Litigation Essay Competition 2026: Winners Announced

Chan Neill Solicitors LLP are delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Litigation Essay Competition!

With over 45 entries submitted from 26 universities across the UK, the standard of work was exceptionally high. The competition was fiercely contested, showcasing impressive analytical ability, originality, and written advocacy from all who participated.

[Winner]:

Katherine O’Toole:

• “Ignorance is not a Defence”: Traditional Principle and Modern Limits

[Her essay stood out for its clarity, depth of research, and compelling legal reasoning.]

[Runners‑Up]:

Danielle Bugden

• The “Mazur decision” has sent shockwaves throughout the litigation market. What areas within the litigation sphere have been most impacted, and what steps should be taken to ensure compliance?

Simon Raivid:

• Part 36 offers of settlement serve the purpose of ensuring parties to litigation seriously consider settlement. However, to what extent can Part 36 settlement offers be strategically misused and/or abused, and how?

A huge thank you to everyone who took part — the calibre of entries made this year’s competition truly remarkable.

Read more about the winning essays, our judging process, and future opportunities on our website: Litigation Essay Competition 2026 – Chan Neill Solicitors LLP

We look forward to seeing more brilliant work in future competition