Enter FFRF’s 2026 law student essay contest

FFRF is proud to offer, for the eighth consecutive year, its annual Stephen and Diane Uhl Memorial Law Student Essay Contest, with a top prize of $4,000!

If you are a current law school student at a North American school, we urge to write an essay on this topic and prompt:

Analyze how the principle of “parental rights” has changed.

In 2025, the Supreme Court extended Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972), citing it repeatedly in Mahmoud v. Taylor, where the court sided with religious parents who objected on religious grounds to public school instruction that included books with LGBTQ themes or characters.

In 1,500 words or less, analyze how the principle of “parental rights” changes from Yoder to Mahmoud. What other constitutional or societal interests might conflict with this expanded understanding of parental rights in the First Amendment context? Discuss how the court could or should balance these competing interests in future cases.

Deadline is Jan. 30, 2026.

The first-place winner will earn $4,000, second place $3,000 and third place $2,000. Any honorable mention(s) will get $500. The prizes are generously donated by the late Diane and Stephen Uhl.

All eligible entrants will also receive a full one-year complimentary student membership to FFRF, which includes a digital version of 10 issues of Freethought Today, FFRF’s newspaper (which publishes the winning student essays).

The grading of essays will be blinded to avoid unintentional bias. A selection of FFRF attorneys will be on the review panel.

The contest is open to all ongoing law school students attending a North American law school. You remain eligible to enter this contest if you will graduate from law school by spring or summer of 2026.

You are not eligible to enter if you will be starting law school for the first time in the fall of 2026. You may not reenter if FFRF has already awarded you for a law student essay.

Essay must be no longer than 1,500 words (not including footnotes), double spaced, standard margins, and font size 11 to 14 point. Include page numbers and the title of your essay on each page. Choose your own title. Indicate word length at end of essay. To apply, go to ffrf.us/lawessay2026.