Students for the Promotion of International Law (SPIL), Mumbai (referred to as SPIL, Mumbai), invites passionate and enthusiastic writers to submit articles for its upcoming National Legal Article Writing Competition, 2024.

The National Legal Article Writing Competition (NLAWC) offers a platform for thoughtful discussions on international law and related fields, encouraging well-researched content that supports the organisation’s mission to enhance the understanding and development of international law. This year, the theme for the NLAWC is International Environmental Law!

Don’t miss the opportunity to share your insights and compete for exciting prizes!

ABOUT GLC, MUMBAI

Government Law College enjoys the distinction of being the oldest law school in Asia and has, since its inception in 1855, played a seminal role in the evolution of the legal and judicial landscape of India. Any discussion of India’s legal system and culture today is incomplete without a mention of Government Law College, Mumbai. Looking back over the years, one realises the immeasurable role this pioneering law institution has played in the judicial, political and historical life of India. Government Law College, with its illustrious history and a heritage spanning over a century and a half, has nurtured some of the greatest minds of today, not only in the field of law but in various other walks of life. The generations of distinguished legal luminaries who have been nurtured by this unique institution, have made a seminal contribution globally, to the evolution of the legal fraternity.

ABOUT SPIL, MUMBAI

In an increasingly integrated world with growing trans-national interactions, the significance of International Law has never been greater. SPIL Mumbai, strive towards taking legal studies to an empirical level and promoting law as an area of enquiry and study far beyond the realms of classrooms.

This student-based organisation of Government Law College, Mumbai offers a dynamic platform for students passionate about international law by conducting quizzes, insightful guest lectures, providing analysis of research papers, books, judgments, etc. SPIL organises the Intra and Mumbai Judgment Deliberation Competition (JDC), Treaty Appreciation Competition (TAC) Mumbai, National Legal Article Writing Competition (NLAWC) and the renowned International Law Summit. The Summit comprises of JDC, TAC, Panel Discussion and the publication of GLC-SPIL International Law Journal.

Additionally, SPIL has successfully organised several events, including a lecture on the working of the International Criminal Court by Professor William Burke White of the University of Pennsylvania, a Model United Nations – Student Exchange Program with students at the School of International Relations, Tehran.

ABOUT NLAWC

The SPIL, Mumbai National Legal Article Writing Competition, 2024 stands as an annual testament to the pursuit of scholarly excellence, providing a distinguished platform for students across diverse academic backgrounds to delve into contemporary legal and policy issues. The Competition is a beacon, encouraging meticulous research and analysis in the field of International Law. The primary objective of this esteemed Competition is to stimulate intellectual curiosity and foster academic growth among participants. Following the submission phase, a rigorous review is undertaken by a panel of seasoned experts to evaluate the entries. The pinnacle of achievement lies in the recognition of the Best Article, the Second-best Article, and the Third-best Article, all of which are chosen for publication in the prestigious “GLC-SPIL International Law Journal.” This publication provides a valuable platform for authors to showcase their research and contribute to the broader legal and policy discourse.

THEME AND TOPICS

The theme for this year is International Environmental Law.

The Participants are required to choose from one of the following topics (These topics will NOT be given any preference):

• Assessment of Environmental Impact through International Law: Evolving Standards and Practices for Global Conservation Efforts
• Transboundary Environmental Harm: Legal Remedies and State Responsibility
• Enforcement of International Environmental Law: Challenges and Measure
• The Ethical and Moral Implications of Research Reports sponsored by Major Polluting Corporations
• Environmental Refugees: Legal Recognition and Protection under International Law
• Climate Change and Green Technology

ELIGIBILITY

• The Competition is open to all law students currently enrolled in recognized 3-year LL.B or 5-year integrated LL.B courses.
• Participants must be pursuing their studies in any recognized institution in India.
• Participants can participate individually or co-author in a team consisting of a maximum of two members.
• Previous winners of the Competition are not eligible to participate.

REGISTRATION PROCESS

• Teams or individuals interested in participating must complete the online Registration Form available here or by clicking on this link: https://forms.gle/YB2qYZ36UGFngmLU6
• Registrations shall close on 10^th October 2024.
• Late submissions shall not be accepted under any circumstances.
• A non-refundable registration fee of Rs. 150 for a single-authored submission and Rs. 250 for co-authored submission must be paid online before submission of the registration form.

