Will Vickery and Chris Chambers, both students at Notre Dame Law School, earned top recognition at the Fourth Annual CSL Prize in Judicial Clerkship Opinion Writing, held at The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law. This event is held in conjunction with the 2025 Judicial Clerkship Opinion Writing Conference (JCOW). The competition took place February 20 to 22 in Washington, D.C., drawing participants from across the country.

This program brings together a group of students preparing for federal and state appellate clerkships. During the two-day conference, participants received expert instruction from experienced jurists, including circuit and district court judges, on the principles and nuances of judicial opinion writing. Participants then developed their own judicial opinions in response to a First Amendment case problem, developed by the Columbus School of Law specifically for the event. Submissions were judged anonymously based on writing excellence.

Notre Dame Law School student Will Vickery earned top honors in the 2025 competition. Vickery, who previously studied philosophy and Spanish at the University of Texas at Austin, will graduate in May 2025 and begin a clerkship with Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the Northern District of Texas, followed by a clerkship with Judge Kurt Engelhardt in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Vickery praised the conference’s immersive approach. “The opportunity to learn directly from some of the federal judiciary’s top writers and thinkers was truly invaluable,” he said. “Not only was the instruction insightful, but meeting future clerks from across the country added a great dimension to the experience.”

Second-place honors were awarded in a tie to Tiffany Dunkin and Chris Chambers. Chambers, who will also graduate from Notre Dame Law School this spring, previously earned his undergraduate degree from Purdue University Global. He is set to clerk for Judge Kristi H. Johnson of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi during the upcoming term.

Reflecting on his experience, Chambers shared, “JCOW filled a critical gap in legal education. The direct feedback from judges and the collaborative environment with fellow future clerks left me with practical tools and a better understanding of the level of precision expected in judicial writing.”

Notre Dame Law School celebrates the success of its students and remains committed to supporting the next generation of clerks and attorneys as they develop the foundational legal writing skills essential to the profession.

Originally published by Annika Johnson at law.nd.edu on April 10, 2025.