The Garden State Bar Association and the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey are proud to host the 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Competition on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at CSG.
The Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Competition is a signature program of the National Bar Association that provides high school students with an opportunity to develop and showcase their written and oral advocacy skills. Through this program, students engage with timely issues of justice, equity, civil rights, and public policy through the lens of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of the “Beloved Community.”
For this year’s competition, students will submit written essays and deliver oral presentations addressing what Dr. King’s vision of justice, empathy, and human dignity might teach us about current immigration policies, ICE enforcement, and the impact of those policies on families and communities.
The competition will include both written and oral advocacy components. Judges will review and score the students’ essays in advance of the event. On the day of the competition, students will present their oral advocacy presentations before a distinguished panel of judges, and the written and oral scores will be combined to determine the final results.
This year’s judging panel will include:
Retired Judge Alberto Rivas, J.S.C.
Judge Sybil Elias, Municipal Court Judge
Judge L. Grace Spencer, Superior Court of New Jersey
The first-place winner of the regional competition will advance to represent the Garden State Bar Association and the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey at the National Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Competition in Nashville, Tennessee.
Special thanks to CSG for sponsoring and hosting this year’s competition, and to Zainab Awelenje, GSBA MLK Drum Major for Justice Competition Chair, and Jason Holt, Partner at CSG and NBA Region III Chair, for their leadership and work in planning this important event.
The GSBA and ABWLNJ are proud to continue supporting programs that expose students to the legal profession, strengthen advocacy skills, and encourage the next generation of leaders, advocates, and changemakers.
