The academic year has only just begun and we have 2 essay competitions already to spark your interest. First up, the Richard Drabble KC Essay Prize competition for Human Rights Law which has a deadline of midnight this coming Sunday, 18th October.

Richard Drabble KC Essay Prize: Human Rights

Take a look at the website for full details of the competition, but key points as follows:

Entries of 2000-2500 words are invited on the following question:

To what extent does the development and use of artificial intelligence challenge the effective protection of the rights enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, and is the existing legal framework adequate to address those challenges?

Discuss by reference to one article of the Convention or its Protocols.

The winner of the competition will receive £1000 and a range of other prizes (mini-pupillage with the Landmark public law team, invitation to the Landmark Chambers’ Human Rights Law Conference, opportunity to work with the editors of Judicial Review towards submission of the winning entry for publication in the journal and a copy of the first edition of ‘The Law and Practice of Human Rights). Runners-up will receive £250 each.

Who can enter?

Aspiring barristers who have completed their qualifying law degree (e.g. LLB) or are in their final year of that or equivalent qualification such as the GDL. ,Not open to those who have accepted a pupillage offer at the time of the submission deadline.

Next up is 12 King’s Bench Walk with their Tort Law Essay Competition.

12 King’s Bench Walk Competition: Tort

You have 1000 words to play with for this one, and here is the question posed:

“[T]he [tort] system is about as fair as a lottery. In fact, it is not too much to say that it is a lottery, a lottery by law.” – P.S. Atiyah, The Damages Lottery (1997)

Do you agree? Should the system be changed?

Deadline for entries is 5pm on Thursday 12th November. The three winning entrants will be awarded prizes of £2,000 (1st prize), £1,250 (2nd prize), and £750 (3rd prize), with their essays published on the 12KBW website. Winners will also be offered the chance to undertake a mini-pupillage at 12KBW.

The order of the top three essays will be judged by The Honourable Mr Justice Cotter, a High Court Judge specialising in tort law.

Winners will be announced in early 2027.

Find full details of the competition (including rules) and read the winning essays of previous years via the competition website.