VideoGameBarAssociation
2017WritingCompetitionSubmissionGuidelines
Goals:ThegoaloftheVideoGameBarAssociation(VGBA)WritingCompetitionistoencourageand
rewardstudentinterestinthefieldofinteractiveentertainmentlaw.Entrieswillbejudgedbasedon
writingquality,timelinessoftopic,insightofferedbysubmission,strengthofconclusion,andoverall
impression.
WhoMayEnter:Opentoanylawschoolstudentingoodstanding,overtheageof21,whoiscurrently
attendingalawschoolwithintheUnitedStatesorCanada.
Deadline:EntriesmustbereceivedbytheVGBAnolaterthanFebruary26,2017.
Entry:Toenter,submitanessayonacurrenttopicininteractiveentertainmentorvideogamelaw.
“Interactiveentertainmentlaw”or“videogamelaw”isabroadcategorycontainingnumerouspractice
disciplines.Withoutattemptingtodefinetheareaprecisely,thesubjectisintendedtoincludematters
suchas:IntellectualProperty,RightofPublicity,Compliance,PrivacyandDataSecurity,Business
Formation,andTaxation.Thejudgeswillinterpretthescopeofthesubjectbroadlytoensurethatthe
competitionaffordsthegreatestdegreeofflexibilityinwritingonthesesubjectareas.Entrantsare
encouragedtowriteonsubjectsofprofessionalinterest.Entrantsmustsubmittheirownoriginalessay.If
thewinningentryisfoundnottobeanoriginalitwillbedisqualifiedandanewwinnerwillbeselected.
Specifications:Entriesmustbesubmittedelectronically,asanattachmenttoanemailmessageto
[email protected],“WritingCompetitionEntry”,andsentinMicrosoftWordformat.
Essaysmustnotexceed5,000words,excludingfootnotes.Entrantsshouldwriteessaysthatengage
practitionersandoffersubstantialinsightintothefield.Emailsmustincludeacoverpageindicatingthe
titleoftheessay,thesubmitter’sfullname,lawschoolandexpectedyearofgraduation,mailingaddress,
e-mailaddress,andemploymentinformation(ifapplicable).
Prizes:Thefirst-placewinnerwillreceivea$2,500stipendaswellasround-tripairfare,accommodations,
andadmissiontoattendtheVGBA’s6thAnnualVideoGameLawSummit,May15-16,2017inLosAngeles.
ThiswinningsubmissionwillbepublishedintheVideoGameLawSummitmaterialsbook.Nosubstitutions
forprizeswillbepermitted,exceptatthesponsor’sdiscretion.Anytaxesaretheresponsibilityofthe
winners.Inadditiontotheprizesnotedabove,TheSpiveyConsultingGroup,willalsoprovidetenhoursof
freeemploymentconsultingandjobsearchservicestothewinner.
Judging:Theentrieswillbejudgedbasedontheoverallqualityofthepaper,includingsignificanceofthe
topictothefield,originalityandcreativityoftopictreatment,qualityofanalysis,andtechnicalqualityof
writing.AwinnerwillbeselectedpriortoMay,2017,byapanelofVGBAmembers.Thedecisionofthe
judgesshallbefinal.TheVGBAshallnotifythewinnerbyemail.
Restrictions:Voidwhereprohibited.Onlypreviouslyunpublishedessaysareeligible.Essayspreparedfor
lawschoolcreditareeligibleprovidedtheyaretheentrant’soriginalwork.Eachentryshallbetheoriginal
workofasingleindividual.TheVGBAgivesnoguaranteethattherewillbewinner(s).
Submission:EntriesmustbesubmittedelectronicallyinPDFformat,asanattachmenttoanemail
[email protected],“WritingCompetitionEntry”.
VideoGameBarAssociation
6303OwensmouthAvenue|10thFloor|WoodlandHills,California|91367
www.vgba.org
VideoGameBarAssociation
2017WritingCompetitionRules
(1)Thecompetitionisopento(i)candidatesforaJ.D.degreeattendinglawschoolswithintheUnited
StatesanditspossessionsasofNovember30,2016,(ii)candidatesforaJ.D.orL.L.B.degreeattendinglaw
schoolswithintheCanadaanditspossessionsasofNovember30,2016,and(ii)LL.Mcandidatesattending
lawschoolswithintheUnitedStatesanditspossessionsasofSeptember30,2016.
(2)Tobeeligibletoparticipate,asofNovember30,2016,allentrantsmustbe:(i)21orover;and(ii)
citizensorpermanentlegalresidentsoftheUnitedStatesorCanada.
(3)Papersshouldaddressatopicalissueofinteresttotheinteractiveentertainmentandvideogamelaw
community.
