2023 Winners

1st PLACE WINNER

Abigail Schwarz

University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, May 2023

Beyond Binary: Bostock’s Implications for Employer Dress Codes

Abigail Schwarz, a May 2023 graduate from the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, is making the practice of law her third career. After earning her master’s degree in Interpersonal Communication, she worked as an HR generalist and recruiter for several years. In 2009, Abigail transitioned to Yelp, Inc.’s Community Management team, where she helped grow the brand locally through events, marketing activations, and a weekly e-newsletter with over 300,000 subscribers. After over a decade at Yelp, Abigail enrolled in law school with the goal of advocating for employee’s rights. Just a few weeks ago, Abigail, at age 42, was sworn in by the Colorado Bar Association as a licensed attorney. She currently works at HKM Employment Attorneys LLP, a nationwide plaintiffs’ employment law firm, and is helping to build the firm’s practice in wage and hour law.

2nd PLACE WINNER

Luul Lampkins

Wake Forest University School of Law, May 2024

“I CAN’T COME TO WORK. I’M DEPRESSED.” An Analysis of the Barriers to Accessing Leave Due to Mental Illness Under the Family and Medical Leave Act

Luul is a third-year student at the Wake Forest University School of Law, where she is an Executive Editor for the Wake Forest Law Review. During law school, Luul has served as a Property Law research assistant, pro bono project coordinator, and student advocate in the Innocence and Justice and Appellate Advocacy clinics. She is also a member of the National Trial Team, the Black Law Students Association, and the Society for Criminal Justice Reform. Prior to law school, Luul earned a Bachelor’s degree in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies from Duke University and a Master’s degree in Education from National University.

3rd PLACE WINNER

Christel Purvis

University of South University School of Law, May 2023

Maze Runners: Employees Who Need Opiates and ADA Protection

Christel graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina in May 2023. She was an Associate Editor-in-Chief for the South Carolina Law Review and received the Compleat Lawyer Award, Bronze Medal. Prior to law school, she obtained a B.S. from the College of Charleston and an M.S. from University of South Carolina, both in Geology. She is currently a wife, a mother of three, and a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Maité Murphy of South Carolina’s First Judicial Circuit. After clerking, she plans plan to serve my community as a public defender.