Comeaux Wins Law Student Legal Writing Competition

Angela Comeaux, a third-year student at the U of A School of Law, won the Law Student Legal Writing Competition hosted by the American Bar Association's Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development. The forum, a premier network of legal professionals, seeks to advance the future of community development law and affordable housing while serving as a center for information about programs related to these topics.

"I was thrilled and honored to be selected as the winner of the competition, and I hope my article encourages lawmakers and attorneys to acknowledge where the gaps are in state landlord-tenant law and to consider what we can do to close them," Comeaux said.

As the competition's winner, Comeaux receives a cash prize, a sponsored invitation to the forum's annual meeting in Washington, D.C., and consideration for publication in the ABA Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Development. Entries consisted of articles that addressed legal issues concerning affordable housing, fair housing and/or community development law. Five members of the forum anonymously judged submissions based on criteria such as clarity and significance of the topic, organization and quality of analysis. Although law students and forum members nationwide were eligible to participate, only one entry was ultimately selected as the winner.

Because she is passionate about the housing crisis, Comeaux decided to submit her article to the forum's contest to draw attention to this critical issue. Comeaux's article, "Home Is Where the Hotel Is: Ensuring Tenant Protections for Extended-Stay Hotel Residents," examines how states determine who qualifies as a tenant and the circumstances under which a resident may be classified as one. Specifically, she addresses the individuals who live in extended stay hotels as their permanent residence. How they are classified as occupants affects the rights and remedies available to them, including protection from eviction and the ability to bring claims for uninhabitable living conditions.

Comeaux is currently an articles editor for the Arkansas Law Review, where she works closely with authors and continues to deepen her understanding of legal scholarship. She noted that alumnus James Curlin, a former note and comment editor for the Arkansas Law Review, provided valuable feedback throughout the editing process. Comeaux also emphasized the support of the law school faculty, particularly Professor Amanda Fisher, her legal writing professor, and Professor Carl Circo, her faculty adviser, both of whom played an instrumental role in refining her writing skills and offering meaningful insight on her topic.