Robert Russell has been named the recipient of the 27th Annual Blaine E. Capehart Legal Writing Award, sponsored by the law firm of Capehart Scatchard. Mr. Russell was presented with the award during Rutgers Law School’s commencement ceremony in Camden, New Jersey on May 21, 2026.
The Mt. Laurel-based firm awarded Mr. Russell with a $2,500 prize in recognition of his outstanding legal writing and research abilities. The annual award is presented to a graduating Rutgers law student in honor of the late Blaine E. Capehart, whose commitment to excellence in legal writing and mentorship helped shape the firm until his passing in 2012.
Rutgers’ Professors of Law, Joanne Gottesman and Jason Hernandez, had this to say about the winning submission: “Rob enjoys legal writing, and the breadth and depth of the written work he has completed in law school is striking. During his time as a fellow with the Rutgers Immigrant Community Assistance Project (RICAP) and as a student in the Immigrant Justice Clinic, Rob wrote multiple briefs, legal memos, and client declarations, as well as a habeas complaint. He dove deeply into legal research – often teaching himself new areas of immigration law and synthesizing new precedent as it was issued. Supervising Rob’s work in the clinic has been a pleasure, and we look forward to seeing all that he will accomplish – in his writing and in life – after graduation.”
