Winners of the 2025/26 Mason Institute Student Essay Competition announced

Samantha (Sam) is an LLM (General) student at the University of Edinburgh with a particular interest in public health ethics. Her current dissertation examines HIV/AIDS-related stigma in Scotland, exploring the relationship between public health law, ethics and LGBTQ+ health inequalities through a socio-legal lens. She hopes to continue her studies on the PgDip in Law while developing her research into contemporary legal and ethical issues affecting Scotland.

Sophie is a Graduate Law Diploma student at BPP University. She graduated with First Class Honours in Theology and Religion from the University of Oxford and received a Distinction in a Gender, Society and Representation MA at UCL. Her research engages with feminist legal theory, criminal law, and digital culture, particularly with the epistemological fractures engendered digitally and their implications for criminal law. Sophie is a member of Middle Temple, and was awarded the Queen Mother Scholarship in 2026. She will begin the Bar Training Course at City St George's, University of London.

Aaliya is a graduate of UCL Laws and is currently training as a barrister on the Bar Practice Course at the University of Law. Her research interests are data ethics, AI governance, and minority rights. As a Laidlaw Scholar at UCL, she conducted independent research into AI adoption and the digital divide across the legal professions of the UK and India. She has worked with Lawyers Without Borders, Legal Action for Women, and Lawyers for Human Rights in Johannesburg, focusing on refugee rights, gender-based violence, and access to justice.

Eve is an undergraduate law student in her final year at the University of Edinburgh. Eve has a particular interest in medical and global health law and hopes to pursue a career in global health policy.

William is a law student at the University of Glasgow, entering his third year, with his research interests spanning broadly across private law. He holds a consistent first-class standing across his degree and will undertake an exchange at Queen's University, Canada, in September. Alongside his studies, William is a researcher for the Lawyers Without Borders Society, recently publishing work on the Crown Court backlog and implications for Article 6 ECHR.

Larissa is an LLB student at LSE. Having studied medical law, she is fascinated by how a legal system designed for individuals struggles to handle information that affects multiple people. This challenge is the focus of her essay on genetic discrimination and the breakdown of individualism. With a strong interest in pro bono work, she is a Student Advisor at the LSE Legal Advice Clinic. She was also chosen to represent the LSE Law School at a United Nations simulation exploring how law can advance the Sustainable Development Goals on health and climate.