We will begin accepting papers for spring 2024 prize consideration in March 2024 (date to be announced). Most prizes have a submission deadline of April 19, 2024 at 5:00pm ET without possibility of extension. 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 for each prize category
Reviewed by: Professor Noah Feldman (Jewish Law and Society category) and Professor Jack Goldsmith (Christianity and the Law category)
Victor Brudney Prize: Corporate Governance
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professors Lucian Bebchuk, Reinier Kraakman, and Mark Roe
Center on the 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: Professor 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
Reviewed by: Professor William Alford
Special instructions: Please submit one electronic copy of the paper to the East Asian Legal Studies office via email to Emma Johnson.
Laylin Prize: Public International Law
Amount: $4,000
Reviewed by: Professors Naz Modirzadeh and Gabriella Blum
Special Instructions: Faculty nomination Required – Papers must be nominated by an HLS faculty member/appointed instructor supervisor. Nominations must be submitted to writingprizes@law.harvard.edu.
LGBTQ+ Writing Prize: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Queer Legal Issues
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professors I. Glenn Cohen
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: Faculty nomination Required – To be considered, papers must be accompanied by a nomination from the HLS faculty member/appointed instructor supervisor. Nominations must be emailed directly to Professor Mark Roe (mroe@law.harvard.edu) AND to writingprizes@law.harvard.edu.
Irving Oberman Memorial Prize: Constitutional Law and Equal Justice
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professors Benjamin Eidelson, Jeannie Suk Gersen, and Larry Schwartztol
Irving Oberman Memorial Prize: Environmental Law
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Richard Lazarus
Irving Oberman Memorial Prize: Family Law
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Janet Halley
Irving Oberman Memorial Prize: Law and Technology
Amount: $1,000
Reviewed by: Professor Christopher Bavitz
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 William Fisher
John M. Olin Prizes: Law and Economics
Reviewed by: Professor Steven 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 Friday, April 19, 2024. 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: Professor Henry Smith
Sidney I. Roberts Prize in the Field of Taxation
Amount: $5,000
Reviewed by: Professor Thomas Brennan
Klemens von Klemperer Prize: Resistance
Amount: $3,000
Special Deadline: March 29, 2024 at 5pm ET
Reviewed by: Interim Dean John Goldberg and Professor Benjamin Sachs
Please note: the student prize winner will be expected to attend a spring luncheon on April 16, 2024, 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 Adriaan Lanni and Elizabeth Papp Kamali