Past winners
Read essays from our previous years' winners
Winners and runners up of the 2024 competition
Winner
A fiction of defendant participation: single justice procedure offences should be moved to the civil jurisdiction
by Hal McNulty
Runner-up essay
Restoring the coherence of the law of mental capacity in the context of medical decision-making for children, by reference to An NHS Trust v C NHS Trust & Ors
by Priyansh Shah
Best Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) entry
‘No nameless horrors’: the case for regulating embryo models under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990
by Christina Fleischer
GDL runner up
From quill to computer code: a case to repeal the copyright protection currently afforded to AI-generated literature by the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988
by Hannah Phillips
Highly commmended essays
Drunk on freedom? The case for introducing statutory limitations on alcohol sponsorship and health warning labels
by Kelvin Ma
2023 Law reform essay competition winners
The winning essay
Louis Dejeu-Castang: 'Not OK Computer: a proposed AI transparency framework for the UK'
The runner-up
Nathan Thompson: 'Frozen Assets, Thawed Reforms: An argument to have AFrOs and AFOs transferred to the High Court in complex cases'
About the essay, and why others should apply:
"This essay argues that statutory amendment is required to provide a route to transfer civil freezing and forfeiture from the Magistrates’ Court to the High Court, where complex issues arise.
I believe others should apply for this competition as it gives you a fantastic opportunity to express your opinion on an area of law which really interests you. You never know your chances of getting a prize!"
Winner (Graduate Diploma in Law)
Iona McNeill: 'Paving the way for modernisation and better clarity of UK surrogacy practice: proposals for reform of current statute'
What this essay is about, and why the topic was chosen
"The essay examines legislation governing surrogacy, and identifies shortcomings in current statute. It explores how law reform could offer more robust protection for the parties involved and safeguard their interests.
Researching surrogacy law for a university module, I realised that the legal framework was outdated as legislation has not kept pace with changing societal attitudes towards surrogacy. The Law Commissions’ joint report identifies issues with current statute, but their recommendations for change would not entirely fix these shortcomings.
Having explored international surrogacy regulations, I decided to use the essay to suggest ideas for reform that might better govern surrogacy arrangements."
Runner-up (Graduate Diploma in Law)
Emily Edwards Blair: 'Criminally insane or just mentally ill? A case for the reform of the insanity and automatism defences'
What the essay is about, and why this topic was chosen:
"My essay explores the need for reform to the insanity and automatism defences, arguing that adequate defences for mentally ill offenders would prevent unfair sentencing, particularly prison sentences, which can result in the worsening of their mental ill health.
The topic of mental health is near and dear to my heart, and I was horrified when I found out that the M'Naghten rules have not been updated since their inception in 1843. Our laws must serve our population, and with increasing mental illness among the population we need adequate defences for those who offend due to their illness.
I believe that with a reformed defence centred on medical fact (not legal fiction) we can create a fairer justice system for all - not just the mentally healthy. I wrote this essay to try to raise awareness for this, as in its current state, our justice system is unfair and biassed against those with mental illness."
Highly commended
Bryn Auger: 'Extending the coroner’s jurisdiction to stillbirths: transparency, accountability, and independent answers'
What the essay is about, and why this topic was chosen
"An exclusive extension to the Coroner’s jurisdiction enabling the investigation and/or holding of an inquest into all stillbirths, addressing deficiencies of investigation practices, improving accountability, and creating better learning opportunities.
I have worked with families who have suffered the loss of stillbirth. I learnt of their grief. Many felt let down with current investigation practices, yet they had nowhere else to turn. They wanted an independent process that provides answers to what happened. They wanted to stop their loss and grief passing to another family. I decided that extending the Coroner’s jurisdiction was the best approach for providing independent accountability."
Emma Townend: 'Barrier to justice: why the mandatory reconsideration stage of the Personal Independence Payment appeals process should be abolished'
What this essay is about, and why this topic was chosen
"An essay exploring how the DWP’s internal Mandatory Reconsideration stage of the Personal Independence Payment appeals process blocks access to First-tier Tribunal and therefore recourse to real justice.
I chose this topic because I have seen first-hand the impact the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) process has on those living with disability through my volunteer work with a local disability charity. Over time, it became clear to me that the Mandatory Reconsideration stage was acting to deter people from exercising their right to appeal to tribunal. And as someone who lives with disability myself, the issue is close to my heart."
Winner
'Crossing the Constitutional Rubicon: why mediation should be compulsory in all civil disputes'
by Emma Meadows
Runner-up
'A proposal for a new approach to standing in judicial review claims'
by Mark Thornton
Best Graduate Diploma in Law entry
'Permission (Already) Granted: Eliminating ‘Prior Approval’ for Upward Extension Permitted Development Rights'
by Jeffrey Chu
Runner-up Graduate Diploma in Law entry 1
'Reforming the Official Secrets Act 1989: Combining stronger protections for national security with greater parliamentary scrutiny'
by Raphael Marshall
Runner-up Graduate Diploma in Law entry 2
'The Covid-19 ‘Shadow Pandemic’ in the UK: A Case for Including Negligence into the Definition of Compliance in National and European Human Rights Law'
by Donella Sofia Torcassi
Highly Commended
'Licence to Kill: the need for safeguarding in authorising the criminal conduct of Covert Human Intelligence Sources'
by Nandini Mitra
Winner
Joseph Lord: 'The War is Lost: A Proposal for Drug Consumption Rooms in the UK [PDF]'
Read Joseph's blog
Runner up
Armin Amirsolimani: ‘I owe my soul to the graduate recruitment team – Rethinking penalty clauses in employment contracts ' [PDF]
Best CPE/GDL entry
Annika Weis: ‘Licence to Sanction – Stopping Environmental Crimes through UK Magnitsky Legislation' [PDF]
Highly commended
Samuel Page: ‘The Corporate Climate Conscience Act (202X) – filling the regulatory lacuna undermining Britain’s path to net zero' [PDF]
Winner: Oliver Brewis - 'Unravelling the sleeve of care: Fair Remuneration for Employer-contracted Sleep' [PDF]
Runner-up: Rossen Roussanov - 'Citizens of nowhere: the case for a statutory appeal right as part of the UK Statelessness Determination Procedure'
Best CPE/GDL entry: David Illingworth - 'Medieval institutions and god-like technology': rescuing the Carltona doctrine from uncertainty and irrelevance in the digital age
Runner-up CPE/GDL: Miranda Sadler - Neighbours will need a Plan B: introducing third party appeals to planning decisions in a soon-to-be streamlined planning system
Highly commended: Joseph Kelen - End the criminalisation of Homelessness: Why the Vagrancy Act 1824 must be repealed
Highly commended: Danielle Carrington - Fail to Choose, Choose to Fail: Reform of the Choice of Law Principles to Determine the Law Applicable to the Arbitration Agreement