The Runnymede Society is pleased to invite submissions for the 2026 Blackstone Prize.

Established in honour of William Blackstone, the 18th-century English jurist and legal scholar whose Commentaries on the Laws of England shaped the common law tradition, this annual competition recognizes outstanding student scholarship on themes relating to constitutionalism, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.

Open to JD/LLB/BCL students, articling students, and judicial clerks across Canada, the Blackstone Prize offers a unique opportunity to contribute to ongoing legal and constitutional discourse.

Prizes

• $5,000 for the winner

• $3,000 for the runner-up

• Publication opportunity in the Supreme Court Law Review and the Dicey Law Review

Paper Requirements

• 5,000–10,000 words

• Legal topics related to Runnymede’s core themes

• Cross-disciplinary work is accepted, but legal analysis must be central to the paper

Submission

Please send papers to Tim Haggstrom at thaggstrom@runnymedesociety.ca

Deadline

May 16, 2026