IDIA-ICUL Essay Writing Competition

ABOUT NLU JODHPUR

National Law University Jodhpur (NLUJ) is one of India’s leading Law Schools situated at the vibrant and colourful city of Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Since its establishment in 1999, NLUJ has endeavoured to produce exceptional lawyers and legal scholars aimed at pushing and challenging the existing boundaries of knowledge. NLUJ attracts students coming from diverse social, cultural and religious backgrounds from all corners of India. NLUJ is committed to the advancement of knowledge and learning and is striving to become a centre for excellence in legal studies. It is dedicated to churning out committed lawyers of highest academic and professional standards and producing top quality legal scholars.

ABOUT IDIA RAJASTHAN

Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access to Legal Education (IDIA) is a non-profit organisation working in India which aims to empower underprivileged children by giving them access to quality legal education. It was initially started by late Prof. (Dr.) Shamnad Basheer in the year 2010 from West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences. It is a pan-Indian, student-run movement to train underprivileged students and help them transform into leading lawyers and community advocates.

The IDIA Rajasthan Chapter, led by students from the National Law University, Jodhpur, operates with more than 67 volunteers. Engaging in training sessions for law entrance exams, hosting fundraising activities, and organizing events across the state of Rajasthan, the chapter underscores IDIA’s dedication to social responsibility and the advancement of accessible legal education.

ABOUT IC UNIVERSAL LEGAL

IC Universal Legal is a full-service law firm that provides comprehensive guidance and assistance to clients in navigating the dynamic interplay of various laws and regulations. With a focus on the volatile global investment climate and changing business landscape, they offer effective and strategic advice. The firm has a successful track record of handling transactions of significant ticket sizes and is widely recognized as India’s leading law firm in the financial services legal-regulatory space. Global ranking agencies have acclaimed them for their domain expertise, consistency, and commitment to client service.

IN COLLABORATION WITH NLUJ LAW REVIEW BLOG

The inception of the NLU Jodhpur Law Review Blog in 2023 marked a significant milestone in the academic landscape of legal scholarship. Established under the esteemed flagship journal of NLU Jodhpur Law Review, this digital platform has swiftly emerged as a cornerstone for the exchange of ideas, insights, and analyses within the legal fraternity. With its dynamic interface and rigorous editorial standards, the blog provides a space where legal luminaries, scholars, practitioners, and students converge to explore emerging legal trends, dissect pivotal case law, and deliberate on pressing socio-legal issues. As a testament to its commitment to academic excellence and innovation, the blog continues to uphold its reputation as a premier destination for legal thought leadership, making invaluable contributions to the advancement of legal scholarship and practice.

ABOUT THE ESSAY COMPETITION

IDIA Rajasthan Chapter is thrilled to announce its inaugural Essay Writing Competition in partnership with IC Universal Legal. The collaboration aims to bring together legal minds in a collective effort to delve into the contemporary issues of law. Funds raised through this competition will contribute to the IDIA Charitable Trust, supporting its impactful initiatives.

In addition to the noble cause, participants stand a chance to win exciting prizes. The competition offers attractive rewards, including cash prizes and an esteemed internship opportunity at IC Universal Legal for the winning author(s). These incentives not only recognize outstanding contributions but also encourage participants to engage actively in exploring and presenting their perspectives on the crucial theme of corporate governance.

THEMES OF THE ESSAY COMPETITION

A. Emerging Trends in Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions

Zee-Song Merger Collapse: A Dramatic Saga
New Merger Control Regime in India: What Lies Ahead?
Competitive Concerns in Reliance-Disney Merger

B. Recent Developments in the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Law

Cross Border Insolvency in India: Challenges and Solution with the Case Study
Interplay of IBC and Competition Law
Inherent powers of the NCLT to recall an Insolvency Resolution Plan

C. Artificial Intelligence and it’s Interplay with Law

IPR Concerns of AI-created works
Interplay of Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 with AI
Intersection of AI and Antitrust

D. Exploring Modern Avenues for Dispute Resolution

Third Party Funding in Domestic Arbitration
Novel Contours of Group of Companies Doctrine in India
Pre-litigation Mediation in the aftermath of Mediation Act, 2023

E. Securties Market reforms and their impact on fund raising in India

The future outlook for AIFs under SEBI’s regulatory oversight
SEBI’s protection measures for AIF investors;
Role of institutional investors in the Indian investment landscape

Disclaimer

These topics are merely indicative & non-exhaustive in nature.
Submission should deal with relevant and contemporary legal and policy issues under the broad themes provided herein.
Manuscripts that have already been submitted or published elsewhere must not be submitted.

Eligibility Criteria

All students pursuing bachelor’s degree in law i.e. three year LL.B./five year LL.B. or a post graduate course from any law school/university/college recognised by the Bar Council of India are eligible to participate in the Competition.

Prizes

Prize Money: Top 3 winning entries will be awarded the following exciting prizes:

Winner: Rs. 25,000
First Runner-Up: Rs. 15,000
Second Runner-Up: Rs. 10,000

Publication with NLUJ Law Review Blog: The winning essay will also be published in the wellreputed NLU Jodhpur Law Review Blog

Internship with IC Universal Legal: Top Three winning entries of the Competition will also get the opportunity to intern with IC Universal Legal

NOTE THE DATES

Commencement of Registration: March 21, 2024

Last date of Registration: April 10, 2024

Last date for Submission: May 10, 2024

Declaration of Winner/ Results: July 31, 2024

Terms & Conditions

The winning essay will be published by NLUJLR Blog subject to its detailed review process. The author will be required to fully cooperate with the Editorial Board and will have to incorporate changes as deemed fit by them.
The internships with IC Universal Legal would be provided for a period of 4 weeks. IDIA will initially connect ICUL and the winners, post which they will have to coordinate amongst themselves to schedule the dates, location and other details of the internship.
Neither IDIA nor NLUJ can be held responsible for the performance or behaviour of the winners during the course of their internship

Submission Guidelines

Formatting Guidelines
Font and size of main text and footnote: Times New Roman, 12 point for main text, and Times New Roman, 10 point for footnotes.
Size and alignment: A4 Size with 1 Inch Margin; all text except headings should be justified. Footnoting: The participant has to adopt the OSCOLA [4th ed.] format of citation uniformly throughout the document.
Spacing: Submission should be 1.5 spaced (except footnotes which may be single-spaced).
Word limit: The word limit for the submission is 2000 – 3000 words (excluding footnotes).
Plagiarism: Any submission found to be plagiarised beyond 25% shall be disqualified.
Anonymity: Participant shall not include his/her name in the submission’s text in any form.
Co-Authorship: Co-authorship, up to two authors, is allowed. Submissions shall be made in MS-Word format (.doc/.docx) only.
The article submitted must be exclusively in English.
Copyright of the submission shall remain with IDIA Rajasthan Chapter.
In case of any conflicts, IDIA Rajasthan Chapter shall be the final authority on the guidelines.
The manuscripts need to be submitted through Google form only (The same can be accessed at last page). Submissions made by any other means shall not be considered.
Submission and publication of manuscripts that purposefully target or intend to harm the religious, sociocultural, and/or political sentiments of any reasonable reader are strictly prohibited.
Submission should deal with relevant and contemporary legal and policy issues under the broad themes provided herein.
The submissions must strictly be limited to legal analysis of the given themes