ACCOUNT DETAILS

• Account Holder: Ms. Mahek Salauddin Mulani
• Account No.: 43283527750
• Bank Name:- State Bank of India
• Branch: PBB Churchgate, Mumbai
• Account Type: Savings
• IFSC: SBIN0004283
• UPI Handle – 9028521808@ptyes

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Each individual or team, is allowed only one submission.
• Both co-authored and single submissions will be treated as separate entries. Submissions falling into both categories will be disqualified from the Competition.
• The article must constitute the original work of the author (s). The plagiarism limit is 15% (excluding footnotes). Any article beyond the plagiarism limit will be disqualified.
• Each entry must be the previously unpublished work of the author (s). Articles that have been published elsewhere or selected/submitted for publication elsewhere will be disqualified.
• No part of the article should contain any form of identification of the participant, such as the author’s name, university/college name, etc. Inclusion of any form of identification may result in disqualification.
• Articles must address one of the provided topics related to International Environmental Law.
• All articles should be written in English.
• The word limit for each article is between 1500 to 2000 words, exclusive of footnotes and bibliography.
• The article must include an abstract, with a maximum limit of 250 words, exclusive of the overall article word limit. The abstract should clearly indicate the theme of the article.
• Citations and footnotes must follow the Harvard Bluebook (20th edition) referencing style.
• Avoid the use of extensive footnotes or quotations. It is acceptable to reference or paraphrase thoughts and ideas from standard works without using quotations, provided proper acknowledgement is given in footnotes or other suitable methods.
• Submissions should be emailed to [email protected] by 10^th October 2024, 23:59 hours (IST) with the subject “Submission: NLAWC, 2024”.
• The article must be attached in either ‘.doc’ or ‘.docx’ format or ‘.pdf’ format. The document must be renamed as the chosen topic.
• The article must be accompanied by a separate document containing the following information about the participant:
  • Full Name of the Author (s)
  • Chosen Theme & Sub-topic
  • Title of the Article Name and Address of College/Institute/University
  • Programme Enrolled & Current Year of Study
  • Email Address & Contact Number of the Author (s)
  • Full Postal Address of the Author (s)
  • Brief bio of the Author (s)

FORMATTING GUIDELINES

• Main Body:
  • Font: Times New Roman
  • Font Size: 12
  • Line Spacing: 1.5
• Footnotes:
  • Font: Times New Roman
  • Font Size: 10
  • Line Spacing: 1.0
• Margins:
  • All margins should be set to 1 inch or 2.54 cm on all sides.

RUBRIC

The scoring factors to be considered, in no particular order of relevance or priority, will include:

• Overall Evaluation of Topic
• Legal Content, Use of Authorities, and References
• Issues Covered, Relevance & Ingenuity of Ideas
• Originality, Language and Creative Writing Skills
• Flow & Structure

AWARDS AND MERIT

• Best Article:
  • Cash Prize: INR 10,000 /-
  • Certificate of Merit
  • Publication in GLC-SPIL International Law Journal
• Second Best Article:
  • Cash Prize: INR 5,000
  • Certificate of Merit
  • Publication in GLC-SPIL International Law Journal
• Third Best Article:
  • Cash Prize: Rs. 3,000
  • Certificate of Merit
  • Publication in GLC-SPIL International Law Journal
• The top five essays will be awarded a Certificate of Merit.
• All participants shall be awarded with the ‘Certificate of Participation.

MISCELLANEOUS

• By participating in the Competition, the participant (s) agree to indemnify the organisers against all claims, suits, and damages based on allegations of copyright infringement, plagiarism, or unauthorised use.
• Any proven copyright infringement/plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.
• The organisers retain the right to recall any prize if it is later discovered that the submitted article suffered from copyright infringement/plagiarism.
• The article shall be considered the property of the SPIL, Mumbai, which reserves the right to publish it as deemed appropriate. Any further publication after the declaration of results will only be pursued with express permission from the organisers.
• Winners of the Competition authorise the organisers to use their names and photos, if required, to publicise the Competition and its results.
• The administration of the Competition, including determining the eligibility of participant (s) or article, evaluation of the article, and awarding of prizes, is within the sole and absolute discretion of the organisers.
• In situations not explicitly covered by the rules, the organisers’ decision shall be final and binding.

CONTACT DETAILS

For any further queries, please feel free to write to us at [email protected]

OR

Contact us at: Anuja: (+91) 9673234487