ATLA Law Student Writing and Drafting Competition

ATLA Law Student Writing and Drafting Competition
Name	ATLA Law Student Writing and Drafting Competition
Established	20th century
Organizer	American Association for Justice
Discipline	Law school writing and litigation skills
Country	United States

ATLA Law Student Writing and Drafting Competition is a national legal competition for law school students emphasizing persuasive advocacy through drafting briefs and motions. The contest is administered by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America affiliate structures within the American Association for Justice and attracts entrants from Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, Stanford Law School, and other prominent law school programs across the United States. Entrants refine skills relevant to trial advocacy, appellate litigation, civil procedure, tort law, and evidence law while gaining recognition from bar associations such as the American Bar Association, State Bar of California, and professional groups including the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Overview

The competition combines elements of brief writing and motion practice with simulated fact patterns derived from matters like personal injury claims, products liability, medical malpractice, antitrust litigation, and employment discrimination disputes. Participants receive fact patterns that echo issues litigated before tribunals such as the United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, New York Court of Appeals, California Supreme Court, and federal district courts including the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Sponsors and judges often include practitioners from firms like Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Sullivan & Cromwell, Latham & Watkins, public interest groups like the ACLU, and academic contributors from faculties of Georgetown University Law Center and University of Chicago Law School.

Eligibility and Entry Requirements

Eligibility typically mirrors standards used by competitions run by the American Bar Association and may require enrollment at an ABA-accredited law school such as University of Pennsylvania Law School, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, Duke University School of Law, or University of Virginia School of Law. Entrants often must submit proof of student status, registration forms, and confidential disclosures compatible with rules from entities like the Federal Judicial Center and local state bar regulations. Some regional rounds are coordinated with organizations like the Federal Bar Association or state affiliates including the New York State Bar Association and the State Bar of Texas.

Competition Format and Rules

Rounds typically commence with a written brief or motion submission addressing procedural and substantive questions rooted in doctrines such as res judicata, statute of limitations, strict liability, and negligence. Competitors may draft documents analogous to filings in venues like the United States District Court for the Northern District of California or state superior courts including the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Time limits, word counts, and citation formats commonly follow standards from the Bluebook and procedural guidance found in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and state analogues. Prohibited materials and ethics rules reflect principles articulated by the Model Rules of Professional Conduct and sometimes rely on oversight from bodies such as the National Moot Court Competition administration.

Judging Criteria and Awards

Judges evaluate submissions on criteria paralleling appellate and trial standards used by entities like the Supreme Court of the United States clerkship screening panels: clarity of issue statement, soundness of legal reasoning, mastery of precedent including cases from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, persuasive use of authorities such as Brown v. Board of Education, and organizational coherence comparable to filings before the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Awards often include cash prizes, book awards from publishers like Aspen Publishers and Oxford University Press, internships or clerkships with firms including Jones Day and Wilson Sonsini, and invitations to conferences hosted by the American Association for Justice or the ABA Litigation Section.

History and Notable Winners

The contest evolved alongside other American law competitions such as the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, National Moot Court Competition, and the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition. Past winners have matriculated into roles at institutions including the United States Department of Justice, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, law firms like Kirkland & Ellis, and the judiciary including clerking for judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Alumni have published in journals such as the Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal, and Columbia Law Review and participated in major litigation before tribunals like the Eleventh Circuit and state supreme courts.

Impact and Educational Value

Participation builds competencies valued by employers including appellate advocacy skills prized by firms like Hogan Lovells and policy organizations such as the Brennan Center for Justice. The contest complements curricula at institutions such as the University of Michigan Law School and Boston University School of Law by offering experiential learning aligned with scholastic activities run by centers like the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection and clinics at Georgetown Law. Alumni networks and recognition foster career trajectories into public interest organizations including Human Rights Watch, corporate litigation teams at General Electric, and academia at universities like Stanford University, Princeton University, and University of California, Berkeley.

Category:Legal competitions