JLETI Writing Competitions

A JLETI × Vanderbilt AI Law Lab Collaboration

JLETI Vanderbilt AI Law Lab

Writing Competition

JLETI and the Vanderbilt AI Law Lab invite timely and practical work on law, emerging technology, legal education, legal information, law librarianship, access to justice, and the future of legal practice. The competition welcomes submissions from students, scholars, practitioners, law librarians, and other professionals working at the intersection of law and technology. 

Submit an Entry Register How to Submit

First-time users must register for a JLETI account before submitting. When prompted to select a section, choose Writing Competition Submission.

Prizes

First Place

$1,000

Publication consideration in JLETI and recognition on the Journal website.

Second Place

$500

Publication consideration in JLETI and recognition on the Journal website.

Honorable Mentions

Recognition

Selected submissions may receive publication consideration and recognition on the Journal website.

All submissions, including submissions that do not receive a prize, may be considered for publication in JLETI. Selected submissions may be considered for publication before the writing competition winners are announced. Prize selection and editorial selection are independent decisions: winning a prize does not automatically guarantee publication, and publication does not automatically guarantee prize selection. Prize recipients may be required to provide tax documentation before payment and are responsible for any tax consequences of receiving a prize.

About the Competition

The JLETI Writing Competition supports timely practical scholarship in fast-moving areas where legal developments, emerging technologies, professional obligations, and educational needs often outpace traditional publication timelines. Submissions should address an issue at the intersection of law, emerging technology, legal information, legal education, law librarianship, access to justice, professional responsibility, or the future of legal practice.

What We Are Looking For

Strong submissions go beyond identifying a new development, they explain why it matters, how it affects law, legal institutions, legal education, legal information, access to justice, or legal practice, and what readers should consider next. Scholarly, practical, interdisciplinary, practice-informed, or experimental formats are all welcome, provided they are clear, well supported, and within the Journal’s scope. Topics may include but are not limited to artificial intelligence, pedagogy, ethics, competence, court technology, information governance, privacy, cybersecurity, intellectual property, access to justice, and law library innovation.

Who May Submit

Open to law students, graduate students, lawyers, professors, law librarians, legal educators, technologists, researchers, policymakers, access-to-justice and legal operations professionals, court professionals, and others whose work fits within JLETI’s scope and mission. Submissions may be written by one author or co-authored. Interdisciplinary and practice-informed submissions are encouraged.

Submission Requirements

Submissions should be original work, prepared in Microsoft Word, that fits within JLETI’s scope. There is no strict word count, most pieces fall between 2,000 and 8,000 words, and shorter or longer work is welcome when it suits the subject. Submissions should also:

  • Be clear, well organized, and supported by accurate, verifiable sources with quality citations.
  • Follow The Bluebook for legal citations (other formats may be approved for interdisciplinary work).
  • Disclose any material use of generative AI or similar tools.
  • Avoid fabricated authorities, fake citations, unverifiable sources, or plagiarism.

Selected submissions may undergo editorial review, source verification, and author revisions before publication.

How to Submit

Submissions are made through the JLETI website using the Journal’s online submission system.

  1. Register or log in to your JLETI account.
  2. Start a submission and, when prompted, choose the section Writing Competition Submission.
  3. Upload your manuscript (Microsoft Word) with the title, author name, affiliation, contact information, and a short abstract.
  4. Add any required AI-use disclosure, review your submission, and submit to receive confirmation.

Submit an Entry

Sponsor a JLETI Prize or Opportunity

JLETI welcomes sponsorship inquiries from individuals, organizations, law firms, legal technology companies, academic programs, and other partners interested in supporting scholarship, student writing, professional development, and public conversation at the intersection of law, emerging technology, and information.

Sponsorship opportunities may include writing competition prizes, student or early-career scholar awards, symposia, author events, special issues, and other JLETI initiatives.

All prize selection, editorial review, and publication decisions remain independent and are made by JLETI. Sponsorship does not guarantee publication, prize selection, editorial influence, or endorsement by the Journal.

To discuss sponsorship opportunities, please contact Lauren E. Diaz.