Summer 2026 Contest

Who We Are

Founded in 2006, the Harvard Undergraduate Law Review is a student-run organization at Harvard College dedicated to providing undergraduates with an opportunity to learn about the field of law and the career options it provides. It aims to support students interested in pursuing law after college and to raise awareness about legal studies in the broader Boston community. As the only pre-law publication on the Harvard College campus, it has a wide audience that is eager to participate in world-class discussion of legal issues and to learn from the resources that the publication offers. Our primary goal in creating this competition is to promote youth engagement in the law.

The HULR’s annual contest is among the most prestigious writing competitions for high school students, receiving hundreds of applications from students across four continents.

Our contest seeks to provide recognition for high school students who demonstrate intelligent engagement with the law and its implications for society. We especially seek to recognize writing that is shaped by a variety of perspectives. Therefore, we consider diversity in topics, sources, and authors to be a critical component of excellence.

Rules and Guidelines

Structure of the Competition

We are asking high school students to write a short essay responding to our annual theme. The essay should focus on a law, case, aspect of the legal system, or intersection between law and another discipline. We are looking for well-crafted, argumentative pieces that draw on various points of evidence to comment on the way law intersects with our theme. Good examples of the type of work we are looking for can be found under our Issues page, and examples of previous winning articles can be found here.

Essay Theme

The theme for the HULR’s Summer 2026 Essay Contest is “Privacy in the Digital Age.” The right to privacy is a hotly debated topic in the courts, influencing landmark decisions like Roe v. Wade. As technology companies collect increasing amounts of personal data, how should the law balance innovation, national security, and the right to individual privacy? Analyze one (or more) legal case studies on privacy, and explain if/where boundaries should be drawn. Does the Constitution adequately protect individual privacy in the digital age or are new legal protections needed? Please be sure your legal argument is clear and sophisticated, incorporating specific examples to support your claims.

Contest Details

Deadline:

  • Friday September 4th, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET.

Expectations

Essay

  • Word Count: 750-1000 words

  • Font: Times New Roman, size 12, double-spaced

  • Must include a reference list and in-text citations (MLA, APA, or Chicago style)

  • Submit as a Word document or PDF, and title the file “Last Name_First Name 2025 Contest”

  • Work must be entirely the applicant’s own and must be original.

  • Applicants may only submit one article.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be enrolled in a full-time school and be in grades 9-12.

Entry Fee

  • An entry fee of $10 must accompany each submission. The HULR is dedicated to ensuring our opportunities are accessible to all students. As such, we issue fee waivers upon request. Please contact hulawreview@gmail.com if you require a waiver.

  • The entry fee may be submitted through Zelle or PayPal. The recipient should be hulawreview@gmail.com. Please send a screenshot of your payment invoice/receipt to hulawreview@gmail.com as a confirmation of your payment.

  • If any entry is submitted to HULR without the appropriate fee or fee waiver, it will be disqualified.

Prize

  • Winners will be announced in October.

  • All winning pieces will be published on our website and featured on our Instagram and Linkedin. In addition, the winner will receive an autographed book prize.

Judging Criteria

The HULR masthead will examine the following criteria in judging submissions:

  1. Issue identification: The chosen issue is based on material provided in the prompt and is stated in a concise thesis statement.The problem is clearly identified and the connection between the issue and the prompt is thoroughly explored.

  2. Argument: The author takes a unique and original view on the prompt. The argument does not repeat facts but attempts to advance a well-reasoned, evidence-based perspective. 

  3. Structure: The thesis and topic sentences are clear and tie together logically. The structure helps advance the author’s argument. The essay can easily be understood by a non-expert and provides appropriate background knowledge.  

  4. Style: Diction is appropriate and is not overly militant or emotionally-charged. The author follows proper grammatical conventions and presents a polished essay. 

  5. Citations: Cite any sources and facts you use in a consistent format. Use one of three styles (APA, MLA, Chicago). Make sure to also attach a reference list. Please use reputable academic sources. 

Submission

Please fill out the below form to submit your article for the essay contest. Should you run into any issues, do not hesitate to reach out to us. We’re looking forward to reading your article!