NZLSA PAPER PRESENTATION COMPETITION
Research and write a legal essay on a topic of your choice and present it to a panel of Judges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the “Paper Presentation” competition?
A: The “Paper Presentation” competition involves competitors researching and writing a legal essay on a topic of their choice, and then presenting it to a panel of judges. The competition is designed to help law students develop their research, writing, and presentation skills.
Q: How does the competition work?
A: Competitors compete individually and the papers may be written on any legal topic, such as law reform, recent case law, or other legal issues. Participants can choose to write something specifically for the competition or reuse assignments they have already completed. The written papers should be 3,000-5,000 words long.
Q: What is the format of the competition?
A: The competition is divided into two rounds: a written paper round and an oral presentation round.
In the written paper round, participants are required to submit their research paper in advance of the competition. The written-component judges will mark the paper and provide competitors with a score.
In the oral presentation round, participants are required to present their paper to a panel of judges. The oral-component judges will mark competitors on their presentation skills, including speaking ability, delivery, and ability to respond to questions from the judges. Presentations should be up to 15 minutes long, followed by a 10-minute Q&A.
Q: What is the judging criteria?
A: Judges must fill in a mark sheet for each team and award each team a mark out of 100. These marks will be allocated as follows: written paper – up to 40 marks; development of the arguments in oral submissions – up to 20 marks; responding to questions from the Judge(s) – up to 20 marks; speaking ability and delivery – up to 20 marks.
Q: What are the prizes for the competition?
A: The prizes for the competition will be determined by the competition organizers and will be communicated to participants in advance. At the minimum, the winner of each university will attend the ALSA Conference in Sydney (Jul/Aug) and the NZLSA Conference (Aug/Sept).
Q: Do I need to reference?
A: Yes, your paper should follow the New Zealand Law Style Guide for referencing (footnotes are not included in the word count).
Q: Who is eligible to participate in the competition?
A: The competition is open to all law students who are currently enrolled in a law program at a New Zealand university.
Q: Who can I contact for more information?
A: You can contact the competition organizers at your law school or NZLSA for more information. Participating in the competition will enhance your research skills, communication, and provide an opportunity to meet judges and interact with LexisNexis.
Scoring Criteria:
Written paper /40
Development of the arguments in oral submissions /20
Responding to questions from the Judge(s) /20
Speaking ability and delivery /20
Total /100
Thank you to LexisNexis for sponsoring this year’s Paper Presentation
