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Law student Emily Perkins wins National Law Review writing competition

April 22, 2014
Emily Perkins

Emily Perkins

Emily Perkins, a third-year student in the NIU College of Law, was selected as one of the winners of The National Law Review’s Winter 2014 Law Student Writing Competition.

Her article is titled “Regulating Appearance in the Workplace: An Employer’s Guide to Avoid Employment Discrimination Lawsuits.”

The National Law Review’s online edition was created to capture legal trends and news as they first start to emerge, offering practice-oriented legal analysis from a variety of sources, including the winners of their quarterly student writing competitions.

“I have always been interested in advocating for the employer, and this article offered me the opportunity to reach out to employers with practical tips for avoiding employment discrimination lawsuits,” Perkins said.

NIU Law assistant professor Michael Oswalt, Perkins’ employment law instructor, encouraged her to enter the contest, building on a paper she was working on as part of a directed research requirement for graduation. “He told me I had a shot, and suggested I refine it to better fit the requirements of The National Law Review competition,” Perkins said. “Professor Oswalt was the first one I called when I found out I had won the contest.”

“I was absolutely delighted to learn that Emily’s piece had been honored by The National Law Review, but not at all surprised. She is smart, creative and a joy to work with,” Oswalt said. “We (at NIU Law) are all so proud of her accomplishment!”

The National Law Review logoAfter graduating from NIU Law in May, Perkins will practice with the law firm of Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen in Peoria, an Illinois-based civil litigation defense firm, where she will focus on insurance and employment law.

Perkins is the current president of the NIU Law Student Bar Association. She is also a member of the Trial Advocacy Society and Moot Court Society, and serves as a graduate assistant in the NIU College of Business.

Perkins also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration: B.S., Illinois State University, 2008; M.BA. Bradley University, 2011.