Spartan Lawyer Summer 2019

A (Brief) History of the Donald Nystrom Best Brief Award

When Donald Nystrom, ’00, joined Law Review as a 2L in 1998, the publication needed numbers. Student interest was stagnant, particularly when it came to the write-on process at the end of the academic year.

“It seemed like a big chore – to write the paper at the end of your first year. You’re exhausted and suddenly you’ve got to pop out another big paper. So the Law Review was really struggling to get attention,” Nystrom said. “I was quite frustrated with this because when you researched the on-campus interviews, it would clearly state that some firms were only going to interview students based on their ranking or placement in the class, and then equally they would say on the notices: ‘extra emphasis given for Law Review or Moot Court’.”

As Nystrom worked to develop his resume, keen to stand out to potential employers, he saw that Law Review involvement could set law students apart.

“If you go to the larger law firms, in particular, they will say, historically, the flagship organization on any law school campus is the Law Review,” Nystrom explained. “And yet, if you were on our campus back in 1998, the Law Review was just another organization. There was no distinction.”

Over time the field of law has turned into a written, paper practice, and that just highlights the importance of writing skills and attention to detail. [...] As much as it can be painful for some, that comma in the right place matters; that semicolon in the right place matters; and the Law Review training really drills that attention to detail home.

Donald Nystrom, '00

As a 2L editor (a rare feat), Nystrom came up with a plan. He approached the editorial board with an idea to encourage more students to join: a Law Review Best Brief Award with a cash prize. The plan was to work with Advocacy course instructors who would select one of their students’ final briefs to submit for award consideration. Law Review would then narrow it down to the top three winning briefs.

As editor-in-chief during his 3L year, Nystrom met with interim Dean David Favre and Richard Lameti, associate dean for Finance and Administration, to pitch his plan for the Best Brief Award. Receptive to the idea, the pair allotted $600 to the Law Review.

The competition was set, and no one could have foreseen the legacy that would ensue for 20+ years. It provided students with additional motivation to complete their final Advocacy brief, and it generated buzz for Law Review. It was a runaway success for the journal, bringing in dozens of more applicants for Law Review in just that first year alone.

After Nystrom graduated in 2000, he continued the award at MSU Law, supporting it with an annual gift, and the law school later honored his dedication by naming it after him: The Donald Nystrom Best Brief Award.

Joshua Hoebeke, ’21, received the top prize for the Donald Nystrom Best Brief Award in 2019. He described writing the brief as a reflective moment as a 1L, testing the knowledge and skills he had learned throughout his first year.

“In August, we all came to law school barely knowing what to expect, so it was pretty awesome to have a tangible way to see how far we’ve come, and how proud of ourselves we should be for it. Plus, the Advocacy courses demand a lot of time and energy, so having something to use as a motivator is really helpful,” Hoebeke said. “It was a great way to end the first year of law school. It was pretty cool being able to watch my classmates compete against one another in oral argument and in brief writing.”

Even as the legal profession evolves, Nystrom sees today’s law grads benefiting from those same practical skills.

“Over time the field of law has turned into a written, paper practice, and that just highlights the importance of writing skills and attention to detail. That is the training from Law Review,” he explained. “You’re studying articles and journals for accuracy, and editing to ensure the message you want to convey to that judge in that scenario is accurate. As much as it can be painful for some, that comma in the right place matters; that semicolon in the right place matters; and the Law Review training really drills that attention to detail home.”

And Nystrom’s plan to inspire talented 1Ls to take on the additional responsibilities and career-launching opportunity of journal membership? More than twenty years later, it’s still paying off.

2019’s Best Brief Award winner Hoebeke used his freshly honed writing skills to submit his application for Law Review.

WHAT IS THE BEST BRIEF AWARD?

WHAT
An award given by Law Review, eventually named in honor of alumnus Donald Nystrom, that provides the top three 1L best brief writers with cash prizes.
WHO
Nystrom started the award with his Law Review board in the late 90s.
WHY
At the time of the award’s inception, Law Review was struggling to grab the attention of students. Nystrom saw the award as a way to show others the benefit of journal membership.
HOW
Advocacy professors select one of their students’ final briefs for award consideration, and the three winners are determined by Law Review.