There are several awards and prizes available to law students. The following do not require an application for consideration.
Anderson Lloyd Prize
This long standing prize was established by Anderson Lloyd to encourage the study of constitutional law. Anderson Lloyd can trace their lineage back to a law firm formed in Dunedin in 1862.
The Anderson Lloyd prize is awarded annually to the student who has achieved the best results in LAWS204 Public Law.
Anderson Lloyd Prize in Company Law
Established in 2020 by the University of Otago through generous support from Anderson Lloyd, the prize is to encourage and recognise academic excellence in Company Law. Anderson Lloyd has a long history of supporting academic achievement amongst law students.
The Prize is awarded annually by the University Council on the recommendation of the Dean of the Faculty of Law to the student who has achieved the best result in the Company Law paper (LAWS 407).
Chapman Tripp Prize in Competition Law
Established in 2009 by New Zealand law firm Chapman Tripp, the prize is in recognition of the positive contribution University of Otago Faculty of Law graduates have made and continue to make to Chapman Tripp. The prize is awarded annually to the student who achieves the best result in LAWS 437 Competition Law.
Colleen Flood Prize in Health Law and Policy
Established in 2006 by Professor Jocelyn Downie, Director, Health Law Institute, Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy, Dalhousie University and Professor Mark Henaghan, Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Otago. The prize honours the work of New Zealand Professor Colleen Flood, Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. Professor Flood was instrumental in establishing the academic links between Professor Downie and the Faculty of Law at Otago. The prize is awarded annually to the law student who produces the best research paper in the field of health law.
Gallaway Cook Allan Prize
Established in 1992 by Gallaway Haggitt Sinclair & Partners, Barristers, Solicitors, and Notaries of Dunedin. The prize is awarded annually by the University Council to the student who achieves the best result in LAWS 301 Law of Torts.
Joan Berthia Chadwick Prize
Established in 2008, as a consequence of a gift from the Rua and Clarrie Stevens Charitable Trust. The prize is made to reward outstanding contributions by law student volunteers at the Dunedin Community Law Centre. The prize is awarded annually by the University Council on the recommendation of the Dunedin Community Law Centre to the law student who has made the most outstanding contribution to the work of the Dunedin Community Law Centre.
Joseph Gerard Butler Memorial Award
Established in 2001 by the partners of Anderson Lloyd Caudwell, Barristers and Solicitors, Dunedin, this prize celebrates the life and work of Joseph Gerard Butler, one of their partners. Joe Butler acted as the city's solicitor in planning matters for many years and brought legal excellence, commonsense and a remarkable sense of humour to his work.
The prize is awarded annually to the most outstanding student in Resource Management paper LAWS 415, on recommendation of the Dean of the Faculty of Law and the Chairman of Partners for the time being in the firm of Anderson Lloyd Caudwell or its successor.
KPMG Taxation Law Prize
Established in 2007 by KPMG, a leading provider of professional audit, tax and advisory services in New Zealand. The prize is awarded annually to the students who achieve first and second place in LAWS 416 Taxation.
Law Students' Society Prize
Established in 1995 by a donation from the Society of Otago University Law Students (SOULS). The prize is awarded annually to the student who achieves the best result in LAWS 414 Law of Evidence.
Louis Olive Memorial Prize
Established in 1976 by Dr Gloria Olive in memory of her father, Louis Olive, on the 100th anniversary of his birth, in recognition of his interest in legal studies, which was based on both his role in the business world and his training as a lawyer. The prize is awarded annually to the most outstanding student in the law papers normally taken in the second year of study for the degree of Bachelor of Laws.
Mayne Wetherell Prize
Established by the University of Otago in 2023 through a generous donation from law firm, Mayne Wetherell, this prize honours the top student in second year Law.
This prize will be awarded annually by the University Council on the recommendation of the Dean of Law to the student with the highest average mark across all second year Law papers.
MinterEllisonRuddWatts Prize in Contract Law
MinterEllisonRuddWatts has sponsored an Otago Law School prize since 1985 in recognition of the important contribution University of Otago graduates make to MinterEllisonRuddWatts. Previously the firm sponsored Company Law and the Law of Partnership, but from 2001 the firm established a Prize in Contract Law. The Prize is awarded annually by the University Council on the recommendation of the Dean of the Faculty of Law, to the student who has achieved the best result in the subject Contract Law.
New Zealand Law Review Prizes
Established in 1994 by the Legal Research Foundation Incorporated. The prizes are awarded annually by the University Council to the three students who have achieved the best aggregate results in the second year-law course. Each prize consists of a two-year subscription to the New Zealand Law Review.
Otago District Law Society's Prizes
Two prizes are offered annually by the Law Society of the District of Otago for students completing the papers required for the degree of Bachelor of Laws, who have shown general excellence throughout the degree course. Both LLB and LLB(Hons) students are eligible for this award.
Paul Wallis Memorial Prize
Established in 1993 by friends of Paul Leslie Wallis BA(Otago) (1970–1993), an honours student in law and a graduate in history, in his memory and in recognition of the skill and dedication he brought to his studies. The prize is awarded annually to the student who has achieved the best result in LAWS 302 Jurisprudence. (NB: The terms on which this prize is offered are under review and may change.)
P. B. A. Sim Prize
Established in honour of Professor P. B. A. Sim, Professor of Law 1968–1983, and Dean of the Faculty of Law 1968–1980, by law students, members of the profession and colleagues on the occasion of his retirement in 1983. The prize is awarded annually to the student who has achieved the best result in LAWS 203 Property Law.
Richard Sutton Memorial Prize
Established in 2011 in memory of Emeritus Professor Richard Sutton BA LLM (Auck) LLM (Harv) with financial support from his family, friends and former students in recognition of his life-long study of restitutionary doctrines, his significant international contribution to our understanding of these doctrines, and his introduction to the University of Otago of the Law of Restitution paper.
The prize is to be awarded annually to the student enrolled for the degree of Bachelor of Laws or Bachelor of Laws with Honours and who achieves the highest mark in the Law of Restitution paper.
Shona Reeve Memorial Prize
Established in memory of Shona Margaret Reeve (née Plowman) BA(Hons) LLB(Otago) with financial support from her family, friends and colleagues. Shona was a greatly respected member of the legal profession, whose practice focused on family law and relationship property. Having been a teacher before undertaking her LLB degree, she retained a strong interest in education, maintaining close links with the Faculty of Law and always willing to assist in its teaching programme or judge law student competitions. The prize is awarded annually to the student achieving the best result in LAWS 433 Advanced Family Property Law.
Sir Thomas More Prize
This prize commemorates the quincentenary of the birth of Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), Lord Chancellor of England, lawyer and man of conscience. The prize is awarded annually to the student who has achieved the best result in LAWS 462 Wills and Trusts.
Society of Otago University Law Students' Prize in Legal Ethics
Established in 2010 by the Society of Otago University Law Students (SOULS), this prize recognises academic achievement in a paper which is compulsory for all law students wanting to gain admittance to the bar. The prize is awarded to the student who achieves the best result in LAWS 463 Legal Ethics.
Thomson Reuters Prize
Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial and risk, legal, tax and accounting, and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organisation.
An annual prize in the form of books published by Thomson Reuters Ltd, will be awarded to the Law student who produces the best research dissertation.
Wilson Harle Prize in Advocacy
Established in 2007, by the University Otago with generous support from Auckland-based litigation firm, Wilson Harle. The prize is awarded annually by the University Council on the recommendation of the Dean of the Faculty of Law, to the student who has achieved the best result in the paper LAWS464 – Advocacy.