Grammy Competition Winners Announced

It's exciting to watch the Grammy Competitions. The winners were announced today at this url:
http://content.grammy.com/PressReleases/563_616_2009ELI.pdf

Winner Paper Title
David A. McGill — University of Richmond School of Law "New Year, New Catch-22: Why The RIAA's Proposed Partnership With ISPs Will Not Significantly Decrease The Prevalence Of P2P Music File Sharing"

Runners-Up
Nakimuli Davis — University of Mississippi School of Law "Reselling Digital Music: Is There a Digital First Sale Doctrine?"

Tim Kappel — Loyola University New Orleans "Ex Ante Crowdfunding and The Recording Industry: A Model For The U.S.?"

Joseph Merante — New York Law School "A Role In The Remedy: Finding a Place For ISPs In The Digital Music World"

Kimberly L. Sweet — University at Buffalo School of Law "One Problem Solved, Another Created? The European Commission's Struggles With Fostering Competition In The Market For Pan-European Licenses Of Musical Works"

Image: after the ice storm; sturdy trees still standing

$3,000; $1,500; $1,000 -- Civil Criminal use of Remote Electronic Devices - June 1, 2009 deadline

$3,000; $1,500; $1,000 -- Civil Criminal use of Remote Electronic Devices -- June 1, 2009 deadline

The American Judges Association sponsors this competition, provides a thesis "The Admissibility of Evidence in Civil and Criminal Proceedings Obtained from Remote Electronic Devices: e.g., red light cameras, speed cameras and black boxes" and provides generous cash prizes.

Check out its site at http://aja.ncsc.dni.us/htdocs/essaycontest.htm or print out the image associated with this blog for detailed contest information.

Civil Litigation Research, $5,000 - $20,000; priority application deadline February 28, 2009

Civil Litigation Research, $5,000 - $20,000; priority application deadline February 28, 2009

Funding for Civil Litigation Research

The ABA Section of Litigation invites applications to The Litigation Research Fund which makes individual awards of between $5,000 and
$20,000 to support original and practical scholarly work that significantly advances the understanding of civil litigation in the United States. The Fund was established in 2007 to support research and writing projects relevant to litigation policy and practice, with preference given to works with an empirical foundation. The first two rounds of funding resulted in thirteen grants totaling approximately
$140,000. Priority will be given to applications received by February 28, 2009. For additional information, see http://www.abanet.org/litigation/researchfund/

Winning Essays

This blog entry will be revised from time to time as winners are announced for the various competitions and as the editor reviews prior announcement information.

Please email this blog editor at ksampson@uark.edu if you have primary information and an internet link to a competition that has ended for 2008-09.

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Projected announcement dates, and sponsoring institutions:

January 30, 2009, Grammy Foundation Entertainment Law Initiative

February 27-March 1, 2009, American College of Legal Medicine

April 2009, American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers

December 1, 2009, Tannewald Foundation Excellence in Tax Scholarship

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Image: Norma Lea Beasley Entrance Hall, University of Arkansas School of Law, January 18, 2009.

$1,500 Employee Benefits; Deadline May 31, 2009

The content of this notice appears at the web site of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel and the 2009 notice appears at this (pdf) url: 2009 Writing Competition Rules

$1,500 Employee Benefits; Deadline May 31, 2009

SUBJECT: Any topic in the field of employee benefits law.
OPEN TO: All J.D. and graduate (L.L.M. or S.J.D) law students
SUBMIT BY: May 31, 2009
PRIZES: Clarin M. Schwartz Memorial Award $1,500
Sidney M. Perlstadt Memorial Award $1,500
Each winner will also receive an employee benefits treatise published by BNA Books. If deemed suitable by the editors, one or more of the winning papers will be published by the BNA Pension Benefits Reporter or in the BNA Tax Management Compensation Planning Journal. The winning will also be distributed to the Fellows of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, experienced attorneys that have made significant contributions to the advancement of the benefits field in a wide range of practice settings including law and consulting firms, universities, unions, advocacy organizations and government agencies throughout the United States.

Eligibility/topics. Employee benefits papers written by full or part-time law school students (seekinga J.D. or a graduate law degree such as an L.L.M. or S.J.D.) enrolled at anytime between August 15,2008 and August 15, 2009 are eligible. Topics might include any legal issues related to employee benefits.For example, eligible submissions could address legal issues involving health benefits, pensions, 401(k) plans, severance, executive compensation, claims, appeals, current or former spouses' or domesticpartners' benefits, collectively-bargained benefits, benefits in bankruptcy, ERISA benefits litigation, fiduciary obligations or the tax treatment of benefits or contributions.

a. Papers submitted should not exceed 40 pages (double-spaced, in 12 point type, with an inch margin on each side), not including footnotes. Footnotes should be single spaced starting on a separate page at the end of the document.

b. The text of the paper should not include information identifying the author or law school in the paper.

c. Submissions may include papers prepared for class assignments, law journals or other purposes, as well as those written especially for the Competition.

d. Student papers submitted for publication in law reviews or other law school journals or periodicals but not yet published are eligible for the Competition, provided that (i) the version submitted for the Competition does not reflect any changes made to the paper after submission of the manuscript to any publication and (ii) the College receives any consents necessary to publish.

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Image: wall at Pesto Cafe; Fayetteville, Arkansas