Write On Competition

  • The 2008 Write-On Competition Information
    • Non-Transfer Students
    Competition Begins Saturday, July 5, 2008, 8:00 am
    Competition Closes Tuesday, July 22, 2008, 6:00 pm, in the Office of Student Services
  • No late papers accepted
  • Out of town papers must be postmarked by this date
    		•
    Winners Notified Wednesday, July 30, 2008
    Case To be announced.
    Transfer Students
    Competition Begins Friday, August 3, 2007, 8:00 a.m.
    Competition Closes Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 6:00 p.m., in the Office of Student Services
  • No late papers accepted
  • Out of town papers must be postmarked by this date
    • Winners Notified Friday, August 31, 2007
    Case Morse v. Frederick, 127 S. Ct. 2618 (2007)
    All Students
    The requirements to participate in the write-on competition vary by journal. They are as follows:
    Houston Law Review
  • Completed first year of program
  • Two full years remaining in law school
  • Top 30% of class year or section
    • Houston Journal of International Law
  • Completed first year of program
  • Two full years remaining in law school
  • Top 50% of section
    • Houston Journal of Health Law and Policy
  • Completed first year of program
  • Two full years remaining in law school
    		•
    Houston Business and Tax Law Journal
  • Completed first year of program
  • Two full years remaining in law school
    • Houston Environmental & Energy Law & Policy Journal
  • Completed first year of program
  • Two full years remaining in law school
    		•
    Paper Format
    The submission this year will be a casenote. The content must meet the following criteria:
  • 20 - 30 pages, including footnotes
  • Time New Roman, 12 point, double-spaced in both the body and the footnotes
  • 50/50 text to footnote ratio
  • Blue Book Citation
    		•
    Identification of Papers
    Do NOT put your name ANYWHERE on your paper. Type the last 6 digits of your social security number on the top right hand corner of your paper. Fill out the Write-On Competition Identification Form and turn it in with your paper.
    Choice of Competition Indication
    You may compete for any number of journals using the same casenote. Turn in 1 copy of your casenote for EACH journal whose competition you are entering. Tell us in order of preference which journals you want by printing & filling out the Write-On Ranking Form with your paper(s), even if you are only competing for one journal. This form will serve to rank your journal preference.
    Further information
    Helpful Information for writing your Casenote:
  • The University of Houston Law Center's Honor Code is in effect for this competition and every Law Center competition. Make sure you are familiar with its rules as they will be strictly enforced. Among those rules are the following: 1) You may not discuss the legal theories, cite form, grammar, word choice, or any other aspect of your paper with ANY OTHER PERSON 2) You may not have any other person proofread your paper.
  • Remember to get your Westlaw or Lexis access extended through the summer. The representatives are happy to do this, just contact them. It is not a violation of the honor code to ask for help with your research from sources such as:
       Lexis contact number: 1-800-543-6862
       Westlaw contact number: 1-800-850-WEST (1-800-850-9378)
       UHLC Reference Librarians
    It IS a violation of the honor code to have anyone read what you have written before you turn in your note.
  • Example casenotes from previous years’ write-on competitions: Write-on Sample 1, Write-on Sample 2, and Write-on Sample 3.
  • Slides from Professor Tobi Tabor's Write-on Competition Workshop, June 9, 2007
  • Volokh's Academic Legal Writing: Law Review Articles, Student Notes, Seminar Papers, and Getting on Law Review, 3rd Edition by Eugene Volokh.
    • Still have questions?
    All questions must be directed to the Notes and Comments Editors of the journals. Advice given by any other person will not ensure that your concerns will be properly addressed. We will try to be as accommodating as possible, so long as our decisions ensure the fairness of the competition to all participants. For your convenience contact information is provided below.
    Houston Law Review Nikki Kessling - Chief Notes & Comments Editor
    nkesslin@central.uh.edu
    713-743-2254 or 713-743-2247
    Mark Smith - Senior Notes & Comments Editor
    mesmith7@central.uh.edu
    713-743-2254 or 713-743-2247
    Houston Journal of International Law Heather Niemeyer - Head Casenotes & Comments Editor
    \ hmniemey@central.uh.edu
    713-743-2216 or 713-743-2212
    Houston Journal of Health Law and Policy Andrea Wilson - Chief Notes & Comments Editor
    adwilso4@central.uh.edu
    713-743-0768
    Houston Business & Tax Law Journal Paul Wingo - Chief Notes & Comments Editor
    Houston Business & Tax Law Journal
    piwingo@central.uh.edu
    Houston Environmental & Energy Law & Policy Journal Nic Krohn – Editor in Chief
    Houston Environmental & Energy Law & Policy Journal
    nmkrohn@central.uh.edu