(4)Unpublishedpaperspreparedforlawschoolcreditareeligibleforentryinthecompetition.Papersthat
havebeenpublishedpriortoNovember30,2016arenoteligibleforthecompetition.Paperssubmitted
forpublicationarenoteligibleforthecompetition.
(5)EligibilitydeterminationswillbemadebytheeditorialboardoftheVideoGameBarAssociation;all
decisionsregardingeligibilityarefinal.
(6)Jointpapersarenotacceptable.
(7)Eachentryshallbetheoriginalworkofasingleindividual.Multiplesubmissionsareacceptable;
however,eachauthorwillonlybeeligibleforoneaward.Ifanentryisfoundnottobeanoriginalitwillbe
disqualified.
(8)Allauthorsmustcertify(a)thatthepapersubmittedistheauthor’sworkproductwithoutsubstantial
editingbyothers,and(b)thatthepapersubmittedhasnotbeenpublishedinmedia,norsubmittedfor
publication.
(9)Papersmustbe8-1/2”x11,”double-spaced,andtypedin12-pointfont,andlessthan5,000words
excludingcitedmaterialandfootnotes.
(10)Informationcollectedwithpapersubmissions,includingnameandemail,willbeusedtocontact
winningauthor.NamesandemailswillalsobeaddedtotheVideoGameBarAssociationmailinglist.Ifan
authorwouldprefernottobeaddedtothemailinglist,theauthorshouldspecify“ForNotification
PurposesOnly”onthetitlepage.Authorsmayunsubscribefromthemailinglistatanytimebyeither
[email protected].
(11)PapersshallconformtothemostrecenteditionofTheBluebook.
(12)Authorsshallincludenoidentifyinginformationinoronanypageofthepapersubmission,asidefrom
thetitlepage.Allpapersmustprovidethefollowinginformationonthetitlepage:
(i)title;(ii)author’sfullname;(iii)emailaddress;(iv)mailingaddress;(v)author’syearinschooland
expectedgraduationdate;(vi)lawschool;and(vii)currentemploymentinformation(ifapplicable).
VideoGameBarAssociation
6303OwensmouthAvenue|10thFloor|WoodlandHills,California|91367
www.vgba.org
(13)Copiesmustbesubmittedbye-mailinMicrosoftWordformattothefollowingaddress:Suzanne
Jackiw,ProjectManager,VideoGameBarAssociation,[email protected].
(14)Allentriesmustbereceivedby11:59p.m.EasternTimeZoneonFebruary26,2017.
(15)TheentrieswillbejudgedbyanimpartialpanelofjudgesmadeupofmembersoftheVideoGame
BarAssociation.Entrieswillbejudgedbasedontheoverallqualityofthepaper,includingclarityofthe
themeorthesispresented,significanceofthetopictothefield,originalityandcreativityoftopic
treatment,qualityofanalysis,qualityofresearchandauthorityprovided,andtechnicalqualityofwriting,
includingorganization,grammar,syntaxandform.
(16)AwinnerwillbeselectedandnotifiedbyApril15,2017.Thefirst-placewinnerwillreceivea$2,500
stipendaswellasround-tripairfare,accommodations,andadmissiontoattendtheVGBA’s6thAnnual
VideoGameLawSummit,May15-16,2017inLosAngeles.ThewinningentrymaybedistributedtoVideo
GameBarAssociationmembersorpublished.Thefirst-placewinnermayalsobeannouncedontheVideo
GameBarAssociationwebsite.Asaconditionofreceivinganycashaward,thewinnermustsubmita
completedW-9.Winnersareresponsibleforalltaxesassociatedwithreceivinganaward.Nosubstitutions
forprizeswillbepermitted,exceptatthesponsor’sdiscretion.
(17)Judgesmaywithholdsomeoralloftheawardsifthesubmissionsarenotofnotablequality.
(18)WinningentrieswillbeconsideredforpublicationordistributiontoVideoGameBarAssociation
members;however,publicationanddistributiondecisionsaremadeindependentofthewriting
competitionandthereisnoguaranteethatawinningentrywillbepublishedordistributed.Winnersmust
relinquishallrightstotheVideoGameBarAssociationtoreproduceentriesinanymediumandwithout
restriction.Byentering,thewinnersgivetheVideoGameBarAssociationtherighttoreproduceanyentry
materialsubmittedinanymediumwithouttime,use,orterritoriallimitations.
(19)Allexpensesinvolvedinpreparingandsubmittinganentryaretheentrant’sresponsibility.
(20)Voidwhereprohibited.
SPONSOR:
VideoGameBarAssociation
6303OwensmouthAve.
10thFloor
WoodlandHills,CA91367
VideoGameBarAssociation
6303OwensmouthAvenue|10thFloor|WoodlandHills,California|91367
www.vgba.org