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Description

Each year, our organization presents AALA Scholarship Awards, which are intended to recognize and encourage scholarly work of AALA members. Three categories of Professional Scholarship Awards may be presented: 1) academic work (journals, articles, etc.); 2) court briefs and amicus briefs that cover a specific agricultural topic or legal analysis; and 3) agricultural law scholarship presented through digital formats that reach audiences beyond traditional academic and legal publications. This category acknowledges the growing importance of digital media in legal education and analysis.

An individual may receive this award more than once, but a wait period of five years is required for each category.

Membership in AALA is not required.

Criteria

In selecting professional winners, the AALA awards committee considers criteria including the excellence in quality of writing, the relevance to important legal issues in agriculture, broadly defined, the clarity of analysis, the potential effects, and other attributes of scholarship.

Academic articles on an agricultural topic:

• Journals
• Articles
• Other published materials

Court briefs and amicus briefs:

• Thorough analysis or discussion on an agricultural topic and/or notable result

Digital Agricultural media:

• Blogs and legal commentary
• Social media campaigns with substantive legal content
• Interactive digital resources
• Infographics and visual legal explanations
• Vlogs, webinars, explainer videos, podcasts, and audio series

Where to Submit

Please use this Nomination Form and email it along with any relevant information to info@aglaw-assn.org with the name of the award in the subject line. The deadline is September 16.

Awards winners will be announced and presented an award on November 7 at the 2025 Annual Education Symposium in Scottsdale, AZ and subsequently announced via an AALA publication and press release.

Required Submission Information:

• For academic works:
  • Published or posted between November 1, 2024 to October 1, 2025
  • Complete citation information
  • Copy of or link to the nominated work
• For court/amicus briefs:
  • Case information and context
  • Brief submission date
  • Explanation of the agricultural legal issue addressed
• Digital media
  • Title/name of the digital content
  • Published or posted between November 1, 2024 to October 1, 2025
  • Format type
  • Direct links to the content or attachment of content
  • Brief description of the content focus or potential impact on the agricultural community if not self-evident

Selection Process:

• The submissions will be considered by the Awards Committee, a committee comprised of volunteer AALA members.
• Up to one winner per category is selected annually
• The Awards committee considers the quality and impact of the contributions of the nominated individual.

Past Recipients