Essay Competition 2026

Open to all law undergraduates, LLM, CPE, GDL and BPC students 

1st Prize• £1000 and your essay published in Estates Gazette

2nd Prize• £500

3rd Prize • £250

The finalists will each receive a hardback copy of Megarry & Wade: The Law of Real Property, which is kindly sponsored by Thomson Reuters.

Each finalist will also have the opportunity to meet online with a specialist property barrister for a one-to-one discussion about life at the Bar, getting to the Bar, property work and/or your future career. 

Deadline for entries: Friday 30 January 2026

The winner will be announced and the prizes presented by a High Court Judge and the Chair of the PBA at an event attended by the judiciary and  members of the PBA in April 2026.

Full conditions for entry may be found here: PBA Essay Rules 2026

This year’s question is:

“Statutes shall not be interpreted to interfere with property rights retrospectively unless the words used in the statute necessitate such a construction”. Discuss, with reference to recent building safety case law.