The International Law Section sponsors this annual essay contest as part of its commitment to provide information and guidance on international human rights issues to Texas lawyers and law students. The contest is open to any U.S. law student with a personal or essay nexus to Texas (e.g. Texas law school, Texas resident, topic addressing Texas, etc.).
A first-place prize of $1,500 will be awarded for the best entry as judged by representatives from the Section. If sufficient entries are received, second and third place prizes may also be given. The winner(s) will also be publicly recognized at a Section sponsored event. Additionally, essay(s) may be offered publication in the Section’s International Newsletter.
Submissions are due March 15, 2025 on or before 11:59 PM (Central Standard Time) prior to the Annual Institute and should be sent by email attachment to Diana Marin at admin@ilstexas.org. The email should have the subject header “State Bar of Texas International Law Section Writing Contest” and contain the contact information for the author(s). The contestant’s name and other identifying markings such as school name are not to be listed in the attachment.
The essay may address any aspect of international human rights law that the contestant chooses. There are no minimum or maximum word limits, and papers should be double-spaced, with twelve-point font and one-inch margins in a Microsoft Word or similar format.
The first-place winner will be required to submit a completed W-9 form prior to receiving the award and is responsible for all taxes associated with the award. The ideas and work reflected by each entry must be the author’s or author’s own. This contest is governed by U.S. law and all relevant federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. The winner will be required to submit proof of eligibility.
The State Bar of Texas International Law Section is proud to announce that Hannah Askew is this year’s winner of the Thomas H. Wilson Scholarship Award for her winning essay titled, “Russia’s Forcible Transfer and Deportation of Ukrainian Children.”
Hannah is currently a J.D. / M.B.A. candidate at SMU Dedman School of Law & Cox School of Business and will be graduating in 2026.
Originally from San Antonio, she attended UTSA for her undergraduate studies where she double majored in politics/law and psychology.
Hannah will receive a $1,500 cash prize and her essay will be published in a future issue of the section’s International Newsletter.
Named in honor of the late Thomas H. Wilson, a distinguished member of the Texas legal community and former chair of the International Law Section (2018-2019), this scholarship is awarded annually to deserving law students. Recipients are selected based on their submission of a compelling essay on any topic within the realm of human rights law.
“Hannah’s essay was well regarded by our judges and stood out even amongst our strongest field of submissions ever,” said Joshua Newcomer, chair of the section’s International Human Rights Committee, which oversees the scholarship program.
Summary of Hannah’s winning essay: The International Criminal Court (ICC) charged President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, his children’s rights commissioner, with war crimes for unlawfully transferring Ukrainian children to Russia since the 2022 invasion. The ICC issued arrests warrants for Putin and Lvova-Belova, yet no arrests have been made and the issue is ongoing. While the warrants pressured Russia to return some children, more action is needed from national governments and international organizations to hold accountable those responsible for the children’s forced transfer and adoption. The paper outlines the routes of transfer, Russification of children, ICC’s involvement, ongoing efforts for accountability, and recommendations for action.
2024
Hannah Askew
SMU Dedman School of Law“
Russia’s Forcible Transfer and Deportation of Ukrainian Children”
2023
Shelby Lepley
SMU Dedman School of Law
“Fighting With Food: Prosecuting The War Crime of Starvation”
2022
Diana Dimon
SMU Dedman School of Law
“Continuing Crimes Under the Rome Statute”
2021
Rylie Hayes
SMU Dedman School of Law
“Forced Marriage Reform in the International Criminal Law”
2020
Breanta Boss
SMU Dedman School of Law
“Penance and Punishment: Seeking Reparations from Truth-Commissions & Trials”
2019
Chantal Carriere
University of Houston School of Law
“Mind the Gap: Domestic Liability for Corporate Human Rights Violations in the US and Abroad”
2018
Nicola S. Hines
SMU Dedman School of Law
“Unit 731: Justice Long Overdue”
The State Bar of Texas International Law Section (ILS) announces that Shelby Lepley, a 2024 Juris Doctorate Candidate of SMU Dedman School of Law, took first place in its annual Human Rights Essay Contest.
Lepley’s winning essay titled, “Fighting with Food: Prosecuting The War Crime of Starvation,” was published in the 2023 Spring/Summer issue of the ILS International Newsletter and earned her a $1,500 cash prize.
Lepley was recognized at the 32nd Annual Institute held April 20, 2024 at the SMU Rowling Center for Business Law & Leadership in Dallas.
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