Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog

The ACTEC Foundation Announces Mary Moers Wenig 2022 Student Writing Competition Winners

The ACTEC Foundation has released the winners of the Mary Moers Wenig 2022 Student Writing Competition:

The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Foundation today announced the 2022 winners of the Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition. Three law students’ submissions stood out among 16 entries received and reviewed by a panel of judges appointed by ACTEC's Legal Education committee. ACTEC Fellow T. Randolph Harris, who chaired the judging process, said, “Because of the high quality of the papers this year, the judges had a difficult task selecting the winners. The late Professor Wenig, after whom the competition is named, would be proud.”

The 2022 Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition Winners are:

FIRST PLACE WINNER:

Morgan Wahler
“The Problem of Charitable Trust Enforcement: Addressing the Insufficiencies of the Attorney General System and Proposing New Law Reform” 
University of San Diego School of Law

“I am overwhelmed with gratitude to be selected as the winner of the 2022 Mary Moers Wenig writing competition. Thank you to the editors and staff of the ACTEC Law Journal for their consideration in selecting my article. I am also grateful to my professor at the University of San Diego, Adam Hirsch, for encouraging me to enter the competition. I hope my article will spark a conversation about enforcement schemes at the drafting stage of charitable trusts to prevent instances of abuse of trust,” said Wahler.

SECOND PLACE WINNER:

Vincent Ferry
“A Pandemic of Planning: Form Wills and Online Estate Planning in the Era of Coronavirus” 
Maurice A. Dean School of Law at Hofstra University

“I am thankful to be awarded second place in the 2022 Mary Moers Wenig writing competition. I am grateful to the ACTEC Law Journal editors and staff for selecting my article. I hope it can contribute to the conversation about online form Wills and their effect on the field of estate law after Covid,” Ferry said.

THIRD PLACE WINNER:

Jasmine Sadeghani
“Heir(ing) on the Side of Caution: Are Intestacy Laws Too Strict for Posthumous Children Seeking to Inherit Social Security Benefits?” 
Pepperdine Caruso School of Law

"It is an honor to be awarded third place of the 2022 Mary Moers Wenig Writing Competition. I appreciate the panel of judges that took the time to read my work, and I hope that my article will provide an important contribution in the conversation about posthumous children and their inheritance rights," said Sadeghani.

About the ACTEC Foundation: The ACTEC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel or ACTEC. The ACTEC Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) that offers education to families and professionals and supports students interested in the trust and estate area of the law. Through continued financial support, The ACTEC Foundation offers professional development, scholarships and education for a number of important efforts, including legal education, educational support, public initiatives, legal publications and the student editorial board.

About the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel: Established in 1949, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, ACTEC, is a national organization of approximately 2,500 lawyers, peer-elected to membership by demonstrating the highest level of integrity, commitment to the profession, competence and experience as a trust and estate counselor. Our members, “Fellows,” are the best and brightest in trust and estate practice, with decades of experience representing and advising families. ACTEC offers technical comments about the law and its effective administration but does not take positions on matters of policy or political objectives.

The ACTEC Foundation Announces Mary Moers Wenig 2021 Student Writing Competition Winners

The following is from an ACTEC press release:

