Awards & Fellowships
Each year, the Law School honors its students with various awards for accomplishment in moot court competitions, academic achievement, leadership, and various types of service to the school, the legal profession, or the local community. In addition, each year, the Law School offers students fellowship funding for various legal work. There are also separate faculty and staff award and fellowship opportunities.
Competition Awards
- Austin W. Scott, Jr. Award: Awarded in recognition of excellence in oral argument in the Rothgerber Moot Court Competition.
- Jim R. Carrigan Cup: This trial advocacy competition award is in honor of federal district court Judge Carrigan to recognize his distinguished career and to assist law students chosen to participate in the national trial competition.
- Rothgerber Appellate Competition Awards: Awarded for brief writing and oral argument in the Rothgerber Moot Court Competition.
Fellowships
- Bussian Fellowship for International Law and Dispute Resolution: Established in 2010 by CU alum Robert Bussian, the Bussian Fellowship provides funding for CU law students to pursue summer opportunities in the fields of international law and dispute resolution. Fellowships range from up to $3000 per student and are awarded on the basis of academic achievement, demonstrated interest in the field and financial need.
- Charles N. Woodruff Fellowship: Established by the Boulder law firm of Moses, Wittemyer, Harrison and Woodruff in memory of alumnus Charles Woodruff '67 who grew up in Walden, Colorado, and became a highly successful water resources lawyer. This fellowship promotes excellence in the practice of natural resources law and is awarded to a student from rural Colorado who demonstrates academic excellence and functions as an intern in the Natural Resources Law Center. Administered by Colorado Law’s Office of Financial Aid.
- The Environmental Law Society Summer Fellowship: Awarded to an active ELS member to participate in low-paid or unpaid summer internships for non-profit groups, non-governmental organizations, or government organizations that relate to environmental and natural resources law and policy. Administered by the ELS faculty advisor.
- Jonathon B. Chase Human Rights Fellowship: Provides a stipend to a law student to enable the student to engage in legal work during the summer on behalf of the disadvantaged or on legal matters that raise important human rights issues. The fellowship was established in 1988 in memory of Chase, a former member of the Law School faculty and a former dean of the Vermont Law School. Administered by Colorado Law’s Office of Career Development.
- Public Interest Student Association Summer Fellowship: Provides funds to Colorado Law students who work for the public interest, providing legal aid and promoting access to the justice system for the most disenfranchised and underrepresented members of society.
- The Sandgrund Environmental Law Fellowship: Awarded for the most impressive combination of academic achievement, past commitment to environmental protection and an enthusiasm for exploring and making environmental protection-related activities part of his or her future. The fellow must work for a “bona-fide, non-profit environmental protection advocacy group … that works to protect the earth’s environment and natural resources.” The fund was created with an endowment from alumnus Ron Sandgrund '82. Administered by the ELS faculty advisor.
- Women's Law Caucus Fellowship: Offered to law students addressing issues affecting women.
Academic and Leadership Awards
- ALI-ABA Scholarship and Leadership Award: Graduate in the law school who best represents a combination of scholarship and leadership qualities embodied by the ALI-ABA parent organizations, the American Law Institute and the American Bar Association.
- Don W. Sears Award: Awarded by the faculty in honor of former Dean Don W. Sears to students in each of the school’s three classes who have made the greatest contribution to the classroom learning experience in each academic year.
- Edward C. King Award: Awarded by the faculty in honor of former Dean Edward C. King to recognize the student(s) whose outstanding leadership and achievement exemplify the ideals that Dean King did so much to encourage.
- Gary C. Bryner Award for Civic Engagement in Natural Resources Policy: The award is given each year by the Natural Resources Law Center to a third-year law student whose conduct and contributions to solving natural resources problems best reflect the ideals shown by Gary Bryner throughout the course of his career. Bryner contributed to open dialogue, critical assessment, and fair-minded debate in resolving natural resource and environmental policy issues. He has been a friend and colleague who has taught us the virtue of thoughtfulness, kindness, and patience in carrying out our work.
- Irving P. Andrews Award: Award to recognize outstanding achievement by a black graduate. Established by the Sam Cary Bar Association in honor of Irving P. Andrews, a prominent black lawyer distinguished for his scholarship and tenacity in the defense of human rights.
- Joel H. Greenstein - Colorado Trial Lawyers Association Award: Awarded to graduates of Advanced Trial Advocacy courses for excellence in trial performance. Established by the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association in honor of the late Joel H. Greenstein, an alumnus and Boulder attorney.
- Legal Clinic Awards: Awarded to graduating students for outstanding commitment and service to the Clinical Education Program and its client in the categories of criminal and civil programs.
- Meritorious Student Award: Awarded by the third-year class to the third-year student who contributed the most to the law school community over the course of their legal studies.
- Natural Resources Award: Established in 1993, honors outstanding scholarship and service in natural resources and environmental law, and is presented by the Natural Resources Law Center and the natural resources and environmental Colorado Law faculty.
- Natural Resources Law Center Outstanding Student Award: Established in 2009, recognizes and acknowledges a student who has made an outstanding contribution to the Center’s work and whose association with the Center has been marked by a generous spirit.
- Outstanding Asian Pacific American Law Graduate: Awarded to one graduating student who has shown dedication and service to the Asian Pacific American community, a commitment to diversity, and leadership ability.
- Outstanding Latina/o Graduate: Awarded to recognize the graduating Latina/o student who exemplifies characteristics that every person should hope to attain. Established by the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association and the Latino Law Student Association.
- Sandgrund Award for Best Consumer Rights Work: The Sandgrund Award is intended to encourage and reward writings by Colorado Law students and faculty that advance the field of consumer rights, especially the rights of homeowners, and to reward writing excellence. The initial $100,000 Sandgrund Fund provides funding for two awards, one for students and one for faculty. Each of the awards is to be paid and conferred every two years, assuming qualified recipients are identified. Click here for more information.
- Student Bar Association—Lifetime Achievement Award
- Student Bar Association—Sutcliffe Distinguished Service Award: Awarded to a law student who has distinguished herself or himself by outstanding dedication and service to the law school community. Established by the Class of 1995 in memory of David Sutcliffe, a second-year Colorado law student who died in 1993 when a gunman entered the San Francisco law office where he was a paralegal and began shooting.
- West Publishing Company Book Awards: Awarded annually to the student who has achieved the highest scholastic average for the academic year.
- Women’s Law Caucus Award: Award to the graduate who contributed the most to women’s issues during their law school careers.
- Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy
- James N. Corbridge Initiative Award: Awarded by the Journal members and editors to the third-year student who has shown outstanding leadership and exceptional contributions to the Journal.
- Writing Award: Awarded by the Journal members and editors in recognition of those graduates who have made outstanding writing contributions to the Journal.
- Journal of Telecommunications and High Technology Law
- Stephen William Leadership Award: Named for the Honorable Stephen William, who was an esteemed professor at Colorado Law before being appointed as a judge on the D.C. Circuit, this award is presented by the editors of the Journal to a third-year student for outstanding scholarship, leadership, and contribution to the Journal.
- Writing Award: Sponsored by Faegre and Benson, this award is presented to the student who contributes a student note in the fields of technology or entrepreneurship, and law to the Journal.
- University of Colorado Law Review
- Courtland H. Peterson Leadership Award: Annual award by the editors of the Law Review to a third-year student for outstanding scholarship, leadership, and contribution to the Review.
- Courtland H. Peterson Writing Award: Established by the Law Review in 1978 in honor of former Dean Peterson, in recognition of the graduating member of the Review who has written the most outstanding comment or casenote published in the Review.
