Clare Chiodini, ’23, recently won first place in Notre Dame Law School’s Program on Church & Society’s annual writing competition.

In her paper, “The Ministerial Exception’s Eligibility for Collateral Appeal,” Chiodini argues that a court’s denial of the ministerial exception at the motion to dismiss or summary judgment stage should be immediately appealable under the collateral order doctrine.

At the Law School, Chiodini served as comment editor for the Chicago Journal of International Law.

The writing competition is open to law students in good standing, enrolled in a traditional law degree, a master’s degree, or a doctoral degree program at an ABA-accredited law school within the United States. The competition is also open to recent graduates not yet practicing law, including those completing clerkships or engaged in similar pursuits. Submissions are judged anonymously.

First-place recognition carries with it a $3,000 cash prize.