Washington, DC, October 21, 2021: The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Foundation today announced the 2021 winners of the Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition. Five law students' submissions stood out among 21 entries received and reviewed by a panel of judges appointed by the Legal Education Committee of the College. ACTEC Fellow T. Randolph Harris, who chaired the judging process, said, "This year’s entries were outstanding! It was exciting to read such thought-provoking papers." The ACTEC Foundation supports the annual legal writing competition to encourage law students to create scholarly works in the area of trusts and estates. The first-place winner receives a full-tuition scholarship to the Heckerling Graduate Program in Estate Planning at the University of Miami School of Law for the 2022-2023 or 2023-2024 academic year, a $5,000 cash award and will have their work published in the ACTEC Law Journal. Candidates must apply and be admitted as full-time students to qualify for the scholarship. The second-place winner receives a $3,000 cash award, online publication — featuring their work on ACTEC's website —and possible publication in the ACTEC Law Journal. The competition's third-place recipient is awarded $1,000, online publication on ACTEC's website and possible publication of their work in the ACTEC Law Journal. Honorable mentions usually receive a $500 cash award.  First place winner, Zachary Carsten of Pepperdine Caruso Law School, said, "I am so honored to be the winner of the 2021 Mary Moers Wenig writing competition, and I am grateful to the editors and staff of the ACTEC Law Journal for selecting my article. I hope it can provide a meaningful contribution in the conversation about physician-assisted suicide as this critical policy debate continues to unfold in the United States." The 2021 Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition Winners are: First Place: Zachary Carsten of Pepperdine Caruso Law School "Physician-Assisted Death and the Slippery Slope: Carving out an American Ledge" Second Place: Madison L. Orcutt of University of San Diego School of Law "Blood Does Not Necessarily Make a Family (or Any Fraction Thereof): Intestate Succession, Half-Blood Siblings, and Assisted Reproductive Technology" Third Place: Daniel Fein of New York University School of Law "A Defense of Perpetual Trusts" Honorable Mention: Christopher John Benos of University of Virginia School of Law "Trust Protectors as Fiduciaries: Three Approaches and Beyond the UDTA" Honorable Mentions: Peter Mezey of New York University School of Law "On Estate of Elkins and a New Path to Valuation of Collectibles?" About the ACTEC Foundation: The ACTEC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel or ACTEC. The ACTEC Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) that offers education to families and professionals and supports students interested in the trust and estate area of the law. Through continued financial support, The ACTEC Foundation offers professional development, scholarships and education for a number of important efforts, including legal education, educational support, public initiatives, legal publications and the student editorial board. About the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel: Established in 1949, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, ACTEC, is a national organization of approximately 2,500 lawyers, peer-elected to membership by demonstrating the highest level of integrity, commitment to the profession, competence and experience as a trust and estate counselor. Our members, "Fellows," are the best and brightest in trust and estate practice, with decades of experience representing and advising families. ACTEC offers technical comments about the law and its effective administration but does not take positions on matters of policy or political objectives.

The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Releases Video on Increasing Diversity in the Legal Profession

Below is from an April 8, 2021 press release from the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel:

The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) today released its video on the importance of improving recruitment and retention of diverse attorneys in the trust and estates field and the law in general, How to Increase Diversity in the Legal Profession. The video is the College’s fifth in its monthly informational series – Planning for a Diverse and Equitable Future, a project of ACTEC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Committee, funded by The ACTEC Foundation.  Recognizing the lack of diversity in the legal profession, ACTEC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Committee addresses the issue in this video by highlighting the history of wealth disparity in the United States and the increasing need for attorneys of diverse backgrounds. Though the number of female lawyers has increased to 37 percent over the last ten years, similar gains have not been realized among people of color in the legal profession. Only 5 percent of attorneys are Black, even though they make up 13 percent of the population. Another 5 percent of attorneys are Latinx, though they represent 18.5 percent of the population. Vanesa Browne of Bessemer Trust, ACTEC Fellow Stephanie Perry of Pasternak & Fidis, and Kalimah White of TD Wealth Management, offer concrete steps for creating a pipeline program and improving recruitment and retention. They describe the difference between serving as a mentor and serving as a sponsor and the importance of both roles in the career of a diverse attorney.  ACTEC Fellow Sarah Moore Johnson serves as the moderator for this forthright discussion. “I am committed to serving as a mentor and sponsor for diverse attorneys in the trust and estates field,” said Terrence M. Franklin, Immediate Past Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Committee. “I was the first Black Fellow elected to ACTEC. I can attest to the importance of taking active steps to recruit and retain diverse attorneys into ACTEC, into the trust and estates field, and into the legal profession overall.” For further information about the Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity series, please visit actec.org/diversity. How to Increase Diversity in the Legal Profession can also be shared via YouTube.  About The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC): Established in 1949, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) is a national, nonprofit association of approximately 2,500 lawyers and law professors from throughout the United States and abroad. ACTEC members (Fellows) are peer-elected on the basis of professional reputation and expertise in the preparation of wills and trusts, estate planning, probate, trust administration and related practice areas. The College’s mission includes the improvement and reform of probate, trust and tax laws and procedures and professional practice standards. ACTEC frequently offers technical comments with regard to legislation and regulations but does not take positions on matters of policy or political objectives. About The ACTEC Foundation:  The ACTEC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel or ACTEC. The Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) that offers education to families and professionals and supports students interested in the trust and estate area of the law. Through continued financial support, The ACTEC Foundation offers professional development, scholarships and education for a number of important efforts, including legal education, educational support, public initiatives, legal publications and the student editorial board.

