Northeastern Law Students Win Top Prizes in National ABA Family Law Essay Contest
09.11.26 — Northeastern Law students Michaela Zelandi ’27 and Claudia Rubalcava ’27, have won first and second place, respectively, in the American Bar Association Section of Family Law’s highly competitve Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest. Established in 1969, the Schwab Memorial Essay Contest is intended to promote interest and scholarship in family law and is open to students at ABA-approved law schools nationwide. Zelandi and Rubalcava’s winning essays grew out of Professor Bruce Hale’s Family Spring 2026 Law course, in which students were offered the option of writing a research paper in lieu of a final exam, provided the paper is submitted to the contest.
“I am very proud of Michaela and Claudia — individually, this is an impressive achievement for each of them,” said Hale, who serves on the executive council of the ABA Section of Family Law, but was not involved in the contest judging. “The fact that two Northeastern Law students made it to the top three in the contest speaks incredibly highly of our student body. They represent Northeastern Law well.”
Zelandi’s first-place essay, “On Thin Ice: Dobbs Calls into Question Whether Frozen Embryos Are Persons or Property,” examines how the fall of the federal right to abortion has reshaped the legal status of frozen embryos.
“I am so honored to be recognized with this award! Thank you to all my professors and mentors for helping me become a better researcher and writer throughout the years,” said Zelandi. “The timing of the award is meaningful because my paper focuses on how the recent loss of the federal right to abortion has led to a broader erosion of autonomy and best medical practices that reverberates far beyond even abortion access itself. Today, for example, the availability of IVF increasingly depends on which state a person lives in, and often on which judicial district within that state. I am hopeful that one day the fundamental right to abortion will be restored, but until then, scrutinizing the fallout of Roe’s overturning is the work ahead.”
Rubalcava’s second-place essay, “Common to Some Is Not Common to All: Expanding Common Law Marriage Recognitions to Protect Queer Relationships,” argues for broadening common law marriage recognition to better protect queer couples.
“It is an honor to be recognized for this essay and its subject topic because of its increasing relevance in American politics as we face an onslaught of new and more complete forms of mass surveillance. This accomplishment does not come without reverence to the LGBTQ+ communities across the country who face systemic discrimination for merely existing, especially queer BIPOC communities and transgender/gender nonconforming people. I hope to continue using my legal education to stress the importance of safeguarding access to justice for all,” said Rubalcava.
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