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: Ms. JD

Last Chance to Win $1,000 by THIS FRIDAY [Work/Life Essay Contest with No Minimum Essay Length]

By Anna

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If you marked your calendar to write a few words about work/life balance, the clock is ticking... entries to win $1,000 are due this Friday, February 29th. Hey, "leap day" is an extra day in the month anyway, right? Take 10 minutes of it (or a bit more) to try for $1,000. The maximum word count is 1,500--and there's no minimum word count. Ms. JD and the Project for Attorney Retention just want to hear what you have to say.

Remember, the contest is open to attorneys as well as students. So all you working moms who post here--you could have $1,000 bucks extra for your child's education, just like that.

Here's the writing prompt (pasted below) and a link to the essay contest application.

Ms. JD and The Project for Attorney Retention promote work/life balance in the legal profession. When recent law school graduates push for more part time, flex time, or balanced hours, they are sometimes dismissed as "slackers." The message is: if you don't want to put in the work, pick another profession.

What would you say to a baby boomer law firm partner who thinks young lawyers are lazy and don't understand what the profession is all about? What would you say to a senior colleague who says she had to put in the work, so why shouldn't you? In short: what's your rationale for work/life balance reform in the legal profession?

You might contrast the work styles, lifestyles, or priorities of recent graduates with preceding generations of lawyers; compare the practice of law with other professions; assess the economics of work/life imbalances; or share persuasive personal experiences. Or, feel free to get creative and write us an argument unlike any of the examples we just mentioned.

Please limit your response to a maximum of 1500 words.
No minimum word count is required.

Your essay will be judged anonymously by a panel of distinguished, practicing attorneys. The judges include Joan C. Williams, Cynthia Thomas Calvert, Natalie Hiott-Levine, Linda Marks, Linda Bray Chanow, and Manar Morales. Good luck!

Full post as published by Ms. JD on February 27, 2008 (boomark / email).