship that “promotes the ideals of excellence, civility, ethics and professionalism within the legal profession,” the core mission of the American Inns of Court. The American Inns of Court invites judges, lawyers, professors, students, scholars, and other authors to participate in the competition by submitting an original, unpublished essay of 10,000 to 25,000 words on a topic of their choice addressing issues of legal excellence, civility, ethics and professionalism.

 The author of the winning essay will receive a cash prize of $5,000 and the essay will be published in the South Carolina Law Review. The Warren E. Burger Prize is presented annually as part of the American Inns of Court Celebration of Excellence at the Supreme Court of the United States in October.

 Submissions are due by June 1 to the American Inns of Court national office.  The winning essay will be selected by September 1.

 More information can be found at http://www.innsofcourt.org/Content/Default.aspx?Id=309.

Subject: Akron Bar Foundation Now Accepting Scholarship Applications

The Akron Bar Foundation is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications for scholarships for the 2011-2012 academic year. The Akron Bar Foundation provides scholarships to law students based on grade point average, affiliation with Summit County, history of community involvement, and financial need. Applications must be postmarked no later than Thursday, April 7, 2011. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered for an award. Qualified applicants will be contacted to arrange for an interview, which will take place at the end of April.

Guidelines and the application are available on the Akron Bar Association’s website at: http://tinyurl.com/Scholarshipguidelines.

Questions? Please contact Jackie M. Forcina, Akron Bar Association, jackief@akronbar.org.

The Hogan/Smoger Access to Justice Essay Contest is a $5,000 cash award given to the author of the winning essay.  The 2011 topic is:  The Gulf Oil Spill: Who Are The Victims and How Do They Get Compensated?  Any student currently enrolled in an accredited American law school may submit a legal essay for the competition.  Essays can only be written during the academic year covered by the competition and may not be prepared as part of paid legal work outside of law school.

 INTENT-TO-ENTER SUBMISSION DEADLINE:  JANUARY 31, 2011

 ESSAY CONTEST DEADLINE:  MARCH 31, 2011

 After 40 remarkable years, the Roscoe Hogan Environmental Law Essay Contest has changed to the Hogan/Smoger Access to Justice Essay Contest.  If you are not familiar with the previous contest, it was established in 1970 by the prominent environmental lawyer, the late Roscoe B. Hogan of Birmingham, Alabama, and served to provide law students the opportunity to investigate and offer solutions to the multitude of injustices inflicted on the environment.  With additional support from noted attorney and former Public Justice Foundation President Gerson Smoger, the contest was renamed and has a broader scale: it now focuses on whether and how the courts can be used to obtain justice in all areas, including for injuries to the environment.

 The competition will be judged by a panel of nationally known trial lawyers and law professors.  Information about the rules and criteria are posted on the Public Justice website www.publicjustice.net/What-We-Do/Awards/Law-School-Essay-Contest.aspx.

 The Public Justice Foundation is a non-profit membership organization of over 3,000 attorneys, law students and others supporting the national public interest law firm Public Justice, P.C.  For more information about this organization, visit their web site www.publicjustice.net.