Law School Scholarship Essay Contest

Congratulations to our scholarship contest winners. We received many great entries. Thank you to all who participated.

First Place Winner – $2,500
The Inherent Dangers of Semi-Trucks
Post by Raina K
Louisiana State University, Paul Hebert Law Center

Second Place Winner – $1,500
Courage Amidst Tragedy
Post by Lynda W.
Phoenix School of Law

Third Place Winner – $500
Standing Ovation 4 U
Post by Erica J.
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Fall

Honorable Mention
The Story of Me
Post by Sarah B
Regent University School of Law

Honorable Mention
Preventing Distracted Driving: Can “Don’t Text and Drive” Campaigns Work?
Post by Kevin H
University of Minnesota Law School

Honorable Mention
How has cerebral palsy impacted your life or that of a loved one?
Post by John W
Boston College Law School

Honorable Mention
Can Assistive Technology Eliminate Disabilities?
Post by Betsy N
Columbia Law School

Honorable Mention
My Sister Sarah
Post by Scott M
University of Toledo College of Law

The law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. is proud to offer eight (8) scholarships in our Law School Scholarship Essay Contest to deserving law school students who author winning essays on either the cerebral palsy or car accident topics explained in detail below.

These scholarships will be distributed to essay contest winners after they have been notified on April 10, 2013.

Please read through our rules carefully and don’t let the submission deadline pass without taking advantage of this opportunity. Make sure to get your application submitted and your essay published early and on time.

Good luck to everyone!

Scholarship Essay Contest Rules

Type of Scholarships

The winners of this essay contest will be awarded a check from the law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. These funds must be used to pay for college tuition and / or education-related expenses.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an award in this essay contest, you must be:

• At least 18 years old and
• Currently enrolled in an American Bar Association-approved institution, the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s School or any law school provisionally approved. A list can be found at the ABA’s list of approved law schools.

Only one (1) essay per law student is allowed. Additionally, you must verify that you have read and understand the Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. / SalviLaw.com Law School Scholarship Essay Contest Rules.

Essay Content

The essay you choose to write must be on one of the following topics:

Essay Contest Topic 1: Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy refers to several disorders which prevent one from fully controlling and coordinating the muscles in their body. The different forms of cerebral palsy depend upon which part of the person’s brain is affected. In many cases, the disorders are caused by damage to the person’s brain before, during or not long after birth. Cerebral palsy affects about 1 in 278 children. About 8,000 babies and infants are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year. Currently, there are about 764,000 children and adults in the United States with cerebral palsy. Choose one of these essay topics:

• How has cerebral palsy impacted your life or that of a loved one?
• What causes cerebral palsy and what preventative measures can be taken to reduce the risks?
• What are some of the latest developments in cerebral palsy treatment and assistive technology?

OR

Essay Contest Topic 2: Car Accidents

There are an average of 5.25 million car accidents in the United States each year, resulting in 40,000 fatalities. Car accidents can be attributed to a number of causes ranging from distracted driving to poor road conditions. Injuries can vary from bruises and broken bones to more severe and life-changing ones such as traumatic brain injury and loss of life. Choose one of these essay topics:

• How has a car accident caused by an intoxicated driver impacted your life or that of a loved one?
• Discuss the impact distracted driver campaigns (i.e. Don’t Text and Drive) have on reducing accidents. Do these types of campaigns work?
• Highlight the dangers semi-trucks pose on your state’s roadways. Focus on the primary reasons for semi-truck accidents, the impact they have on innocent drivers, and what can be done to reduce them.

Essay Length

The essay you choose must be no fewer than 750 words and no more than 1,500 words long.

Deadlines & Posting

You have two options for posting your essay:

Option 1: Law School blog or website

Contestants may choose to post their essay to a blog or webpage available through their law school between January 5, 2013, and March 31, 2013. However, the contestant is responsible for determining whether the school permits the posting of the essay to a school-sponsored or -provided blog or webpage.

Once your essay is posted, you must notify us by email at scholarship@salvilaw.com and provide the URL where your essay is posted. Please use the words “Essay Posted” in the subject line.

Option 2: Post it on your personal blog or website

If a law school blog or webpage is unavailable, the contestant may post their essay on their personal blog or website through March 15, 2013.

Once your essay is posted, you must notify us by email at scholarship@salvilaw.com and provide the URL where your essay is posted. Please use the words “Essay Posted” in the subject line.

The contestant is solely responsible for any expenses associated with the contestant’s essay, including the expense of posting or publishing the essay on a blog, webpage or website.

Linking

Your readers may want to know more about your topic. We recommend including at least one link to SalviLaw.com in your essay so that readers can learn more about this particular issue. There is no required format for this link. Examples would include having the words “cerebral palsy injury” or “car accident injury” appear somewhere in your essay hyperlinked to an appropriate page within the SalviLaw.com website so that readers can click on it and learn more about the condition.

No inappropriate links or advertisements should appear on the webpage or blog page where the essay appears.

Judging

Essays will be judged by the partners at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.

Winners will be selected on April 5, 2013.

Submissions will be judged on content, grammar, style, and originality.

Judges will look for clear, original and articulate writing that is logically organized and well-supported.

Winner Notification

Winners will be notified via email by April 10, 2013.

Contact Us

For questions about the Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C./SalviLaw.com’s Law School Scholarship Essay Contest, please see our Frequently Asked Questions section. If your question is not answered, you may email tjsaye@salvilaw.com or write to or call:

Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.