Timeline and key dates
- Week ending 30 June: competition opens
- 17:00 Monday 23 October: competition has now closed
- Early December: prize winners announced
Read the Chair of Law Reform Committee's introductionI am delighted to announce that the Annual Law Reform Essay Competition is now open and will close at 17:00 on Monday 23rd October 2023.
We are very grateful to our sponsors, whose generosity means we can award financial prizes again.
The Committee has had the genuine pleasure and privilege of reading a variety of thought-provoking and well-researched essays over the years. We have, on more than one occasion, referred to essays when discussing law reforms proposed by us and others and were fortunate to welcome a previous essay winner to our committee as well.
We are looking forward to receiving essays on a wide range of topics which propose a reform to the law. Who knows, your idea may come to fruition someday – we have seen it happen!
Good luck,
Eleena Misra KC, Chair of the Law Reform Committee of the Bar Council of England, and Wales
Prizes
The competition prizes are available in the following categories:
- The winner: £4,000, and their essay published on Counsel magazine's website
- Runner-up: £2,500
- Best GDL entry: £1,500
- Runner-up GDL entry: £1,000
- Highly commended award: 2 x £500
We hope that the prize money will be used to contribute to the legal education or legal career of the prize winners.
In addition, all prize winners will be invited to meet members of the Law Reform Committee at a small reception held at a set of chambers.