The Essay Contest encourages young people in Connecticut to think about and explore legal issues relevant to them.
2025-2026 Essay Contest
The contest is open to all Connecticut students under the age of 21 who are enrolled in grades 9-12, or their equivalent, at an accredited high school, vocational-technical school or adult high school credit diploma program located within the State of Connecticut.
Essay Topic
"After the Gavel Falls: Navigating Education Policy in the Wake of Mahmoud v. Taylor"
Prizes
Winner: $2,000
(2) Runner-up: $1,000
Contest Materials
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All entries must be submitted by February 20, 2026. Please be sure to review all of the contest rules. *Students should be mindful of the contest topic, and should review the full fact pattern carefully. **Essays not responsive to the topic will be disqualified.
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Take a look at past competitions for essay topics, winning essays, and photos from the awards ceremony.
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History of the Essay Contest
CBF's James W. Cooper Fellows launched the Essay Contest in 2000 with the purpose of encouraging young people in Connecticut to think about and explore legal issues relevant to them. In 2011, the contest was named after Quintin Johnstone, a professor at Yale Law School. Johnstone served as past president of CBF, participated in a variety of Fellows projects, and was a longtime member of the Fellows Education and Program Committee.
Thank you to the Essay Contest Committee
Every year, more than 100 Fellows, attorneys and judges across the state, take time to volunteer to review and score essays. Thank you also to the Connecticut Supreme Court for their continued support of the Essay Contest, and for hosting the awards ceremony every year.
