2026 Minds Underground™ Law Essay Competition
The Minds Underground™ Law Essay Competition invites students in Year 12 (though we also welcome ambitious younger applicants and Year 13 re-applicants) to engage in critical debate and explore foundational questions about justice, law, and society. This competition gives aspiring lawyers the opportunity to practise university-level research, refine argumentative and writing skills, and prepare for Law admissions interviews.
Entrants must choose one question to answer.
The 2026 Minds Underground Law Essay Competition questions are now live. Submit by 3 April 2026!
2026 Law Essay Competition Questions
01.
Should international law override national sovereignty?
02.
Can justice exist without equality?
03.
Why do we not let judges decide cases based on what they think is fair?
H2: Tips for Writing Your Essay
In theoretical discussions, there are rarely “right” answers - but strong arguments matter.
Take a clear stance and defend your opinion logically and coherently.
Recognise counter-arguments and address their strengths before explaining why your position holds.
Support your reasoning with examples from legal systems, moral philosophy, or real-world cases where relevant.
At university level, law tutors value clear reasoning above all. When you justify your view carefully, it shows you’re thinking like a lawyer.
Are you in Year 11/12 & Thinking of Pursuing Law at Degree Level/ Oxbridge?
We offer a range of exciting opportunities for students aspiring to a degree in Law at a leading university:
Research Projects in exciting current fields with subject experts
Weekly Law Club: An opportunity for students to gain exposure to key areas of law, discuss the latest legal developments and issues, under the tutelage of members of our Oxbridge-educated Law team
Law Summer School for university/ Oxbridge applicants
Long-term Oxbridge Law & LNAT mentoring: Boosting knowledge beyond the curriculum, preparing for personal statement, test and interviews - visit our on-curriculum site, U2 Tuition for more information: https://www.u2tuition.com/law-school-applications
Interested in a Law Competition Mentor? Looking for specialist support researching & writing? Our Oxbridge-educated masterminds are here to help! Sessions from £75/h + VAT. Enquire here
Past Questions
01.
How would you reform the House of Lords?
02.
Is justice a pre-condition of law?
03.
What is the rule of law and how has it been breached in Hong Kong?
N.B. You may be interested in undertaking one of MU’s online law masterclasses with our Law experts to give you ideas and help direct your research. Check out the examples below!
This masterclass will introduce you to the limits of the law and perspectives on autonomy. You will assess the differences between society at the extreme of spectrums: a society with no legal intervention (anarchism) and the associated problems and morality issues and a society with overwhelming legal intervention where law dictates the way of living, looking at problems of individual autonomy. Where do we draw the line in terms of appropriate levels of legal intervention? Is the line based on morality? What morality? You will critically assess different degrees of legal intervention and discuss the appropriate limit, looking at a series of cases and key philosophy.
Duration: Suggested 1-2 hours, dependent on the level of detail desired.
In this masterclass you will analyse different arguments and positions for the key jurisprudential questions of 'What is Law' and whether law is inherently moral.
Host: Ria is an Oxford Law student, with a particular interest in Advanced Criminal Law and Family Law.
Duration: Suggested 1-2 hours, dependent on the level of detail desired.
An Introduction to Public International Law
There has never been a more exciting time to study Public International Law (PIL). Issues of international law and international justice are at the forefront of public debates to a greater degree than ever before. International law provides the intellectual and the technical underpinnings to large areas of international co-operation, including:
The prosecution of war crimes (both internationally and nationally);
the legality of the use of force against States (e.g. Syria and Iraq);
the settlement of disputes between States;
environmental protection;
the scope of human rights protection;
protection of foreign investment in States
the economic effects of globalisation promoted through the work of institutions such
as the World Trade Organization;and the resolution of jurisdictional conflicts arising in the context of economic
regulation by States.
PIL today not only impacts and shapes decisions by States to a greater degree than ever before, but it also penetrates into the national legal order – often through national court decisions – to give rights to individuals and corporations, to an extent that is unrivalled in the history of the subject. These developments have in turn led to the growth of lawyers and law firms who specialise in the practice of PIL. This is in addition to the demand for PIL lawyers in governments, inter-governmental organizations (such as the United Nations and the large number of UN Specialized Agencies), and non-governmental organizations. For those who do not intend to follow a career in international law, the subject provides a broad
sweep of issues which illuminate not merely questions of international law but the problems
and processes of the world of diplomacy.
Duration: Suggested 1-2 hours, dependent on the level of detail desired.