Marion Simmons QC Essay Prize 2025

Posted by The Law School

9 October 2024

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Closing date: Friday 31 January 2025

The Association Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers, ARDL, is delighted to announce that the annual Marion Simmons QC Essay Prize 2025 is now open to entrants.

You are invited to submit an essay or article on a regulatory law or disciplinary law topic of your choice.

The first prize is £2,000, the second £1,000, and the third £500.

The competition was set up in memory of the late Marion Simmons QC, who sadly died on May 2, 2008, aged 59. Marion was a barrister, recorder, arbitrator and, latterly, chairman of the Competition Appeal Tribunal. Her areas of practice covered a wide range of financial and commercial law, including competition and regulation. Marion served on ARDL’s Committee for two years and was committed in her support of young lawyers.

To be eligible, an entrant must fall into at least one of the following categories (subject to the discretion of the competition organisers to extend eligibility on a case by case basis as they see fit):

1. undergraduates or postgraduates in study at a recognised educational establishment in the UK;
2. trainee solicitors, pupils barristers or those undertaking an equivalent approved training programme or qualification course in the UK (e.g. SQE, CILEX);
3. paralegals or those working in an equivalent level role at a firm or organisation in the UK prior to commencing study at (1) above or a confirmed place at (2) above, or those undertaking qualifying work experience in the UK as part of (2) above;
4. those taking a period of up to sixteen months as a sabbatical or gap year within study at (1) above or after such study and before starting a confirmed place at (2) above;
5. barristers, solicitors or other equivalent qualified lawyer who were called/ qualified in the UK fewer than three years ago.

Entries must be no longer than 1,500 words (word count includes footnotes but excludes bibliography) and should be type-written in the English language. The judges’ decision will be final. Please confirm your eligibility to enter in the covering email. Entries must be submitted so as to be received by 5pm on Friday 31 January 2025 by email to: ARDL@blakemorgan.co.uk. Prize winners will be announced in Spring 2025.