The ACTEC Foundation Announces Mary Moers Wenig 2020 Student Writing Competition Winners

The below material is from an ACTEC Foundation press release:

Washington, DC, Sept. 24, 2020 --The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Foundation today announced the 2020 winners of the Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition. Five students were selected among 14 entries received and reviewed by a panel of judges appointed by the Legal Education Committee of the College. The ACTEC Foundation supports the annual legal writing competition to encourage law students to create scholarly works in the area of trusts and estates. The first place winner receives a full tuition scholarship to the Heckerling Graduate Program in Estate Planning at the University of Miami School of Law for either the 2020-2021 or 2021-2022 academic year, a $5,000 cash award and will have their work published in the ACTEC Law Journal. Candidates must apply and be admitted as full-time students to be considered for the scholarship. The second place winner receives a $3,000 cash award, online publication — featuring their work on ACTEC Foundation’s website —and possible publication in the ACTEC Law Journal. The Competition’s third place recipient is awarded $1,000, online publication on ACTEC Foundation’s website and possible publication of their work in the ACTEC Law Journal. Honorable mentions usually receive a $500 cash award. The ACTEC Foundation has awarded more than $142,000 to the competition over 15 years. First place winner Jack Spencer, who received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2020, graduating cum laude, said, “It is a great honor to win the 2020 Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition. I enjoyed researching and writing about partnership interest situs determination and hope to continue exploring this topic while working as an Associate in Dechert LLP's Private Client Group in Philadelphia, PA. I am grateful to the excellent faculty and research librarians at Georgetown University Law Center who helped navigate this area of the law and to The ACTEC Foundation for their generosity and continuous support for law students interested in the field of trusts and estates.” The 2020 Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition Winners are: First Place: James (Jack) Spencer — Georgetown University Law Center “An Alternate Approach to Situs Determination for Partnership Interests” Second Place: Linda Nelte— University of San Diego School of Law  “Advancement and Ademption by Satisfaction: An Empirical Study of Parental Intent” Honorable Mention: Michelle Huggins King — Georgetown University Law Center “When Opportunity Funds an Estate: Issues Presented in Estate Planning by an Interest in a Qualified Opportunity Fund Passing Due to an Investor’s Death Prior to December 31, 2026 or an Inclusion Event and a Comparison of Planning Vehicles to Alleviate Tax Burdens to Beneficiaries” Honorable Mention: Drake Frikken and Nabeal Sunna — Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University “Unjust Enrichment - Another Unfortunate Effect of Suicide in the United States?” The Mary Moers Wenig Writing Competition is now accepting submissions for 2021. The contest deadline is June 30, 2021. For details, visit https://actecfoundation.org/resources-for-law-students/law-student-writing-competition/. About the ACTEC Foundation:  The ACTEC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel or ACTEC. The Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) that offers education to families and professionals and supports students interested in the trust and estate area of the law. Through continued financial support, The ACTEC Foundation offers professional development, scholarships and education for a number of important efforts, including legal education, educational support, public initiatives, legal publications and the student editorial board. About the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC): Established in 1949, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) is a national, nonprofit association of approximately 2,500 lawyers and law professors from throughout the United States and abroad. ACTEC members (Fellows) are peer-elected on the basis of professional reputation and expertise in the preparation of wills and trusts, estate planning, probate, trust administration and related practice areas. The College’s mission includes the improvement and reform of probate, trust and tax laws and procedures and professional practice standards. ACTEC frequently offers technical comments with regard to legislation and regulations but does not take positions on matters of policy or political objectives.

Law Student Writing Competition

The ABA's Section of Real Property, Trust & Estate Law (RPTE) is seeking entries for its Student Writing Contest, which is now entering its 18th year. It offers substantial prizes to its entrants:

The goal of the RPTE student writing contest is to encourage and reward law student writing on the subjects of real property or trust and estate law. It is designed to attract students to these law specialties and to encourage scholarship and interest in these areas. Articles submitted for judging are encouraged to be of timely topics and have not been previously published. This contest is open to all law and LL.M students currently attending an ABA-accredited law school. Entries must be received by the Section not later than May 31, 2020.

