Scholarship Fund
ESSAY TOPIC
A reality-show star's marriage to a former NFL player ended after only 75 days of marriage. Prior to the marriage, neither party sought (or even discussed) a prenuptial agreement. Their wedding, reception, and parts of their honeymoon were televised on the Star Channel. It is has been reported that the Star Channel paid the reality-show star over $20 million for the rights to that footage. On day 72 of their marriage, the reality show star surprises her husband with a new motorcycle - right after giving him this motorcycle the reality-show star asked her husband to sign a post-marital agreement, agreeing that in the event of a divorce, both parties would leave the marriage with what they brought to the marriage. The husband signs the agreement and finds out three days later (on Twitter no less) that his reality-show star wife is seeking a divorce.
Following proper Blue Book citation format, prepare a 3-5 page essay supporting your positions with relevant case law (Illinois case law and case law from at least one other Jurisdiction), statutes (from Illinois and/or any state you choose), and/or public policy considerations, answering the following questions:
(1) Is the post-marital agreement valid? What are the possible legal reasons for and against a court enforcing this post-marital agreement?
(2) Assuming that a Court approved the post-marital agreement, is the husband entitled to any of the proceeds from the Star Channel? Explain why or why not.
ELIGIBILITY
• Must be in enrolled and in academic good standing at an accredited Illinois law school, as evidenced by a copy of your transcript and/or a letter written on law school letterhead from the Registrar’s Office or the Dean of Students Office.
• Must be able to attend some portion of the BWLA 2012 National Summit of Black Women Lawyers, held in Chicago, Illinois between April 12-14, 2012.
ESSAY REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING CRITERIA
• Essay must be 3-5 type written pages.
• Essay must be typed in black ink, 12-point font, double-spaced on white 81/2 x 11 inch paper with 1- inch margins on the entire document.
• Each essay page must be numbered and include the name of applicant.
• Essay must be accompanied by a Cover Sheet (see specifications below).
• Essay must be accompanied by a Resume that includes current community service activities (such as a student BWLA membership, other professional organizations, student groups, community service, and non-profit activities).
• Essay must follow Blue Book citation rules.
• Essay must cite legal authority in support of arguments including, but not limited to, case law, statutes or public policy.
• Entries will be judged on the appropriate use of legal and non- legal information sources, content (spelling, grammar, organization and logical thought), originality (creativity and persuasiveness), and the clarity of the argument.
• Entries must be accompanied by a certificate of good standing from your law school, and/or a copy of your school transcript.
• COVER SHEET: Each applicant must attach a cover sheet which includes the following information: First and Last Name, Mailing Address, Email Address, Phone Number(s), Name of Law School, Year in Law School, and Number of Submitted Pages (excluding the cover sheet). Each page of the essay must also include a page number and the Applicant’s name.
DEADLINE: All submissions must be received by FRIDAY, March 23, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. CST. You must email your essay, cover sheet, resume and transcript/letter of good standing, in PDF Format to Tanisha R. Reed, Esq. at scholarship@bwla.org. If your school prefers to mail transcripts directly, please have your registrar mail a copy of your transcript to: 321 S. Plymouth Court - Suite 600 Chicago, IL 60604. If you have questions about this scholarship, feel free to email your questions to scholarship@bwla.org, or to call Tanisha R. Reed, Esq. at (312) 476-5113.
INTERVIEWS: The Scholarship Committee will choose the top applicants based on the above stated criteria and invite them for an interview with the Scholarship Committee. Those chosen for an interview will be notified by email or telephone.Candidates who submit entries by March 23, 2012 must be available for a possible interview slot on Friday March 30, 2012 in the evening hours, or Saturday March 31, 2012 during the day. The interview may include quest ions regarding the applicant’s interests, career goals, and the submitted essay. To be eligible for an award, you must be available for an interview during this time frame.
PRIZES: Winners will be chosen based on the essay, resume, and interviews and winners will be notified via email and via U.S. Mail . The grand prize award will be worth no less than $2,500, but the actual amount of all prizes will be determined by the amount of donated funds received by BWLA. Prizes will be distributed at the BWLA 2012 National Summit of Black Women Lawyers, held in Chicago, Illinois between April 12-14, 2012.