How to apply
Interested in applying for the Walter Owen Book Prize? Please review the eligibility criteria and selection process information:
- 1A book written in French (not a translation);
- 2Engage with a subject of legal doctrine, from a Canadian perspective (not law reform, annotation, biography or autobiography);
- 3Be substantial in nature;
- 4Be of current interest or emerging relevance;
- 5Comprise new work (or a previous edition’s substantial revision);
- 6Be a single volume, or several volumes appearing concurrently or sequentially;
- 7Be published in Canada in 2022 or 2023;
- 8Demonstrate unity, analytical depth, coherent ideas, and cohesive structure;
- 9Exhibit exceptional writing, and
- 10Contribute to, or be capable of augmenting, the quality of Canadian legal literature, and consequently being, or harbouring potential to be, valued by law practitioners, justices and masters, academics and students.
The Walter Owen Book Prize selection committee will give preference to first editions, unless a new edition offers an extensive and complete revision of the original work. Books of general interest, such as biographies of respected jurists, commissioned works and research in the context of law reform are less likely to be selected than works on topics of current interest or emerging relevance.
Application deadline
The deadline for submissions is 31 December 2024. This year, we are only accepting French language submissions.
Selection process
The selection committee for the Walter Owen Book Prize consists of eminent lawyers, judges and academics appointed by The Canadian Foundation for Legal Research. The Chair of the selection committee receives all applications.
The Foundation will announce the winning author(s) and their books in June 2025.
- Each submission of a nomination for the Prize must include a statement of 200 or less words explaining how the book is regarded as meeting the Prize award selection criteria (stated below);
- Submissions of nominations must be accompanied by consent of the author(s);
- Submissions must be sent to the attention of the Jury Chair, Professor Martine Valois, University of Montreal
- On receipt of each nomination, Professor Valois will notify the nominator of the address to which to send one (1) copy of the nominated book.
- Additional copies of nominated books which are short-listed will be requested for each Jury member. Our experience is that publishers of nominated books, which are short-listed, will be willing to supply additional copies. Professor Valois will inform publishers of short-listed books of the addresses to which to send the copies.
- After completion of the Prize selection process, books will not be returned to individuals or publishing companies who submitted them.