2013 Write-On Competition
Current Competition FAQ
The Write-On Competition will take place:
9:00 a.m. Thursday, May 16, 2013 to 9:00 a.m. Monday, May 20, 2013.
NO exceptions to these dates and times will be made.
Eligibility for participation: all rising 2Ls, 3Es, and 3Ls are eligible to participate (and 4Es who have at least one year remaining before graduation).
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Only rising 2Ls and 3Es are eligible to grade-on to one of the three law reviews through a good-faith effort on the write-on. Members of the rising 2L and 3E classes who do not fall within the grade-on requirement will be considered for membership exclusively by their performance in the write-on competition.
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SMULRA grade-on requirement: top 10% of the class
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ILRA grade-on requirement: top 25% of the class
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STLR grade-on requirement: roughly top 25% of the class (% may vary year to year)
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Rising 3Ls and 4Es are NOT eligible to grade-on, and therefore will be considered for membership exclusively by their performance in the write-on competition
Honor Code Rules:
Participants are strictly prohibited from seeking or receiving any outside assistance with the write-on competition. This includes but is not limited to:
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Current law review members
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Faculty members
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Other write-on participants
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Attorneys
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Other law students
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Work that participants have done in the past
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Writing section: sources not included in the closed writing section
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Citations: anything outside the Bluebook, Greenbook, legal or English dictionary, or "Edited Marks" handout.
Participants will be required to sign an honor pledge stating that you neither gave nor received any assistance with the write-on competition.
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Participants who do not sign the pledge will be disqualified from the competition.
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Participants who receive outside assistance in any form will be disqualified from the competition.
Write-On Packet: Getting It And Turning It In
GETTING IT
There are two ways to acquire your write-on packet:
(1) Download the document from the website (and print it off) here 2013 Problem Packet
(2) OR, purchase the document for $8.40 from Alpha Graphics by the SMU Bookstore (3032 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, TX 75205)
NOTE: The Write-On packet will NOT be available at AlphaGraphics until 9 AM CST Thursday, May 16 (so no harassing or bribing the AlphaGraphics personnel). The PDF link above will not be live until 9 AM, Thursday, May 16.
TURNING IT IN
There are three ways to submit your entry:
(1) If you are in Dallas, we prefer that you return a hard copy of your problem packet and a disk of your problem packet to Donnaise Baldwin (or slide under her door if during non-business hours), Room 4 on the bottom floor of Storey Hall. Entries must be received by 9:00 a.m. CST, Monday, May 20, 2013.
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The disk should contain a copy of everything you submitted in hard copy form (the entire problem packet). This includes the Editing, Bluebooking, and Writing sections).
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The disk should NOT have anything written on the front. Absolutely nothing. No name, SMU ID #, nor description of what documents are contained on the disk. Nothing.
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Please do not staple or hole punch your submissions. A simple paper clip or binder clip will suffice. Staples and hole punches may cause parts of your submission to be damaged or lost when processed through the copy machines by the grading staff.
(2) You may send a hardcopy and a disk of your problem packet via regular mail. Your entry MUST be overnighted and marked for AM delivery for Monday, May 20, 2013.
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Physical Address:
SMU Law Review
Attn: Donnaise Baldwin
3315 Daniel, Room 4 Dallas, TX 75205
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The same rules apply for the disk as above.
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Please do not staple or hole punch your submissions. A simple paper clip or binder clip will suffice. Staples and hole punches may cause parts of your submission to be damaged or lost when processed through the copy machines by the grading staff.
(3) You may e-mail a scanned PDF of your entry to smulr-woc@smu.edu. Your message must be RECEIVED by 9:00 a.m. CST, Monday, May 20, 2013. We will NOT look at the time it was sent.
No Late Entries Will Be Accepted!!!
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If you are e-mailing your submission, you do NOT need to include a disk (obviously).
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Do not e-mail your submission multiple times. If you are concerned that your e-mail did not go through, you may call Donnaise Baldwin (214-768-2594) to confirm that it has been received.
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Regardless of how you include your attachments in your e-mail submission, do NOT put your name or SMU ID number anywhere on your submission, except the ONE page designated for you to do so in the problem packet. This includes NOT naming your attachments with any identifying information (like your name or SMU ID number).
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However, you will need to put your name somewhere in the BODY of the email so that we know from whom it came.
NOTE: Choose ONE method of submitting your write-on entry and ONLY one. For example, if you are e-mailing your submission, do NOT additionally turn in a hardcopy and a disk.
Information Meeting Documents
If you missed the Write-On Information Meeting, the following are the documents that were distributed:
Candidate Information Form
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There will be a Candidate Information Form included in the 2013 Problem Packet.
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Only include your name and SMU ID number on the Candidate Information Form.
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Do NOT place your name, Student ID number, or any other identifying mark on any other page of your entry, or you will be automatically disqualified from the write-on competition.
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You must also include a valid phone number in order to receive and accept offers from the three journals.
Questions