About The Competition
Gonzaga Law School hosts an annual legal ethics competition with written and oral components. This competition was created in honor of Professor William H. Clarke, who taught at the Law School for 30 years, regularly coached the National Moot Court team, and was a three-time recipient of the Most Distinguished Teacher Award given annually by the Gonzaga Law Student Bar Association.
In addition to the competition, Gonzaga Law hosts the Clarke Family Legal Ethics Conference & CLE. For more information about the CLE, visit the Clarke CLE webpage.
Competition Rules
Eligibility
The competition for the Clarke Family Prize in Legal Ethics (“the Competition”) is open to all Gonzaga University School of Law students who: (a) have completed 30 or more credits at the time of Competition registration; and (b) are in good standing from the date the Competition Problem is posted through the date of the awards ceremony described below.
Competition Problem
The 2026 Competition Problem will be available on March 27, 2026.
Original, Individual Work
A contestant’s Competition Paper must be an original and unpublished work. The contestant must be the sole author of his or her Competition Paper; co-authorship and group submissions are prohibited. A contestant may submit only one Competition Paper. A contestant may not seek assistance or advice in connection with the Competition Problem or the Competition Paper from generative AI or any person, including other law students, practicing attorneys, or Gonzaga Law School professors and administrators. This rule does not prevent a contestant from consulting with Westlaw research assistants or librarians at Gonzaga Law School or elsewhere for assistance in locating databases, books, and other resources, but contestants may not use such assistance for framing searches or with any other aspect of the Competition Problem or Competition Paper.
Paper Submission, Format, Length, and Presentation
Papers must be double-spaced with one-inch margins and in Times New Roman 12-point font. The Competition Paper may not exceed 1700 words, including footnotes. The preliminary round of the oral competition portion will be held on April 10, 13, and 14. It will consist of a 2-minute opening statement followed by 13 minutes of dialogue with the judges, who will simulate the meeting described in the Competition Problem.Competition Timeline
Competition paper due: April 9, 2026
Preliminary oral presentations: April 10, 13, and 14, 2026
Final oral presentations (for finalists): April 16, 2026
Final winners announced: April 16, 2026
Registration
The competition is limited to 20 students; should more than 20 students wish to compete, a wait list will be maintained.Judging Process
Both the Competition Paper and the oral presentation will be scored. The three competitors with the highest combined score (of their paper and oral presentation) will advance to the final round. The Best Paper and Best Oral Presentation will be determined during the preliminary rounds. The Best Overall score will be determined during the final round. The Best Paper, Best Oral Presentation, and Best Overall awards will be announced and presented at the annual Clarke Family Legal Ethics Conference & CLE on April 16, 2026.
Prizes
Best Paper:
- 1st: $1,700
- 2nd: $1,200
- 3rd: $600
Best Oral Presentation:
- 1st: $1,700
- 2nd: $1,200
- 3rd: $600
Best Overall:
- 1st: $1,700
- 2nd: $1,200
- 3rd: $600
Compliance and Decisions
The Competition Committee may refuse to consider entries that do not comply with the Competition Rules. Competition Committee decisions will be final.
Rule Revisions
The Competition Rules may be revised or supplemented by the Competition Committee or Gonzaga Law School at any time before or during the Competition.
Questions
If you have questions, please reach out to Professor Abe Ritter.