STUDENT WRITING COMPETITION
The Committee on Animals and the Law was established to provide information resources for the New York State Bar Association’s members and the public about non-human, animal-related humane issues, which arise from and have an effect upon our legal system. This competition seeks to foster legal scholarship among law students in the area of animals and the law. This competition provides law students with an incentive and opportunity to learn more about this area of law.
Law students (which include J.D., L.L.M., Ph.D., and S.J.D. candidates), are invited to submit to the Committee on Animals and the Law, an article concerning any area of Animal Law. All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of attorneys and other professionals practicing or otherwise involved in animal law. The winners will be chosen in accordance with the competition rules.
The first-place winner will receive $1,000 and a Certificate of Achievement. The second- place winner will receive $500 and a Certificate of Achievement. The third and fourth place winners will receive a Certificate of Recognition.
The Committee also reserves the right to offer the winners (and other entrants), at the Committee’s discretion, the opportunity to publish his/her paper in the Committee’s Laws & Paws publication. Offers to publish are purely within the discretion of the Committee. The Committee in no way guarantees entrant’s the opportunity for publication.
Questions? Send an email to the NYSBA Staff Liaison, Matthew Pennello at mpennello@nysba.org.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2026 WINNERS
SUBMISSION RULES
Topic: Any topic on Animal Law.
Eligibility: To be eligible for consideration, the submission must be written by a student currently enrolled (full time or part time) in an ABA accredited law school.
The submission must be the student’s individual work product. Papers that have been jointly written by more than one student, or that have been subjected to line editing by professors or advisors, or that have been generated in any part through the student’s use of artificial intelligence (“AI”), shall not be considered. No paper that has been previously published in any form shall be considered. We will only accept one submission per entrant. By submitting a paper for consideration, the student is attesting to their compliance with these requirements.
Award Criteria: Written submissions will be judged based on quality, clarity originality, and organization. All essays must also meet the following criteria:
Length: Typed, double spaced, no less than 12 point Times New Roman font, on 81⁄2 inch by 11 inch paper, with 1 inch margins, and no more than 25 pages, including footnotes. Footnotes should be single spaced, and no less than 10 point font.
Cover Page: Entrants must submit a cover page indicating the entrant’s name, law school, expected year of graduation, mailing address, email address, and telephone number. All other references to identifying information, such as name, law school, and contact information should be deleted or redacted from the body of the submission.
Prizes Awarded:
First place: $1,000 and a Certificate of Achievement
Second place: $500 and a Certificate of Achievement
Third place: Certificate of Recognition
Fourth Place: Certificate of Recognition
The Committee also reserves the right to offer the winners (and other entrants), at the Committee’s discretion, the opportunity to publish his/her paper in the Committee’s Laws & Paws publication. Offers to publish are purely within the discretion of the Committee. The Committee in no way guarantees entrant’s the opportunity for publication.
Questions? Send an email to the NYSBA Staff Liaison, Matthew Pennello at mpennello@nysba.org.
Past Winners
Click here to see the list of award winners.