Showcase Your Legal Writing Skills

Enter the IDC 2025 Illinois Law Student Writing Competition

Are you ready to stand out in the legal community? Here’s your chance to sharpen your research, flex your writing skills, and gain recognition among leading civil defense practitioners, judges, and legislators.

Make Your Mark

• Choose a recent development in Illinois civil practice - whether case law, statute, or rule - and explore its practical impact, clarity, and relevance to the Illinois civil defense community.

• Write like you’re teaching a future colleague  - emphasize practical impact, clarity, and relevance to the Illinois civil defense community.
  

What's at Stake?

• IDC will present a $500 cash award for the best submission

• Publication in the IDC Quarterly for all submissions deemed worthy of publication (The IDC Quarterly reaches top civil defense attorneys and every member of the Illinois judiciary, Illinois General Assembly, and the Illinois Congressional Delegation.)

• Unmatched exposure to potential employers in the civil litigation and defense bar
  
  

Eligibility

• Open to all current law students enrolled in an Illinois law school as of the submission deadline.

Submission Requirements

• Must be original work, not previously published or submitted elsewhere.

• 2,400-3,600 words, saved in MS Word format, with body citations (no footnotes)

• Must follow IDC Quarterly Stylistic Requirements and submit a signed Author Agreement, bio, and head shot

• Disclosure of any AI use per the Author Agreement (AI-generated drafting is not permitted without proper disclosure and citation.)

• Submissions are due to sandra@idc.law and patrick.eckler@fmglaw.com by November 1, 2025. Ensure your email subject line includes: IDC Writing Competition Submission - [Your Name]

IDC is pleased to offer Illinois Law Students the opportunity to stand out in the Illinois legal community with the IDC Law Student Writing Competition. Please contact IDC Quarterly Managing Editor, Donald Patrick Eckler at patrick.eckler@fmglaw.com with any questions regarding the competition.