CLEL-ABA Labor and Employment Law Student Writing Competition

Open to students at accredited U.S. law schools who have not graduated before December 1 of the prior year. LLM candidates are ineligible. Papers must address current labor and employment law topics with national relevance and balanced legal analysis.

First place receives $3,000; second place $1,000; third place $500. The first-place winner is invited to the College's Annual Induction Dinner. Manuscripts must be 20 to 30 pages, original single-author work not written for paid employment.

Submissions are emailed to swan@laborandemploymentcollege.org by midnight EDT on June 15 each year. The 2026 competition deadline was June 15, 2026.

The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and the ABA Labor and Employment Law Section jointly sponsor this annual competition to promote outstanding student scholarship in the field.