The 2015 Hogan/Smoger Access to Justice Essay Competition
Topic: The Impact of ‘Corporate Personhood’ on American Life: Should Corporations Be Afforded Bill of Rights and Other Constitutional Protections? Although they are not mentioned in the Constitution, corporations have claimed constitutional protections at least since the 1886 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Commission. Corporations’ claims to constitutional rights have expanded dramatically in the past four decades, most famously as a result of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision. Administered by Public Citizen, the Hogan/Smoger Access to Justice essay competition is soliciting essay submissions on the topic: “The Impact of ‘Corporate Personhood’ on American Life: Should Corporations Be Afforded Bill of Rights and Other Constitutional Protections?”
Prizes:
- $5,000
- Complimentary 2015 Public Citizen membership
Submission Deadline: Essays must be submitted by email no later than 11:59 p.m. on April 30, 2015, to Amanda Fleming.
Eligibility: The competition is open to all current law students. Coauthored submissions are eligible; if selected, the coauthors will share the prize. Each submission must be an original, unpublished academic work. If a submission has been accepted for publication, the student should include written consent from the journal to the posting of the paper on Public Citizen’s website, with appropriate attribution.
Winning submission and prize: The winner will be notified by email, and the winning paper will be posted on Public Citizen’s website. The winner will receive $5,000. Only one winning paper will be chosen and awarded the prizes.
For additional competition details regarding competition rules, judging, etc., please visit the website.