The Federal Bar Association invites submissions for the 2025 Honorable Constance Baker Motley Young Professional Essay Competition, which honors the legacy of Judge Motley—the first African American woman appointed to the federal judiciary and a pioneering advocate for civil rights, justice, and inclusion. Participants are asked to submit original, unpublished essays of 500 words or fewer in response to the 2025 Submission Question: What strategies can current and future legal practitioners use to promote, achieve, and sustain diversity, equity, and inclusion in federal practice in accord with Judge Motley’s legacy of challenging systemic barriers to civil rights, equal access, and justice? This year’s prompt draws inspiration from Judge Motley’s decision in Ludtke v. Kuhn, 461 F. Supp. 86 (S.D.N.Y. 1978), in which she ruled that barring female sports reporters from post-game locker room access violated the Equal Protection Clause. Submissions must be the sole, original work of the author, not generated by AI, and cannot be previously published or co-authored. The deadline is Friday, May 9, 2025, at 5:00 pm EDT, and entries must be submitted in Word format. Awards include $1,000 and publication in The Federal Lawyer for first place, with $500, $250, and $100 prizes for second place, third place, and honorable mention, respectively, and featured publication on the FBA Blog. For full competition details, eligibility, and to submit your entry, please visit: https://www.fedbar.org/the-hon-constance-baker-motley-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-young-member-essay-writing-competition.
Posted: April 29, 2025