NRA Offers Second Annual Writing Competition For Law Students

Following its inaugural Second Amendment Research and Writing Competition, the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund (NRA-CRDF) has announced an all-new competition for law students, complete with even larger prizes for winning submissions.

In its second annual appearance, the competition directs budding legal minds to take a new look at New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2022 that rejected the Intermediate Scrutiny Test then applied by many courts. Instead, the Court established the precedent of applying a new test for analyzing Second Amendment cases based on history, text and tradition. Given this decision, NRA-CRDF is soliciting articles that answer the following question: In light of the Bruen decision, does the prohibition found in 18 U.S.C. '922(g)(5) violate the Second Amendment? The pertinent part of the United States code states that:

“it shall be unlawful for any person ...”

          (5)     who, being an alien—

                    (A)     is illegally or unlawfully in the United States; or

(B)     except as provided in subsection (y)(2), has been admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa ...;

to ... possess ... any firearm or ammunition.”

To submit an article, authors must currently be enrolled in an ABA Accredited law school. Submissions must be "unique and original" and must be suitable for publication in a scholarly journal. The articles cannot exceed 12,000 words, including both text and notes. Citations shall conform to The Blue Book: A Uniform System of Citation. Submissions must be typed double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12-point typeface, including notes. Authors may choose to use footnotes or endnotes.

Along with the possibility of being published, the following cash prizes are also being awarded: $10,000 for first place, $7,000 for second place and $3,000 for third place. Completed submissions must include a cover page and be formatted as a PDF and are due to NRA-CRDF on or before March 1, 2025. Entry packets and further instructions can be obtained by emailing: [email protected] or visiting the NRA-CRDF website here.