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Enter the 50th Annual Lincoln Award Legal Writing Contest!

Dear YLD Member:

You’re out in the trenches....you know the hot topics in your field – the new statutes, the important new cases, the legal developments that you and your colleagues grapple with in the real world of lawyering.

We invite you to share your hard-won knowledge, and maybe win $2,000 in prize money by entering the 49th Annual Lincoln Award Legal Writing Contest.

We’re looking for useful, practical articles on topics important to practicing lawyers. The highest scores will go to manuscripts that Illinois lawyers can use in their practices, written in a no-nonsense, plain-English style.

If you’re an ISBA lawyer member under age 36 as of July 1, 2008 or admitted to the bar fewer than five years as of that date, you’re eligible to compete for a share of the $3,500 in Lincoln Award prize money and a handsome plaque for your office (If you're not a member, join now. And even if you don’t win, yours may be among the many Lincoln Award entries to appear in the Illinois Bar Journal.

The deadline for filing a notice to enter the contest is July 15, 2008; use our on line form, or fax the information to Jean Fenski at 217-525-0712.  Manuscripts must arrive at the Illinois Bar Center in Springfield no later than 4:30 p.m. on October 1, 2008 (facsimile and e-mail delivery not allowed). 

The contest is sponsored by and for members of the Young Lawyers Division (read the contest rules below).  A distinguished panel of judges will evaluate the entries. If you have questions, contact Jean Fenski at jfenski@isba.org or (217) 525-1760 or 800-252-8908 . Good luck!

Sincerely,

Mark S. Mathewson
Director of Publications

50th Annual Lincoln Award Contest Rules

1. This competition is open to all lawyer members of the Illinois State Bar Association under the age of 36 years on July 1, 2008 or admitted to the bar less than five years. ISBA Law Student Members who are admitted to the bar on or before December 31, 2008 also are eligible to enter the contest.

2. Notice of intent to enter the competition shall be filed with the Illinois State Bar Association by no later than July 15, 2008. The names of entrants will be held in confidence until judging of articles has been completed.

3. Subject to the requirements of Rule 1, co-authorship of a manuscript is permitted in the contest; all participants in the drafting of the manuscript must be designated as co-authors. Authors may also use research assistants (law students, law clerks, etc.) and shall acknowledge in an appropriate footnote the name(s) of such assistant(s).

4. Each author may participate in the writing of only one entry per contest.

5. Authors are allowed to write on legal topics of their choosing.

6. A brief outline of the article must be submitted on or before August 15, 2008.

7. The manuscript - in both hard copy (paper) and electronic (CD or floppy disc in Word or WordPerfect) form - must be filed with the Illinois State Bar Association. Manuscripts must be delivered to the Illinois Bar Center in Springfield no later than 4:30 p.m. on October 1, 2008 (depositing petitions in the U.S. mail, transmission to a courier service, and the like does not constitute delivery; manuscripts must physically reach the Illinois Bar Center by 4:30 p.m. on October 1 to qualify). Facsimile, telefaxed, and e-mail submissions are not permitted. Late manuscripts will not be considered.

8. Manuscripts, including endnotes, shall be no longer than 3,600 words or approximately 12 pages, double-spaced. Endnotes shall be typed on a separate sheet or sheets at the end of the manuscript. Entrants should use The University of Chicago Law Review Style Sheet (Maroonbook) for citation style.  The Maroonbook is available at no charge at the University of Chicago Law Review's Web site. A one- or two-sentence biography for each author should accompany the manuscript. 

Entrants’ names shall not appear on the manuscript, but shall appear on a separate title page to be removed when a number is assigned the entry. The title page should also contain a one- or two-sentence resume or story line of the article.

9. Manuscripts will be judged on (1) significance of subject, practicality and timeliness, (2) quality of research and legal analysis, and (3) clarity and style.

10. Each manuscript submitted shall be accompanied by a letter from the author (or authors) in which he or she certifies (or they certify) that the article submitted has not had prior publication, that it is original work prepared for this contest, and that the author transfers ownership to the Illinois State Bar Association.

11. Winners will be announced in February 2009.

12. At least one of the winning articles will be considered for publication in the February 2009 issue of the Illinois Bar Journal. Other papers, whether winning or not, will be considered for publication in subsequent issues.

13. The $3,500 in prize money will be allocated as follows: $2,000 for first, $1,000 for second, and $500 for third place. Lincoln Award plaques also will be given to all winners.

14. Lincoln Award winners shall be eligible to enter succeeding competitions.

File a notice to enter the contest