1st place:

• $2,500 award
• A full-tuition scholarship to the University of Miami School of Law's Heckerling Graduate Program in Estate Planning OR Robert Traurig-Greenberg Traurig Graduate Program in Real Property Development for the 2019–2020 or 2020-2021 academic year.
• Free round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations to the RPTE Fall Leadership Meeting, November 14–16, 2020 in San Juan, PR. This is an excellent meeting to network with RPTE leadership!
• One-year free RPTE membership
• Consideration for publication in The Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal, the Section's law review journal, which is mailed to 25,000 RPTE members
• Name and essay title will be published in the eReport, the Section's electronic newsletter

2nd place:

• $1,500 award
• One-year free RPTE membership
• Consideration for publication in The Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal, the Section's law review journal, which is mailed to 25,000 RPTE members
• Name and essay title will be published in the eReport, the Section's electronic newsletter

3rd place:

• $1,000 award
• One-year free RPTE membership
• Consideration for publication in The Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal, the
• Section's law review journal, which is mailed to 25,000 RPTE members
• Name and essay title will be published in the eReport, the Section's electronic newsletter

Students must apply and be admitted to the graduate program of their choice to be considered for the scholarship. Applicants to the Heckerling Graduate Program in Estate Planning must hold a J.D. degree from an ABA accredited law school and must have completed the equivalent of both a J.D. trusts and estates and federal income tax course. Applicants to the Robert Traurig-Greenberg Traurig Graduate Program in Real Property Development must hold a degree from an ABA accredited law school or a foreign equivalent non-US school.

Visit the University of Miami School of Law webpage for further information on the graduate programs.

Real Property, Trust & Estate Law (RPTE) is seeking entries for its Student Writing Contest

The ABA's Section of Real Property, Trust & Estate Law (RPTE) is seeking entries for its Student Writing Contest, which is now entering its 16th year. It offers substantial prizes to its entrants:

The goal of the RPTE student writing contest is to encourage and reward law student writing on the subjects of real property or trust and estate law. The essay contest is designed to attract students to these law specialties, and to encourage scholarship and interest in these areas. Articles submitted for judging are encouraged to be of timely topics and have not been previously published. This contest is open to all law and LL.M students currently attending an ABA-accredited law school. See the official contest rules and entry form for details.

1st place:

• $2,500 award
• A full-tuition scholarship to the University of Miami School of Law's Heckerling Graduate Program in Estate Planning OR Robert Traurig-Greenberg Traurig Graduate Program in Real Property Development for the 2018–2019 or 2019-2020 academic year.*
• Free round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations to the RPTE Fall Leadership Meeting in Chicago, IL, September 27-29, 2018. This is an excellent meeting to network with RPTE leadership!
• One year free RPTE membership
• Consideration for publication in The Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal, the Section's law review journal, which is mailed to 20,000 RPTE members
• Name and essay title will be published in the eReport, the Section's electronic newsletter

2nd place: 

• $1,500 award
• One year free RPTE membership
• Consideration for publication in The Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal, the Section's law review journal, which is mailed to 20,000 RPTE members
• Name and essay title will be published in the eReport, the Section's electronic newsletter

3rd place: 

• $1,000 award
• One year free RPTE membership
• Consideration for publication in The Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal, the Section's law review journal, which is mailed to 20,000 RPTE members
• Name and essay title will be published in the eReport, the Section's electronic newsletter

Entries must be received by the Section no later than May 31, 2018. See the official contest rules and entry form  for details.

*Students must apply and be admitted to the graduate program of their choice to be considered for the scholarship. Applicants to the Heckerling Graduate Program in Estate Planning must hold a J.D. degree from an ABA accredited law school and must have completed the equivalent of both a J.D. trusts and estates and federal income tax course.  Applicants to the Robert Traurig-Greenberg Traurig Graduate Program in Real Property Development must hold a degree from an ABA accredited law school or a foreign equivalent non-US school. 

Visit the University of Miami School of Law webpage for further information on the graduate programs.

For more information, please contact Monica Larys at [email protected].

2018 Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition

ACTEC Foundation has recently announced the start of its 2018 Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition.  Information about the competition is below:

 Description of Competition:

The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) announces the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Mary Moers Wenig 2018 Student Writing Competition. This competition was created by ACTEC’s Legal Education Committee, which consists of law school professors who teach in the area of trusts and estates and practitioners who teach as adjuncts in the trusts and estates field. The competition honors the late Mary Moers Wenig, a member of ACTEC’s Legal Education Committee, who was a law school professor for over 30 years.

