The Joseph Story Award is named for Joseph Story, who was appointed to the Supreme Court at the age of 32, served as the first Dane Professor of Law at Harvard, and wrote the Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States. It is the successor to the Paul M. Bator Award.

The Joseph Story Award is given annually to a young academic (40 and under or 10 years on the tenure track or fewer) who has demonstrated excellence in legal scholarship, a commitment to teaching, a concern for students, and who has made significant public impact in a manner that advances the rule of law in a free society. This award is presented during the Federalist Society's Annual Student Symposium.