Public Justice America's Public Interest Law Firm

Key Issues & Cases

Get Connected

Public Interest Database

Our one-of-a-kind database will help connect you to more than 2,000 public interest groups, lawyers' associations, law schools, and online legal resources throughout the U.S.

Search The Database

Submit A Case

Public Justice handles only cases that will make a difference in the public interest.

Submit A Case`

Explore What We Do

Faces of Public Justice

Gladys Mensing

Gladys Mensing has diabetes. When her doctor prescribed the drug Reglan to treat some of her symptoms, she began taking its generic equivalent. Four years later, Mensing developed a severe neurological disorder caused by the long-term use, which went unwarned on the generic drug’s label.

Read Gladys Mensing's story.

Tiffany Kelly

When Tiffany Kelly took out a small loan from a payday lending company in Florida, she believed she was dealing with a by-the-books business. Kelly had been turned down for public assistance, and her bank would not lend her any money.

Read Tiffany Kelly's story.

Hogan/Smoger Access to Justice Essay Contest

THE HOGAN/SMOGER ACCESS TO JUSTICE ESSAY CONTEST

=RULES AND CRITERIA=

Rule 1 - DEADLINE

Essays must be received by the Public Justice Foundation for national judging no later than March 31, 2011.

Rule 2 - ELIGIBILITY OF ESSAY

If the essay is prepared for academic credit, it is eligible only if submitted for credit during the 2010-2011 academic year. If the essay was neither prepared nor submitted for academic credit, it is eligible only if prepared for this contest during the 2010-2011 academic year. If the essay was prepared as part of paid legal work outside of law school, it is not eligible for this contest.

Rule 3 - ABSTRACT

Students must also submit an abstract (limited to 100 words) describing the paper. Please include name, address, law school and phone number on the abstract. The author’s name and law school must NOT appear anywhere in the essay other than on the cover page and abstract.

Rule 4 - SUBMISSION

Applicants MUST submit BOTH HARD COPY AND ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE ESSAY AND THE ABSTRACT. A hard copy (typed) and a computer disc containing the essay and the abstract in Microsoft Word or WordPerfect format should be mailed to the Public Justice Foundation at the aforementioned address. The pages of the hard copy must be firmly fastened together with a cover page which must contain the following information:

• Title of Essay (The title of the essay must appear at the top of the first page of the essay)

• Author’s Name

• Author’s year in law school and expected graduation date

• Law school name and address

• Date submitted for academic credit, if so submitted

• Author’s permanent and school addresses and phone numbers (IMPORTANT: indicate effective dates for all addresses)

• Sponsoring faculty member name and phone number

Rule 5 - LENGTH

Essays must not exceed 50 pages of 8½ by 11-inch paper, double-spaced, excluding footnotes.

Rule 6 - AUTHORSHIP

Essays must have only one author. Joint essays will not be accepted.

Rule 7 - PUBLICATION RIGHTS

Essays will not be returned to the authors, and the judges' comments and evaluations will not be provided to the applicants. The Public Justice Foundation reserves the non-exclusive right to publish in hard-copy all or part of the essay or abstract at its discretion.

Rule 8 - COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC JUSTICE FOUNDATION AND THE APPLICANTS

Any questions, clarifications, or requests from the applicant should be communicated to Cassandra Goings at 202-797-8600 or cgoings@publicjustice.net. Please indicate "Access to Justice Essay Contest" in the Subject line if sending via e-mail.