Honorable William C Conner Writing Competition
Direct application
$3,000
2 winners
Eligibility
Major
Law Legal Studies
Education level
Graduate
About this scholarship
J.D. or LL.M. students enrolled day or evening at an accredited U.S. law school may submit an original intellectual property law paper to the NYIPLA Honorable William C. Conner Writing Competition. Topics may address patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition, or related antitrust and data privacy issues.
The first-place winner receives $3,000 and the runner-up receives $2,000. Papers must be 20 pages or fewer.
Email a PDF entry to admin@nyipla.org by March 6. Entries are judged on topic suitability, organization, legal analysis, writing quality, and professionalism.
Essay question
What else to submit
- Original PDF paper on an eligible intellectual-property subject.
- Cover page with paper title, entrant name, and school.
- Signed copy of the competition rules.
- Open to students currently enrolled in a J.D. or LL.M. program (day or evening) at an accredited U.S. law school with an expected graduation date after March 6, 2026.
- Paper must be directed to an intellectual property subject area: patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair trade practices, and antitrust/data security/privacy issues to the extent they r
- TWENTY (20) PAGE MAXIMUM for all entries, including footnotes, but excluding the cover page and table of contents. Over-length entries are disqualified. (Length is governed by a page limit, not a word
- Format: PDF, double-spaced text (headings, footnote text, and block quotes may be single-spaced), 8.5x11 portrait paper, at least 1-inch margins on all sides, 12-point or larger font, citations in foo
- Cover page with paper title, entrant name, and school; entrant name/school must NOT appear elsewhere; paper title must appear in the header of every page except the cover.
- Entries must reflect the author's own insights and reasoning; AI-generated or third-party-created content is prohibited.
- Must submit a signed copy of the competition rules confirming the entrant read and adhered to them.
- Submit electronically by March 6, 2026 to admin@nyipla.org. Winner $3,000; Runner-up $2,000.
- Entrants whose conforming submissions exceed 15 pages receive a complimentary one-year NYIPLA student membership.
- Paper must be 20 pages or fewer, including footnotes but excluding cover page and table of contents.
- Paper must address patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition/trade practices, or related antitrust, data-security, or privacy issues.
- Use required PDF formatting and anonymous-paper conventions.
- Entries must be the author's own work; AI-generated or third-party-created content is prohibited.
- Email entry to admin@nyipla.org.