Consistent with ACTEC’s purposes, the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition was created to encourage and reward scholarly works in the area of trusts and estates. ACTEC’s purposes are to maintain an association of lawyers, international in scope, skilled and experienced in the preparation of wills and trusts; estate planning; probate procedure and administration of trusts and estates of decedents, minors and incompetents; to improve and reform probate, trust and tax laws, procedures, and professional responsibility, to bring together qualified lawyers whose character and ability will contribute to the achievement of the purposes of the College; and to cooperate with bar associations and other organizations with similar purposes. The funding for the competition will be provided by the ACTEC Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity that supports educational projects relating to trust and estate law.

Eligibility: 

This competition is open to any law student in good standing (full-time or part-time) who is currently or recently enrolled at the time of submission or during the 90-day period prior to submission as a J.D. or LL.M. candidate in an ABA-accredited law school within the United States or its possessions.

Only papers that have not been previously published or accepted for publication are eligible. Papers prepared for law school credit are eligible provided they are the entrant’s original work. Unless a work is co-authored, each entry shall be the original work of a single individual. A co-authored paper by no more than two individuals is acceptable provided the paper submitted is the original work of the co-authors. Entrants are limited to one submission per year.

Area and Topics:

The paper must relate to the area of trusts and estates, broadly defined. Any one or more of the following topics are appropriate for discussion:

Business Planning
Charitable Planning
Elder Law
Employee Benefits
Fiduciary Accounting
Fiduciary Administration
Fiduciary Income Taxation
Fiduciary Litigation
Estate Planning and Drafting
Professional Responsibility
Substantive Laws for the Gratuitous Transmission of Property
Wealth Transfer Taxation (Estate, Gift and GST Tax)

RPTE Writing Competition Winners Announced

The Real Property, Trust and Estate (RPTE) Law section of the American Bar Association (ABA) announced the first through third place winners of its 2017 writing competition for students. Harry Dao, from the University of Alabama School of Law, took first prize and won $2,500, a free one-year membership to RPTE, and a free trip to the Fall Leadership Meeting in Monterey, CA. Caitlinn Raimo, from Seton Hall University School of Law, earned second place and $1,500. Shawn Walker, from University of Oregon School of Law, took third place and $1,000.

See Letter to Section Officers and Publications Committee, Real Property, Trust and Estate Law.

2017 Bruce M. Stargatt Legal Ethics Writing Competition

The Delaware Bar Foundation is holding its 2017  Bruce M. Stargatt Legal Ethics Writing Competition.  Information about the competition is below:

 

The Delaware Bar Foundation is pleased to announce the…

2017 BRUCE M. STARGATT LEGAL ETHICS WRITING COMPETITION

The Competition: This writing competition is made possible by an initial generous gift to the Delaware Bar Foundation from Mrs. Barbara Stargatt and her family in memory of her late husband, Bruce M. Stargatt. Bruce was a distinguished Delaware lawyer who, among many other accomplishments, was a founding partner of Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor, LLP, and a past president of the Delaware Bar Foundation and the Delaware State Bar Association.

Writing Topic: In keeping with Bruce Stargatt’s keen interest in legal writing and the ethical practice of law, we invite scholarly papers concerning ethical issues in the practice of law. Beyond this general description, the precise issue to be dealt with is in the author’s discretion.

Eligibility: The competition is open to: (i) students enrolled in, and 2017 graduates of any American Bar Association accredited law school, (ii) individuals who have registered for or have taken the 2017 Delaware Bar Examination, (iii) law clerks currently employed by a member of the Delaware judiciary, and (iv) Delaware attorneys admitted for no more than five years.

Prizes and Publication: Cash prizes of $3000, $1000 and $500 will be awarded to the top three papers. The first place paper will be published in “Delaware Lawyer” magazine (a publication of the Delaware Bar Foundation, distributed quarterly without charge to all members of the Delaware Bar). The author of the first place paper will be invited to receive his or her prize at the Delaware State Bar Association/Delaware Bar Foundation seminar in Wilmington in the fall of 2017. Prizes will not be awarded if the judges determine that a sufficient number of entries do not meet the appropriate standards.

Deadline and Submission: (1) Papers must be submitted by midnight (EDT) on September 15, 2017.(1) Papers must be submitted by midnight (EDT) on September 15, 2017.(2) Papers must be submitted electronically to [email protected].(3) Direct questions to Bruce M. Stargatt Legal Ethics Writing Competition, Delaware Bar Foundation, 100 W. 10th St., Suite 106, Wilmington, DE 19801, or 302-658-0773, [email protected].(4) Prize winners will be informed on or before November 1, 2017.

