The finest law school writers of 2026 have been selected by the Burton Awards, a national nonprofit program co-sponsored by the American Bar Association.
Among this year’s honorees is Stephanie Smith (J.D. `25), whose paper “Labor of Love, or Profit?: How the Parental Rights Argument Threatens to Upend Child Labor Regulation in America” was selected for recognition. The paper examines how a parent’s fundamental right to dictate the upbringing of their child is being used to undermine child labor laws and how recent legislative changes are framed as protecting parental rights while being driven by lobbyists and corporate interests that benefit from child labor, particularly among poor and migrant communities.
The 15 selected authors will be presented with the Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Awards on June 1. They were chosen from nominations submitted by the nation’s top law schools. William Burton, founder and chair of the awards program, said, “The winners are truly exceptional writers. They exceeded our greatest expectations, and we congratulate all of them for receiving the honor.”
The Academic Board, which reviewed articles published within the past year, was led by Virginia Wise, chair, formerly of Harvard Law School; Kristen K. Tiscione, Georgetown Law Center; Lindsay Sturges Saffouri, UC Berkeley School of Law; and William Ryan, director of communications, Library of Congress; and Burton.
The Burton Awards, established in 1999, is funded by the Burton Foundation, a nonprofit organization and academic effort devoted to recognizing and rewarding excellence in the legal profession. The Burton Awards were established to honor the finest accomplishments in law, including writing, reform, public service, including members of the military and executive branch of the government, and lifetime achievements in the profession.
The awards program will celebrate its 27th anniversary at the Library of Congress. Political columnist George Will will serve as the master of ceremonies. The awards ceremony will be followed by a reception, a gala and a performance.