Law student wins writing competition, takes home $3,000 prize

Deedee Goldstein is a Law Review articles editor.

Second-year law student Deedee Goldstein won first place in the Pacific Legal Foundation’s (PLF) Law Student Writing Competition for her article, “Equal opportunity, not equal results: Benign racial favoritism to remedy mere statistical disparate impact is never constitutionally permissible.” The top prize earned her a $3,000 scholarship.

The paper argues that Title VII’s disparate impact clause directly conflicts with the Equal Protection Clause by mandating quotas with a litigator revolver. The competition encourages students to investigate cutting-edge legal questions that are currently before the courts and that directly affect American law.

It was Goldstein’s Law Review faculty advisor, Professor Elizabeth Price Foley, who persuaded her to enter her paper.

“When Deedee came to me with her topic about disparate impact and the Equal Protection Clause, I was very excited to help her,” Foley explained. “It’s a topic that is at the forefront of constitutional law these days because of various actions in recent years by the Department of Justice. And every time a case looked like it was headed to the Supreme Court for resolution, Department of Justice would settle it, to avoid a ruling that it is acting unconstitutionally.”

For Goldstein winning first place was a “real blessing.”

“I was absolutely shocked when I was contacted about winning first place and a trip to California for an awards ceremony. Writing has always been a strong passion of mine and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to publish my article,” she said.

Along with a full class schedule, Goldstein keeps busy with extracurricular activities. She is a Law Review articles editor, a member of the Moot Court team, vice president of FIU Law’s Labor and Employment Law Society and is membership chairwoman of ATID Young Jewish Professionals.

“FIU Law has a promising bright future and hardworking students,” she said. “Its students are determined to get into the workforce and continue to build on its growing, respected reputation. FIU Law’s Employment Law program is top notch and I am so grateful to have taken Employment Law, Employment Discrimination and an Employment seminar with Professor Kerri Stone. Those classes gave me the foundation to write my first place essay, as they enhanced my understanding of and interest in employment law.”

“Deedee was the ideal person to work with – self-motivated, eager to learn all she could about a difficult topic, and genuinely excited by her topic. I encouraged her to submit her work to PLF because I knew it was competitive and worth publishing. She deserves it, and I can’t wait to see where it gets published,” Foley added.

Goldstein’s future plans include practicing employment law. She is also eager to explore other fields of law while she serves as a summer associate at Shutts & Bowen. She hopes to one day make partner and organize pro bono legal projects to help Israel.