Rules: (1) No paper that has been previously published in any form will be considered. However, papers written for course credit will be considered as long as they have not been published.(1) No paper that has been previously published in any form will be considered. However, papers written for course credit will be considered as long as they have not been published.(2) Each paper must be the original work of the submitting author. The author must execute and submit with her/his paper the License Agreement attached hereto.(3) The length of the paper should not exceed 2500 words, including the title page, body, footnotes, figures and tables, if any. The Delaware Bar Foundation reserves the right to edit papers for publication due to space constraints when necessary.(4) Citations should be in standard Bluebook form.(5) A cover page that includes the author’s name, contact information and eligibility to enter the competition should be included with the paper at the time of submission.

Writing Competition for Judge John R. Brown Award

The Judge John R. Brown Scholarship Foundation is holding its annual Judge John R. Brown Award Writing Competition.  The goal of the contest is to encourage and reward law students writing about a legal topic of their choosing. Information about the competition is below:

Judge John R. Brown Award

The Judge John R. Brown Scholarship Foundation
1177 West Loop South, Tenth Floor
Houston, Texas 77027

2017 Rules for the Brown Award of $10,000 for Excellence in Legal Writing

The Judge John R. Brown Scholarship Foundation is pleased to announce the twenty-fourth annual Brown Award. The Award is in recognition of Excellence in Legal Writing in American Law Schools. Any law student currently enrolled in an accredited law school in the United States seeking a J.D. or LL.B degree is eligible to submit a paper for the Award. The awards for 2017 will be as follows:

$10,000 First Place,
$5,000 Second Place,
$3,000 Third Place,
$1,000 Finalist,
$1,000 Finalist, and

$5,000 to the Scholarship Fund selected
by the Dean of the law school in which
the First Place candidate is enrolled.

In order to be considered, two copies of a current legal writing must be submitted to the Foundation c/o Kenneth G. Engerrand, Brown Sims, P.C., Tenth Floor, 1177 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027-9007. The article must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from a law school faculty member or legal professional other than the author of the paper. Only one paper may be submitted on behalf of any student and only one paper may be sponsored by any faculty member or legal professional. The submission must be postmarked no later than August 18, 2017. The submission must contain a separate sheet containing the title of the paper; the name, physical address, telephone number, and email address of the student; and the name, title, physical address, and email address of the student’s sponsor. There is no page limitation or restriction on the topic except that the writing must be on a legal subject. The Foundation will appoint a final judging panel consisting of a law school dean, a federal judge, and a law school professor. The Foundation will not return any material submitted to the Foundation. The 2017 recipient of the Brown Award will be notified by January 31, 2018, and listed with the other finalists at the website www.brownsims.com/about-brownsims/affiliations/-judge-john-r-brown-award.  

Results for the 2016 Brown Award for Excellence in Legal Writing:

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2016 Brown Award for Excellence in Legal Writing

First Place: $10,000 to Nicholas D’Angelo for his paper, EMERGING FROM DAIMLER’S SHADOW: REGISTRATION STATUTES AS A MEANS TO GENERAL JURISDICTION OVER FOREIGN CORPORATIONS, Sponsored by Jane E. Scott, Associate Professor of Legal Writing, St John’s University School of Law, Queens, New York.

Second Place: $5,000 to Lindsey Lusk for her paper, MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SHIELD? THE DANGERS OF THE FERPA DEFENSE AND NEED TO AMEND THE STUDENT-PRIVACY LAW, Sponsored by, Shannon M. Moritz, Director of Legal Writing, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Law, Champaign, Illinois.

Third Place: $3,000 to Yang Wang for the paper, INCORPORATING THE THIRD BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT INTO U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY REVIEW OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT, Sponsored by Ewell E. Murphy, Jr., Adjunct Professor, The University of Houston Law Center, Houston, Texas.

Finalist: $1,000 to Crystal Etue for her paper, JOHNSON V. UNITED STATES: A BREACH OF THE SOCIAL CONTRACT, Sponsored by Wendy Shea, Associate Professor of Law, Southern University Law Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Finalist: $1,000 Jean Phillip Shami for his paper, A PROMISE REALIZED? A CRITICAL REVIEW OF ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATIONS SINCE THE ENACTMENT OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, Sponsor, Patricia D. White, Dean and Professor of Law, University of Miami Law School, Coral Gables, Florida.