Zoe Bertrand, 3L, has been named the winner of the 2024 Ruth Bader Ginsburg “Pursuit of Justice” Legal Writing Competition, a prestigious honor awarded by the Philadelphia Bar Association. Her paper, A Constitutional Argument for D.C. Statehood, sheds light on the longstanding issue of disenfranchisement for Washington, D.C. residents.
“I lived in Washington, D.C. for about 10 years before moving to Philadelphia for law school,” Bertrand said. “Lots of people only think about D.C. as the federal government and fail to realize that the District is so much more than that.”
The paper traces the history of D.C.’s governance and examines how racial discrimination has played a role in limiting its political representation. Bertrand breaks down key constitutional provisions—including the District Clause, the Admissions Clause, and the Twenty-Third Amendment—to show that granting statehood is both legally sound and necessary. She also challenges alternative solutions, like retrocession to Maryland, arguing that full statehood is the only path that truly upholds democratic values.
“It is an incredible city with a rich history, and people also don’t realize how fundamentally unfair it is that D.C. residents are denied the basic rights and privileges awarded to residents of any other state in the U.S.,” Bertrand said. “I wanted to shine a light on this issue!”
Temple Law faculty played a crucial role in guiding her research and writing.
“[Professor Susan DeJarnatt] is the one who encouraged me to write about a topic that interested me! She also pushed me to edit my paper and submit it to this competition, so I know I wouldn’t be here today without her support and encouragement,” Bertrand said.
She also credited Professors Amy Cohen, Jaya Ramji-Nogales, Sarah Katz and Mary Levy for their mentorship. “I really appreciate professors who push me to be the best I can be while also being kind and understanding,” she added.
Winning the competition, Bertrand said, was an affirmation of both her hard work and her passion for the topic. “It was such an honor to be recognized in this way, especially for a paper that addresses an issue that I am so passionate about,” she said. “It’s something I am eager to talk about in professional as well as personal settings because the issue gets me fired up.”
Bertrand’s victory marks the school’s 12th win since the contest’s inception in 2003. She hopes to encourage fellow students to take on similar challenges. “I think that if you write about topics that interest you, it is a lot easier to put in the work needed to make a piece really good!” she advised. “Also, don’t self-select out from opportunities—there’s never a harm in submitting something you’ve written to a competition.”