We are pleased to announce the opening of our seventh annual 1KBW essay competition!

The subject is: Should the law be reformed to provide cohabitants with the same financial protections as married couples?

The deadline for essay submissions is 11:00 – 17th November 2026.

Winners will be announced on Friday 8th Jan 2027.

Essays should not exceed 1,500 words. There is no preferred referencing style; however, all sources, ideas, quotations, that are not the student’s own work must be appropriately acknowledged and credited. Students must also confirm that the work submitted is their own. Please note the use of AI generated content is strictly prohibited.

We request that all essays are submitted in pdf format, with no name added to the pdf, as all entries will be anonymised.

Please email your submission to: nbentley@1kbw.co.uk

The winner will receive a mini pupillage and the runner up will be invited to participate in a panel discussion with members of chambers about the issues raised in the essay competition and to discuss life and pupillage at 1KBW and the family bar generally.

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