Law Day Essay Contest

The 2026 Toledo Bar Association Caty Armstrong Memorial Law Day Essay Contest

For Students in Grades 7 through 12 

THIS YEAR'S ESSAY QUESTION: The Rule of Law and the American Dream

The rule of law—the idea that no person is above the law—is what ensures the rights of the people to live their lives as freely as possible and to pursue their dreams. The ABA encourages all Americans to recognize Law Day on May 1, 2026, and to reflect on how the rule of law ensures all Americans have the ability to fulfill their dreams.

Introduction: From the nation's earliest days, the promise of America has been rooted in the idea that all people are equal under the law. The 2026 Law Day theme, "The Rule of Law and the American Dream," highlights how our constitutional framework protects the rights and freedoms that allow each person to pursue their own path. By ensuring that no one is above the law, our system promotes fairness, stability, and opportunity. this year, we invite students to consider how the rule of law helps turn aspirations into reality.

Please choose ONE of the following prompts: 

1) How does the rule of law protect individual rights and ensure that everyone has a fair chance to pursue the American Dream?

2) What challenges threaten the rule of law today, and how might those challenges affect opportunities for future generations?

3) What responsibilities do citizens have to help uphold the rule of law, and how do those responsibilities support the American Dream?

Each essay will be judged based upon format, clarity, style, reasoning, creativity and overall effort.

Please submit your entry by 3:30 PM, Friday, February 27, 2026 to the Toledo Bar Association.

• Mail:
  311 N. Superior St. 
  Toledo, Ohio 43604
• Fax: 419-242-3614
• Email (see Rule 5): rflippo@toledobar.org

Entries in the Law Day Essay Contest will be grouped into three divisions.

• DIVISION I: 11th & 12th Grades
• DIVISION II: 9th & 10th Grades
• DIVISION III: 7th & 8th Grades

Winning entrants and their parents and teachers will receive an invitation to attend the Toledo Bar Association's Law Day Luncheon. First Place winners in each Division will have their essays published on the TBA Website.

CASH PRIZES FOR EACH DIVISION:

• 1st Place: $450.00
• 2nd Place: $300.00
• 3rd Place: $200.00

CONTEST RULES:

1. Each essay must be 500 words or fewer, typed, and double spaced, one sided or neatly handwritten. The title, citations, footnotes, and bibliography will be excluded from the 500 word limit. DO NOT STAPLE THE ESSAY; instead, please use a paper clip.
    
2. Each student may submit only one entry.
    
3. All entries are to be reviewed by the student’s teacher or parent (if home schooled).
    
4. Each entry MUST include a cover sheet indicating the student's name, home address, telephone number, the teacher's name, the school name, address and phone number and teacher’s email address if applicable. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON ANY PAGE EXCEPT THE COVER SHEET. Download the coversheet here.
    
5. Deadline for entries is Friday, February 27, 2026, at 3:30 PM Entries must be received via regular mail, fax or email at the Toledo Bar Association, 311 N. Superior Street, Toledo, Ohio 43604-1421; fax: 419-242-9363; rflippo@toledobar.org on or before that date. If an entry is sent via email, information requested on cover sheet MUST be included. EMAILED SUBMISSIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN PDF OR WORD FORMAT AS AN ATTACHMENT.
    
6. The Toledo Bar Association will select the finalists in each division. Essays will be judged on format, clarity, style, reasoning, creativity and overall effort.
    
7. Submitted entries cannot be returned. The Toledo Bar Association retains the right to reproduce any essays submitted, in whole or in part

For additional information, call Rachel Flippo at the Toledo Bar Association at 419-242-9363.

The History of Law Day

Law Day was established by President Eisenhower in 1958 to honor the law and will be celebrated by bar associations and the legal profession nationwide.

The essay contest for students has been an integral part of Law Day festivities for many years. This annual contest encourages youth to explore our legal system and the relationship between laws and our rights and freedoms. The Toledo Bar Association contest was named the Caty Armstrong Law Day Essay Contest after Caty’s tragic death in an automobile accident in 1993 just weeks after she was recognized as an essay contest winner.