Entries open for TY legal-essay competition
The Law Society is inviting transition-year (TY) students to enter the national Gráinne O’Neill Memorial Legal Essay Competition.
Students are asked to submit a 1,500-word essay examining the topic ‘Protecting Voices, Preventing Harm: Legal Challenges in Online Freedom of Speech’ by Friday 21 November.
Now in its fourth year, the national competition aims to inspire young people’s legal learning by encouraging students from a wide range of backgrounds to consider contemporary justice issues.
The competition is part of the Law Society’s work to widen access to legal education.
Last year, there were entries from 350 students from 52 schools across 16 counties.
Gráinne O’Neill
The competition honours the life and legacy of the late Judge Gráinne O’Neill, who became the youngest judge in Ireland when she was appointed to the District Court in 2014.
She died in 2018 following a period of illness. During her life and, especially, during her years as a judge, she worked diligently to apply the law in a fair, rigorous and compassionate manner.
President of the Law Society Eamon Harrington said: “The Gráinne O’Neill Memorial Legal Essay Competition is just one of the Law Society’s many school outreach programmes aimed at expanding access to the law and legal education for young people.
‘Timely topic’
“The legal profession is evolving, and we are committed to supporting this change and widening access to legal careers for the next generation of solicitors.
“With this timely essay topic, we encourage students to explore the law and their legal rights and responsibilities while considering freedom of speech.”
The President also highlighted the Law Society’s range of student initiatives, which include Solicitors of the Future, Street Law, and Legal Ambitions.
Hazel Barrett (Presentation Secondary School, Listowel) was .
“The competition gave me a chance to learn more about the law and learn how the legal system can be used to protect people and uphold equal rights,” she said.
More information is available on the Law Society website.