Law Peeps take the prize

Concept bested court and controversy as a clever diorama created by the Ross-Blakley Law Library staff captured the top prize in the American Bar Association's first Peeps in Law gallery competition.

With 1,685 of 3,122 votes cast, the librarian's 1L Peeps Study Group took first place in the contest, which drew 45 entries from across the country and throughout the legal profession. Second place went to The Supeep Court (975 votes), followed by the Minnesota U.S. Senate Trial Peeps (462 votes).

The 1L Peeps Study Group was popular because it offered a bittersweet blast from the past for law students past and present who have spent long, stressful nights cramming for finals in the library, said lead Peepist Sara Lipich. A wise law librarian presides over a table of four overly relaxed Peeps, including a chick and three guys, one in meltdown mode. Their table is littered with soda cans and junk food and, oh yeah, law books and laptops.

"A diligent group of law student peeps study for their upcoming final exams in the Arizona State University Ross-Blakley Library. All are wannapeep Peep Masons and Ally McPeeps. They are studying hard, hoping to learn it all before their brains turn to marshmallow. Alas, too late for 1L C. Little - he has had a meltdown! Since the law librarian is watchful, and the 1Ls are courteous library citizens, they are using their best inside peep cheeps," according to the diorama's description.

Lipich shared the win with Tory Trotta, Carrie Henteleff, Mitchell Davidson, Kerry Skinner, Amy Levine, Karen Scoville and Laurie Ralston. "We don't really have a speech peepared, but we are thrilled!" Lipich said. "We'd like to thank all the law students who inspired us and all the peeple who supported us and took the time to vote."

The diorama is on display at the library's reference desk, pending its relocation to the trophy case. And yes, the library staff already is discussing ideas for next year's -- wait for it -- repeep.