Australian Academy of Law Prizes and Scholarships

Australian Academy of Law Annual Essay Prize

The Australian Academy of Law offers an Annual Essay Prize, which was launched in 2015.

The Prize is open to anyone, wherever resident, who is studying or has studied legal subjects at a tertiary level, or who is working or has worked in a law-based occupation. There is no limit by reference to the age or seniority or experience of, or position held by, a person who may submit an entry. Accordingly, judicial officers, legal practitioners, legal academics and law students are all eligible to submit an essay.

The amount of the Prize is $10,000.

In the first half of the year, the Academy announces the offering of its Annual Essay Prize for the year. There is a different topic for each year. Please check carefully for the current or latest announcement of the Annual Essay Prize.

The Rules Governing the Annual Essay Prize can be found here and under the tab entitled 'Essay Prize Rules'.

Past Winners and their Essays can be found here.

Australian Academy of Law First Nations Scholarship

The Australian Academy of Law offers for the first time the Australian Academy of Law First Nations Scholarship tenable in 2021 for a First Nations final year law student studying for the LLB or JD or combined Law degree at any Australian law school, or the Diploma in Law through the NSW  Law Extension Committee (LEC).

The amount of the award is $5000 for one year only.

The notice for the scholarship has more information and the selection criteria. 

Australian Academy of Law Honours Prize 

The Australian Academy of Law  provides sponsorship at the National Honours Conference hosted by the Faculty of Law, University of Technology, Sydney.   The conference is a unique opportunity for LLB and JD students across Australia and New Zealand to present their law honours research, senior research thesis or other major research projects to colleagues, senior academics, members of the judiciary and barwork.  The prize amount for the best presentation is $1500

Australian Academy of Law Michael Coper Memorial Prize

The Australian Academy of Law established this prize in 2019 for the Winner of the Paper Presentation Competition by the Australian Law Students' Association (ALSA) in the amount of $1500.  The Competition is run annually and participants come from all law schools affiliated with ALSA.