Bankruptcy Law

$1,500 prize

Promoting interest in the field of bankruptcy law and encouraging law students to consider careers in this practice area. The competition is open to all 2nd year and 3rd year law students who attend a law school in Virginia. Students should submit a paper on a current issue of bankruptcy law, jurisdiction, or litigation, either in the consumer or business arena.

The Corporate Counsel Award

$3,000 prize

Open to a graduating law student who intends to work as an inhouse corporate counsel and to sit for the Virginia Bar Exam. A winner will be judged solely on the basis of a 300 word or less essay that answers the following question: “Presuming you have landed your ideal in-house corporate legal job, how do you now improve the practice of law in Virginia?”

Environmental Law Fellowship

$2,000 prize

The section will award a fellowship to an outstanding first or second-year law student who has committed to working full-time for a minimum of 10 weeks at a public interest environmental practice during the upcoming summer, or divide the fellowship between two students working full-time for a minimum of 5 weeks each.

Family Law

$1,000 prize

The VSB Family Law Section and the Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers will accept submissions from second and third year law students attending Virginia and Washington, D.C., law schools. Entry topics can be on any aspect of Virginia family law and must be no longer than 2,500 words.

Health Law

$2,000 & $1,000 prizes

The competition is open to all students enrolled and in good standing during the academic year at any Virginia law school, or a law school outside Virginia as a resident of Virginia (with proof of residency). Articles must relate to a health law issue or the practice of health law. There is no minimum length, but articles should not exceed 25 pages, including end-notes.

Local Government Law Fellowship

$4,000 prize

The section will award a fellowship to an outstanding first or second-year law student who has committed to working full-time for a minimum of 10 weeks at a Virginia local government attorney’s office during the upcoming summer, or divide the fellowship between two students working full-time for a minimum of 5 weeks each.

Intellectual Property Law

$5,000 & $2,500* prizes

Promoting academic debate and the dissemination of ideas and scholarly writing in the field of intellectual property. The competition is open to all students enrolled and in good standing during the academic year at any Virginia law school, or a law school outside Virginia as a resident of Virginia (with proof of residency). Articles must relate to an intellectual property law issue or practice.

* The section may award a second prize to an article of sufficient quality