Stand out from the crowd!
Essay question:
“Are state legislation and case law, or Internet Service Provider action, more important to the enforcement of rules on Internet users? Discuss with respect to key internet platforms’ Terms of Service and privacy policies.”
You will stand out from the crowd. You will add credibility and marketability to your profile. And you will win access to the best tech law event of 2018.
That's why you want to write the essay that wins the SCL Essay Prize 2018. With a range of highly current topics to choose from, you surely cannot resist the temptation to prove that you have that little bit extra. The little extra that will make law firms or other employers bow down before you with the sort of offers that you can only dream about.
It is a situation where circa 2,000 carefully chosen words might change your life for the better. Those chances don't come often. Enter the SCL Essay Prize competition and take the opportunity that beckons.
The prize:
Who can enter
You are eligible to enter this competition if you are a student (undergraduate, taught postgraduate, or research postgraduate) currently registered at an accredited academic institution or legal practitioner training course (e.g. to become a barrister, solicitor or advocate).
Essay topic
You must answer the following question:
“Are state legislation and case law, or Internet Service Provider action, more important to the enforcement of rules on Internet users? Discuss with respect to key internet platforms’ Terms of Service and privacy policies.”
Length of essay
A maximum of 2,500 words of text (and a minimum of 1,500), plus up to 500 words for citations (but not any further descriptive or explanatory material, so no padding your essay with footnotes). Full competition rules are available appear at the bottom of this page.
The closing date for entries is 17.00 hours on Friday 1 June 2018. We look forward to receiving your entry!
SCL Essay 2018 Prize Rules
Essay requirements
Your essay must be your original work and not previously published, or submitted for publication, elsewhere. You must have written the essay in the current academic year, and you are welcome to re-use work you have done for your studies. No jointly-authored papers are permitted. You may only submit one entry. Your essay must be in English.
How to submit you essay
You must send your essay as a PDF file by email to hello@scl.org to be received by 17.00 hours on Friday 1 June 2018. Your covering email must set out your name, mailing address, educational establishment and the course to which you are registered.
Copyright and publicity
You retain copyright ownership in your paper. You agree to your work being compared against electronic sources by automatic means, and other plagiarism checks the SCL considers appropriate. If you win, you grant to the SCL the non-exclusive right to publish the paper, in print and electronically, in SCL publications, and you agree not publish your papers elsewhere before 1 December 2018. You agree to make any prepublication editorial modifications to the winning entry that are required by the editor of Computers & Law for this purpose.
If you are the winner or your essay is “Highly Commended”, you grant the SCL the right to publish your name, photograph, educational establishment and details of your essays.
The prize
The prize is £250, a free ticket to the SCL Annual Conference on Thursday 27 September 2018 (SCL will provide a maximum £250 contribution to the cost of travel and accommodation) and publication in the SCL’s Computers & Law magazine and on SCL’s website.
The judges may, in their discretion, in addition to declaring a winner, formally award one or more other essays the title ‘Highly Commended’.
How and when will the result be announced
The result of the competition will be announced on Monday 25 June 2018 on the SCL website but, if there are a large number of entries, this deadline may be extended. The prize will be awarded only if, in the opinion of the judges, the standard of entries merits the award.
The judges
The judges will be IT lawyers chosen by the SCL. All entries will be anonymised before submission to the judges. The decision of the SCL as to the interpretation of these rules and the awarding of the prize (and as to whether any prize is to be awarded) is final and no correspondence or discussions regarding its decision will be entered into.
Also see:
Free membership for UK students in full-time education: SCL provides free membership for UK students in full-time education with a valid ac.uk email address. SCL student members are also eligible to attend SCL events at concessionary rates. UK students in full-time education can apply to join SCL for free by emailing sarah.forster@scl.org
SCL University Ambassadors
Special Deal for Trainees: Free SCL membership until qualification
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