2024 Sterne Kessler IP Law Writing Competition Law Students Invited to Enter Writing Competition to Win $10,000 Top Prize

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox is pleased to host our second intellectual property law writing competition, and we invite entries from current law students interested in intellectual property law! All students enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school during the Fall 2023 semester and expecting to graduate in Spring 2025, 2026, or 2027 are eligible and encouraged to submit entries. Law students who submitted an entry in our January 2023 writing competition as a 1L are eligible to submit a new entry for the January 2024 competition if they did not receive a top three award.

Deadline: We are accepting submissions from December 18th through January 31st. Your submission must be fully uploaded here by 5:00 p.m. EST on January 31, 2024.

Prizes: We will announce three winners and prizes include $10,000 to 1st place, $5,000 to 2nd place, and $2,500 to 3rd place. All three winners will receive guaranteed interviews for a Summer Associate or other appropriate position. Winners and prizes will be announced by March 15, 2024.

Rules: To be eligible for a prize, each applicant must upload:

1. Resume/CV
2. Fall 2023 semester law school transcript (unofficial copies accepted)
3. Original two-part essay (see below)

Essay: Students should prepare an original two-part essay¹:

• Part I (less than 300 words): Prepare a short personal statement, including at least one motivating factor for you in choosing to pursue a career in intellectual property law.
• Part II (400-800 words): Choose a recent U.S. Federal Circuit decision (within the last two years) and discuss its immediate and/or potential impact on intellectual property law.
• Essays should be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.

Judging: A judging panel of Directors from the firm, comprised of at least one representative from each practice group, will read and evaluate all entries. The panel will assess clarity, grasp of the legal and technical issues, and originality (e.g., case law selection, reasons for pursuing a career in intellectual property, interest in niche practice areas, etc.). Our four practice groups are the Biotechnology & Chemical Group, Electronics Group, Mechanical & Design Group, and the Trial & Appellate Group.

For further information, please contact Cassandra Kowal at ckowal@sternekessler.com or Heather Molina at hmolina@sternekessler.com.