The Illinois State Bar Association invites YLD members to share their hard-won knowledge, and maybe win $2,000 in prize money by entering the Annual Lincoln Award Legal Writing Contest.

We're looking for useful, practical articles on topics important to practicing lawyers. The highest scores will go to manuscripts that Illinois lawyers can use in their practices, written in a no-nonsense, plain-English style.

If you're an ISBA lawyer member under age 36 as of July 1, 2015 or admitted to the bar fewer than five years as of that date, you're eligible to compete for a share of the $3,500 in Lincoln Award prize money and a handsome plaque for your office. And even if you don't win, yours may be among the many Lincoln Award entries to appear in the Illinois Bar Journal.

The deadline for filing a notice to enter the contest is July 15, 2015; use our online form. A brief outline of the article must be submitted on or before August 15, 2015; email the outline to Jean Fenski at jfenski@isba.org. The final deadline for manuscripts is noon Thursday, October 1, 2015; manuscripts should be emailed by noon to Jean Fenski at jfenski@isba.org.

The contest is sponsored by and for members of the Young Lawyers Division. A distinguished panel of judges will evaluate the entries. Please read the contest rules at http://www.isba.org/ibj/lincolnwritingaward