Cecily Zamora
Joining a law journal can be critical to landing a legal job and is a great way to strengthen your legal research and writing skills. It can also help you develop leadership skills and bolster your resume. Most law journals are student-run publications of scholarly articles on the legal system, with some journals publishing notes or comments by students. Joining a law journal can be a significant time commitment, often requiring at least 15-20 hours of work per week, so it's important to consider your other commitments and interests before applying. Many law schools have a Spring Journal Application Process (SJAP) open to 1L and 2L students, and some schools may also allow students to submit their materials directly to journal Editors-in-Chief.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Importance | Second only to GPA, journal membership is the most important part of your résumé when it comes to landing a legal job. |
| Journal Types | Law journals typically publish legal scholarship around a particular subject, while a law review is a general-subject journal and publishes legal articles of all kinds. |
| Application Process | The Spring Journal Application Process (SJAP) is open to 1L and 2L students, including transfers, who are interested in applying to at least one of the school's specialty journals. |
| Time Commitment | Most journals require at least 15-20 hours of work each week. |
| Benefits | Strengthen legal research and writing skills, bolster your resume, expand your knowledge of legal scholarship, and engage with the larger legal community. |
| Submission Process | Calls for submissions are usually circulated by email announcement and posted on the journal's page. |
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What You'll Learn
Why join a law journal?
Joining a law journal can be a great way to boost your resume and enhance your employability. It is second only to GPA in terms of importance on your résumé when seeking a legal job. Employers view journal membership as an indication of your intelligence and dependability, and it showcases your writing skills and research abilities. Many judges, especially at the federal level, consider journal experience a prerequisite for clerkship candidates.
Being part of a law journal also provides you with academic credit and the opportunity to get published. It can open doors to a wide range of career opportunities and help you build a network of contacts. Additionally, it allows you to explore and gain knowledge in legal topics that interest you.
However, joining a law journal is a significant time commitment. It requires a minimum of 15 to 20 hours of work each week, which may impact your studies and other extracurricular activities. The application process itself can be grueling, as you may need to submit a sample article or edit a provided article for citations.
When deciding whether to join a law journal, carefully consider your interests and circumstances. Joining a law journal should align with your passions and help lead you toward the legal career you desire.
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How to get selected?
Getting selected for a law journal can be critical to landing a judicial clerkship and a legal job. It is second only to GPA when it comes to the importance of your résumé. Therefore, it is important to know how to get selected for a law journal.
Firstly, it is important to understand the time commitment that comes with being a member of a law journal. Most journals require at least 15-20 hours of work each week. This is time that could be spent studying, volunteering, or participating in other law school activities. Therefore, it is important to consider your other commitments and interests when applying.
The Spring Journal Application Process (SJAP) is open to 1L and 2L students, including transfers, who are interested in applying to at least one specialty journal. Students are encouraged to apply to up to three journals, however, applicants may receive one offer of journal membership per SJAP. The Write-On for membership on the UCLA Law Review consists of three parts: the Comment, the Personal Statement, and the Production Test. Students will be notified of whether they have been successful approximately six weeks after the end of the Write-On.
If you are not selected or choose not to accept an invitation to a journal, you may submit your materials directly to a journal. Most UCLA law journals publish student Comments and Notes, and future issues of the UCLA Disability Law Journal also intend to publish student work. If your work fits the subject area of any UCLA specialty journals, you can reach out directly to the editor-in-chief to inquire about submissions.
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What if you're not selected?
If you weren't selected to join a law journal, there are still options available to you. At UCLA School of Law, for example, students who weren't selected by or chose not to accept an invitation to a journal may inquire with individual journal Editors-in-Chief and submit their materials directly to a journal.
UCLA Law Review staff members are selected based on their performance in the Write-On, which consists of three parts: the Comment, the Personal Statement, and the Production Test. However, Law Review also regularly solicits Comments from students, and most UCLA law journals have published student Comments and Notes. If you have a Comment or Note that fits the subject area of any UCLA specialty journals, you can reach out directly to the journal's editor-in-chief to inquire about submissions.
Journal staff membership is typically divided into two parts: staff membership and board membership. Staff members are selected through SJAP or individual application to the journals; as journal staff, students typically do source collection and cite-checking for the articles the journal is working on at that time. Staff members can typically apply for board membership in March/April of each year.
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What are the benefits?
Journal membership is the most important part of your résumé when it comes to landing a legal job, second only to GPA. Joining a law journal can bring multiple benefits, including:
Networking and Connections
Networking is a key benefit of joining a law journal. Law journals are often advised by law professors, practitioners, judges, or bar association leaders, and developing a close relationship with such luminaries is a unique opportunity. Journals also provide an opportunity to network with fellow students.
Academic and Writing Experience
The rigorous analytical skills and writing training provided by law journals are highly valued by employers. The process of questioning ideas, argument structure, and the need for every word within a sentence are phenomenal skills that will be useful in a legal career.
Intellectual Stimulation
Law journals cover a wide variety of legal topics and can provide intellectual stimulation and an opportunity to delve into a specific area of interest. This can also help to keep attorneys up-to-date on the latest legal developments, ensuring they stay ahead of competitors.
Leadership Skills
Leadership roles on law journals can be a great way to signal to employers that you can take on multiple tasks and manage responsibilities. These roles also provide an opportunity to develop leadership skills that will be beneficial in future legal roles.
Career Opportunities
Joining a law journal can open doors to a wide range of career opportunities. Many judges, especially at the federal level, consider journal membership critical when evaluating candidates for judicial clerkship positions. Additionally, employers view journal membership as a signal of a strong work ethic and dedication to the legal field.
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What are the drawbacks?
While joining a law journal can be a great addition to your resume, there are some drawbacks to consider.
Firstly, the time commitment required for a law journal is significant. Most journals will require at least 15-20 hours of work from you each week. This is time that could be spent on other activities such as studying, volunteering, or participating in other law school activities. Balancing your academic workload with the demands of producing a journal can be challenging and may require careful time management.
Additionally, the work involved in producing a law journal can sometimes be mundane and tedious. As a junior member, you might find yourself spending a lot of time checking citations and ensuring they are correctly formatted, and performing other administrative tasks. This work may not always feel rewarding or directly relevant to your academic or career goals.
Furthermore, the application and selection process for law journals can be competitive and intensive. At some universities, students are required to participate in a Write-On process that consists of a Comment, a Personal Statement, and a Production Test. This additional writing test can be demanding, especially if it comes on top of your regular exams and coursework.
Lastly, while law journals provide an opportunity to delve into a specific area of law that interests you, the reality is that not all journals may align with your interests. You might find yourself working on a journal that covers topics you are less passionate about, which can make the experience less enjoyable and engaging.
Despite these drawbacks, joining a law journal can still offer valuable skills and experiences. However, it is essential to carefully consider the commitment and fit with your personal goals before deciding to join.
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Frequently asked questions
Journal membership is the second most important part of your résumé when it comes to landing a legal job. Joining a law journal is a great way to strengthen your legal research and writing skills, expand your knowledge of legal scholarship, and bolster your resume.
The selection process for law journals varies. UCLA, for example, selects staff members based on their performance in the Write-On, which consists of three parts: the Comment, the Personal Statement, and the Production Test. Other journals base qualifications solely on grades.
Most journals require at least 15 or 20 hours of work each week. This is a large time commitment, so it's important to consider whether there are other law school activities that might help you better achieve your future career goals.
