Andrew R. Hamilton ’13 Excels in Law and Religion Writing Competition

Andrew R. Hamilton '13 recently placed third in the nationwide Religious Freedom Student Writing Competition, sponsored annually by the J. Reuben Clark Law Society and the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at Brigham Young University. His paper, "The New York Marriage Equality Act and the Strength of Its Religious Exceptions," explores whether the religious exceptions in New York’s recent same-sex marriage law would allow a religious organization to refuse to place foster children with same-sex couples, in accordance with the organization’s religious beliefs.

Andrew recently received his $500 prize at the annual International Religious Liberty Award Dinner in Washington D.C. The program included speeches by leaders in the field of law and religion, including keynote speaker Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and President of the Lantos Foundation. The evening concluded with the presentation of the 2012 International Religious Liberty Award to Professor Douglas Laycock of the University of Virginia." Receiving the award and attending the dinner was a great experience,” Andrew said. “While at the dinner, I met faculty and students who are doing great things in this field. I even met two professors who were instrumental in drafting religious exceptions I discussed in my paper. They appreciated my analysis."

Law and religion is one of Andrew’s main academic interests. He is currently in his second year as a Student Fellow at the Law School's Center for Law and Religion (CLR) and participated in last spring's Colloquium in Law and Religion. This semester, he is taking the seminar, Catholic Social Thought and the Law, taught by CLR Associate Director Marc O. DeGirolami. His paper, which will be published as a Note in a forthcoming edition of the Journal of Catholic Legal Studies, was the result of a directed research project under the supervision of CLR Director Mark L. Movsesian.

Students and others interested in learning more about the Center for Law and Religion should visit stjohns.edu/clr or clrforum.org.