We will begin accepting papers for spring 2023 prize consideration at 9:00am ET on March 13, 2023. Most prizes have a submission deadline of May 1, 2023 at 5:00pm ET without possibility of extension; however, please be sure to check the Writing Prizes website for specific prizes with special deadlines and submission instructions. Please direct any questions about Writing Prizes to April Pettit in the Office of Academic Affairs.
Addison Brown Prize: Private International Law or Maritime Law
Amount: $9,000
Reviewed by: Professor Mark Wu
Animal Law & Policy Program Writing Prize
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Kristen Stilt
The Program on Biblical Law and Christian Legal Studies Writing Award
Amount: $1,500
Reviewed by: Professor Jack Goldsmith
Special instructions: The Program on Biblical Law and Christian Legal Studies will award two prizes for the best student papers in the following categories: 1. Biblical Law or 2. Judeo-Christian Legal Thought/The Intersection of Faith & Law. On the writing prize submission form, please designate which category fits your submission best. Eligible papers will be those written under faculty/instructor supervision or recommended by faculty/instructor. Students who submit papers written without faculty supervision must include a cover letter stating their efforts in securing such supervision – including faculty members that were approached. The prize is $1,500 each.
Victor Brudney Prize: Corporate Governance
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professors Lucian Bebchuk, Reinier Kraakman and Mark Roe
Legal Profession Paper Prize
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor David Wilkins
The Roger Fisher and Frank E.A. Sander Prize: Negotiation, Dispute Systems Design, Mediation, Dispute Resolution, or ADR
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professors Robert Mnookin and Guhan Subramanian
Program in Islamic Law Writing Prize
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Intisar Rabb
Writing Prize of the Program on Law and Society in the Muslim World
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Kristen Stilt
Yong K. Kim ’95 Memorial Prize: Law or Legal History of the Nations and Peoples of East Asia, or Issues of Law Pertaining to U.S.–East Asia Relations
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: May 2, 2022
Reviewed by: Professor William Alford
Special instructions: Please submit electronic copy to the East Asian Legal Studies office via email to Mike Zaisser.
Laylin Prize: Public International Law
Amount: $4,000
Reviewed by: Professors Naz Modirzadeh and Gabriella Blum
Special Instructions: Papers must be nominated by a faculty supervisor. Nominations should be submitted to writingprizes@law.harvard.edu.
LGBTQ+ Writing Prize: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Queer Legal Issues
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor I. Glenn Cohen and Jeannie Suk Gersen
Mancini Prize: European Law and European Legal Thought
Amount: $2,000
Reviewed by: Professor Gerald Neuman
Irving Oberman Memorial Prize: Bankruptcy
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Mark Roe
Special Instructions: To be considered, papers must be accompanied by a nomination from the faculty supervisor. Nominations should be emailed directly to Professor Roe (mroe@law.harvard.edu) as well as to writingprizes@law.harvard.edu.
Irving Oberman Memorial Prize: Constitutional Law: Separation of Powers, Federalism, and the Fourteenth Amendment
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professors Richard Fallon, Vicki Jackson, and Mark Tushnet
Irving Oberman Memorial Prize: Environmental Law
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Jody Freeman
Irving Oberman Memorial Prize: Family Law
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Janet Halley
Irving Oberman Memorial Prize: Legal History
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Bruce Mann
Irving Oberman Memorial Prize: Intellectual Property
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Terry Fisher
Irving Oberman Memorial Prize: Equal Justice Under Law
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Larry Schwartztol
John M. Olin Prizes: Law and Economics
Reviewed by: Professor Steve Shavell
Special Instructions: This is a $2,000 prize awarded for an outstanding paper written by an HLS student analyzing a legal topic from an economic perspective. Prior to submitting a paper for consideration, a student must request that the professor under whom the paper was written email a statement of evaluation of the paper directly to Professor Steven Shavell by the deadline below. Upon fulfillment of that requirement, the paper should be submitted by email to Irina Goldina, Program Administrator, by midnight on April 21, 2023. The prize is generally awarded in May. For further information, please contact Irina Goldina.
Project on the Foundations of Private Law: Topics Related to Private Law
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professors Henry Smith and John Goldberg
Sidney I. Roberts Prize in the Field of Taxation
Amount: $5,000
Reviewed by: Professor Tom Brennan
Klemens von Klemperer Prize: Resistance
Amount: $3,000
Special Deadline: March 31, 2023 at 5pm ET
Reviewed by: Dean John F. Manning and Professor Benjamin Sachs
Please note: the student prize winner will be expected to attend a spring dinner, scheduled for the evening of April 24, 2023, in Cambridge, hosted jointly by Dean Manning, members of the von Klemperer family, and invited faculty.
Stephen L. Werner Prize: Criminal Justice
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professors Liz Papp Kamali and Adriaan Lanni