Law Student Writing Awards Program

The IIC sponsors an annual competition for full-time undergraduate students in Canadian Law Schools. The purpose of the IIC Law Student Writing Awards Program is to stimulate interest among law students in the research and development of papers based on corporate insolvency and restructuring topics and to recognize outstanding achievements in this endeavour.   

The awards program allows undergraduate students to research insolvency issues, develop ideas, and bring proposals for reform to the attention of the business and legal community.

The 2023 winning papers are below and past winning papers are available by request.

IIC 2023-2024 Law Student Writing Awards - Now Open

First, second and third prizes of $7,500, $5,000, and $2,500 will be awarded. 

Both the first-place winner and their faculty sponsor will be invited guests at the 2024 IIC Conference which will be held on September 26-29,2023 at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Scottsdale, Az. Complimentary conference registration (including accommodations) and travel costs will be provided.

If a co-authored paper is selected for first place, the division of the prize and the reimbursed travel costs will be entirely at the discretion of the winners.

Eligibility

  • The competition is open to law students in full-time undergraduate law programs at Canadian universities. Entries may be submitted in English or French.
  • Each student is limited to one entry. There is no limit to the number of entries that may be submitted from one university, but each paper must bear the endorsement of a law faculty member.
  • Papers must be no longer than 3,000 words (exclusive of footnotes) and must be typed. Papers may be jointly written.
  • Papers must be submitted electronically to the Executive Director at the email provided in the entry form by the deadline.
  • The paper must be focused on restructuring in an insolvency context.
 2024 Brochure and Entry Form


Congratulations to the 2023 Award Winners!

The IIC Board of Directors and the Judges Panel are pleased to announce the following student winners of the IIC 2023 Law Student Writing Awards:

Kieran Moloney
First Place
- $7,500

Osgoode Hall Law School - York University
Faculty Sponsor: Prof. Aubrey Kauffman
Paper: A Disorienting Plunge from the Ivory Tower: Laurentian University and the Future of Insolvency Proceedings for Publicly Funded Corporations (PFCs) in Canada

Kieran will be a guest of honour at the Saturday Gala Awards Dinner in the Grand Hall of the Canadian Museum of History on October 21, where he will be presented his prize and recognized for his outstanding accomplishment. He will be joined by his faculty sponsor, Prof. Aubrey Kauffman, FIIC.

Connor Jonsson
Second Place - $5,000

University of Manitoba
Faculty Sponsor: Prof. Virginia Torrie
Paper: From Pro Rata to Piecemeal: An Analysis of the Pension Protection Act

Nicholas Turco
Third Place - $2,500

Queen's University
Faculty Sponsor: Prof. Kevin McElcheran
Paper: Reverse Vesting Orders: An Inquiry into the Emerging Phenomenon and Surrounding Concerns

Congratulations to Kieran, Connor and Nicholas on their accomplishment!  Thank you to all the students who submitted their excellent papers for all their hard work, and to the faculty sponsors for their support of their students and the IIC Law Student Writing Awards Program. Information on the 2024 Law Student Writing Awards will be posted on the website in the coming weeks.

Thank you to the members of the Judging Panel for their hard work and dedication to the process.