Writing Competition

Student Writing Competition

Description
The Minnesota State Bar Association Health Law Section offers law students an opportunity to engage in a scholarly discussion of current Minnesota legislative issues affecting the health law community.

2016 Prizes:

  • First place $500 cash prize; second place $250 cash prize; third place $100 cash prize. 
  • The winners will be announced at the Health Law Section's Annual Meeting on Friday, May 20.
  • Winners will be published on the Health Law Section website.

Requirements:
Must be currently enrolled at an ABA-Accredited law school in Minnesota.

Participation Recap:

  • MSBA Health Law Section 2016 Legislative Preview CLE 2/19/16 - Video Replay of the CLE
  • Attendance at the live CLE is not required to participate.
  • The CLE will feature a panel discussion of key Minnesota health care legislative issues.
  • Pick a legislative issue identified during the panel discussion, and write a short paper analyzing the legislative issue.
  • Any issue or topic identified during the CLE may be used as the basis for a written entry.  Entries may argue for a specific legislative outcome or analyze opposing viewpoints.
  • Entries may discuss impact of the legislative issue on Minnesota patients, employers/employees, providers, or other stakeholders.

Submission Requirements:
Entries must contain original work done exclusively by a single submitting author.  Entries must be:

  • A maximum of 1,500 words (approximately 5 pages)
  •  Double-spaced, 8 ½ x 11 inch size papers with one-inch margins
  •  Paper typed in 12-pt. font
  • Entries should cite sources accurately (legislative proposals, statutory references, case law, secondary sources, etc.)
  • Include a cover page with your first name, last name, email address, phone number, law school affiliation, and the title of your work.  Except for the cover page, please do not include any identifying information anywhere in your paper (this will help us ensure anonymity when reviewing).
  • The first page of your paper (after the cover page) should also include the title of your work.
  • Sent via email as a PDF document attachment.

Judging:
A committee of the Governing Council of the Health Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association will anonymously judge the papers. All points of view are welcome. The following factors will be considered: thoroughness and depth of analysis and argument, originality, timeliness, writing style, form and quality of citations, and conformity with the rules of the competition.

*Note that the 2016 writing competition format has changed.  The papers posted below conformed to previously existing writing competition requirements.