Writing A Law Review: A Law Student's Guide

A law review is a scholarly journal or publication that focuses on legal issues and is typically run and edited by law students. It provides an in-depth analysis of emerging legal concepts and publishes lengthy articles written by law professors, judges, or legal practitioners. Law students often contribute shorter pieces called notes and comments. Law reviews are held in high regard by employers and judges, and membership is considered prestigious. Students can join a law review staff in their second year of law school, and some schools also allow third-year students to try out. Membership selection processes vary across schools, but many use a combination of first-year grades and writing competition results. Law reviews offer an excellent opportunity for students to enhance their writing and editing skills, engage with professors' scholarship, and contribute to the development of legal thinking.

Law reviews are student-run

The process of joining a law review varies across different schools. Generally, students join in their second year of law school, though some schools also accept third-year students. Most law reviews select members based on a writing competition, first-year grades, or a combination of both. Some schools may also grant membership to students who independently submit a publishable article. The writing competition typically involves a written analysis of a legal topic, such as a recent Supreme Court decision, within a specified time frame.

Once selected, law review staff members are responsible for various tasks, including cite-checking and editing. They ensure that references support the author's claims and that footnotes follow the correct format, such as Bluebook style. Additionally, students may be expected to write notes or comments, which are shorter pieces attached to the main articles. These notes and comments are often written by law student members and provide an opportunity for them to get their work published.

While law review articles are typically written by law professors, judges, or legal practitioners, student-written pieces are also given weightage. Law reviews allow students to engage with professors' scholarship, explore new ideas in law, and develop their writing and editing skills. The experience gained through participating in a law review is highly valued by employers, as it demonstrates rigorous training, intelligence, a strong work ethic, and excellent writing skills.

Membership benefits

Additionally, being a member of a law review allows you to engage with professors' scholarship, explore new ideas in the field of law, and decide which of those ideas get published. You will also develop your writing and editing skills, particularly in the Bluebook format, and gain exposure to legal academia. The process of writing a "Note" or "Comment" for the law review will provide you with a workable writing sample that can be useful for future publications or applications.

Furthermore, participating in a law review can offer a sense of community and a support system as you connect with other members going through similar experiences. The collaborative nature of the work allows you to build relationships and expand your professional network.

Lastly, law reviews provide an opportunity to contribute to the development of the law. Historically, law review articles have been influential and frequently cited as persuasive authority by courts. As a member, you will be part of a community that shapes legal discourse and potentially impacts legal outcomes.

Writing competitions

Law students can write law reviews, which are scholarly journals or publications that focus on legal issues. Law reviews are a source of research and provide an analysis of emerging legal concepts. They are often written by law professors, judges, or legal practitioners. However, the shorter pieces, known as "notes" and "comments", are usually written by law student members of the law review. These pieces are attached to the main articles.

Law reviews are generated in almost all law bodies and institutions worldwide. In the US and Canada, most law journals are based at individual law schools and are edited by students. Law reviews can be influential in the development of the law and are often cited as persuasive authority by courts.

The Urban Lawyer (TUL)

The Urban Lawyer welcomes submissions of articles, comments, notes, essays, and student notes on issues of significance in state, local, regional, or tribal government law or urban legal affairs. The topics can include land use, housing, environmental and energy law, civil rights, elections, and voting rights, among others. The competition is open to law students, young lawyers, paralegals, and affiliated professionals. Submissions are due by January 15 each year, with winners announced by February 15.

Philadelphia Bar Association Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Pursuit of Justice Legal Writing Competition

This competition offers a $2,500 prize. Candidates may submit a law review quality submission on any topic relating to rights, privileges, and responsibilities under federal law. It is open to full-time and part-time law students who have completed their second or third year of study by the specified deadline.

American University Washington College of Law National Health Law Writing Competition

This competition has a deadline of May 5, 2025, and a prize of $2,000. Papers must address and analyze health law and/or food/drug/device law issues. It is open to current 2L, 3L, and 4L JD and LLM students enrolled in a U.S. law school.

Law Student Writing Contest of the Standing Committee on Armed Forces Law (SCAFL)

This competition recognizes law students with exceptional written work that focuses on the military's application of criminal law, also known as military justice. Applications typically close in November each year.

Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest

Sponsored by SEER, this annual competition aims to create greater interest in the field of family law among law students. Applications usually close in April.

Annual Health Law Student Writing Competition

This competition is open to any law student enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school, over the age of 21, and a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States. The winner will receive a $500 honorarium, airfare, hotel accommodation for two nights, and a per diem for two days.

Business Law Section Student Writing Competition

Open to all candidates for the JD or LLM degree at an accredited law school, this annual competition promotes interest and understanding of securities arbitration and securities law, encouraging excellent legal writing skills in law students.

Law School Scholarship Databank Writing Competitions

Through these competitions, law students can win funding opportunities to offset the cost of law school tuition.

Grades and selection

The process for selecting law review staff varies across schools. However, most law reviews select members after their first year of studies. This can be through a writing competition, often referred to as "writing on" to the law review, their first-year grades or "grading on", or a combination of both.

Most Canadian law reviews do not consider grades and do not require them to be submitted with the application. Some schools will also grant membership to students who independently submit a publishable article. The write-on competition usually requires applicants to compose a written analysis of a specific legal topic, such as a recent Supreme Court decision. The written submissions are often of a set length, and applicants are sometimes provided with some or all of the background research.

On most law reviews, all second-year students are staff members, while some or all third-year students serve as editors. Third-year students typically fill senior editorial staff positions, including senior articles editor, senior note and comment editor, senior managing editor, and editor-in-chief of the law review. The editor-in-chief of the law review can often expect to be highly recruited by the most prestigious law firms.

Grades are not the only factor that determines membership in a law review. Employers and judges value law review membership and consider it a marker of prestige. Law review membership can be an asset if you plan on clerking for a judge after graduating. This is because students on law review have spent many hours doing the kind of in-depth, meticulous legal research and writing that is required of attorneys and law clerks. A potential employer who sees law review on your resume knows that you have been through rigorous training and will likely think that you possess intelligence and a strong work ethic, an eye for detail, and excellent writing skills.

Notes and comments

Law reviews, also known as law journals, are scholarly publications that primarily focus on legal issues and emerging legal concepts. They serve as a source of in-depth research and analysis for legal professionals, academics, and students alike. While the articles published in law reviews are typically authored by law professors, judges, or legal practitioners, the notes and comments sections offer law students a chance to make their voices heard.

The specific definitions of "notes" and "comments" may vary slightly between different law schools and their respective journals. For example, the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law characterises notes as analyses of recent court decisions, while comments are considered broader discussions of legal issues. In contrast, the Yale Law Journal defines a note as advancing a particular area of legal scholarship with detailed arguments and persuasive evidence, while a comment presents a concise original argument with minimal literature review.

Regardless of the specific definitions, notes and comments serve as a valuable platform for law students to develop and refine their legal writing skills. They allow students to engage with contemporary legal topics, apply their knowledge, and contribute to the broader legal conversation. Furthermore, the process of writing notes and comments fosters critical thinking, enhances research capabilities, and provides a portfolio of written work that can be showcased to potential employers.

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