How to Get on Law Review

Law review is a student-run journal that publishes legal scholarship. It's the most prestigious extracurricular in law school and a significant resume credential, especially for judicial clerkships and academic careers. Most schools have a flagship law review plus several secondary journals focused on specific topics (e.g., constitutional law, international law, environmental law).

Most law reviews select members through a write-on competition held immediately after 1L spring exams (usually late May/early June). You'll typically receive:

1. A closed packet of source materials (cases, articles, statutes)
2. A prompt asking you to write a short paper (10-15 pages) analyzing a legal issue using only the provided sources
3. A Bluebook editing exercise testing your citation skills
4. A deadline — usually 7-10 days

Some schools also factor in 1L grades (grade-on), while others use a purely write-on system.

Take it seriously from day one. Don't wait until day 5 to start. Read all materials carefully on day 1-2, outline on day 2-3, write on days 3-6, and edit on days 7-10.

Bluebook everything perfectly. The editing portion is often weighted heavily. Every citation should be flawless. Keep the Bluebook open next to you the entire time.

Write clearly and concisely. Editors value clear analysis over flowery prose. Make your argument easy to follow with strong topic sentences and logical transitions.

Use every source. The packet is limited for a reason — the evaluators expect you to engage with all the materials provided.

This is where many students lose points unnecessarily. Common errors they plant in the test:

- Incorrect short form citations
- Missing or wrong pinpoint cites
- Incorrect use of Id. and supra
- Signal errors (see vs. see also vs. cf.)
- Capitalization and abbreviation mistakes

Study the Bluebook before the competition. Focus on Rules 10 (cases), 12 (statutes), 15 (books/treatises), and the Practitioners' Notes.

For clerkships: Almost essential. Most federal judges strongly prefer or require law review membership.
For BigLaw: Helpful but not required. It signals strong writing and attention to detail.
For public interest: Nice to have but won't make or break your application.
For academia: Essential. You need a published note and the editorial experience.

The time commitment is significant (10-20 hours/week during 2L). If your career goals don't require it, a secondary journal or moot court may be a better fit.