Law review is a student-run journal that publishes articles written by judges, law professors and other legal professionals. Many Law Reviews also publish shorter ‘comments’ or ‘notes’ written by law students. Generally, students join law review in 2L (second year) of law school, while some schools also authorize 3L (third year) students to try out for it as well.
The process of selecting Law Review staff varies from school to school, and also from journal to journal, but generally contains few of the same basic elements. Many schools have write-on competition at the end of 1L (first year) exams during which students are given a packet of material and are asked to write a sample comment or note within a specified period of time. These members are responsible for cite checking, which ensure that statements are supported with authority in footnotes.
Some Law Reviews offer invitations to partake, which is based solely on 1L grades, while other schools use a combination of write-on competition results and grades to select members.
Why to Choose Law Review
- Judges and Large law firms, selecting law clerks, prefer to interview students, who have participated in Law Review. Since, you have spent many hours doing precisely the kind of meticulous legal and in-depth research, as well as writing that is required for law clerks.
- Law Review can give you a great opportunity to become a law professor.
- On a more personal level, participating in Law Review can also provide a support system, as you and the other members are going through the same things at the same time, which outweigh any negative aspects.
- Participating in Law Review will help you in getting to know Bluebook in and out, and you might also enjoy reading the submitted articles in journals.
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