Student Journals

Columbia Law School is home to 14 law journals and A Jailhouse Lawyers Manual, many of which are leading scholarly publications in their fields. Working on a law journal gives you the opportunity to hone your writing and editing skills, immerse yourself in top-quality scholarship, participate in American legal culture and tradition, and join a thriving micro-community within the Law School.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Timeline Overview
Early Process (Not all journals participate in this process)
Application Period: Friday, March 8 at 10:00 a.m. ET - Wednesday, March 20 at 10:00 a.m. ET
Applicants Notified: Wednesday, April 10 - Thursday, April 11

Regular Process (All journals participate in this process)
Applications Period: Thursday, May 16 at 10:00 a.m. ET - Thursday, May 30 at 10:00 a.m. ET
Applicants Notified: July 1 (CLR) and July 2 (all other journals)

Final Application Process (Not all journals participate in this process)
Note: Columbia Law Review runs a separate transfer application process
Applications Period: TBD Check back for updates schedule

Application Cycle Details
Unpacking Note-writing for 1Ls: March 7
The 2024 Journal Application Cycle will kick off with our Unpacking Notewriting Event for 1Ls on on Thursday, March 7 with details to be distributed via email to the Class of 2026.

Details regarding participating journals and required application materials are released on March 7, but general information can be found below:


Early Application Process: March 8 - March 20
Some journals fill a limited number of spots during the early application process. With one exception, which allows matched participants to also apply to Columbia Law Review during the regular application cycle, the early process is binding. However, it is an appealing option for students with a particular interest in a specific journal.

All materials for the early application process may be submitted on LawNet. Aside from a brief personal statement, applicants should already have the materials needed for this process (e.g. résumé and transcript), and the application process should be quick and easy. The application window is long to encourage self-directed planning by students and maximum flexibility. Given the overwhelming majority of available staffer positions are filled during the regular application process, students who do not match during this cycle are encouraged to reapply during the regular application process. 

Only rising 2L JDs and certain dual-degree students can participate in this cycle. If you have questions about your eligibility, please email [email protected].

Regular Application Process: May 16 - May 30
Registration and application submission take place on LawNet. As a part of this process, students can apply to any or all publications and rank them in order of preference.

Requirements vary by journal, but all journals request a résumé, transcript, and personal statement or statement of interest. Many journals also request a writing sample. During this process, many students participate in the Writing Exercise run by the Columbia Law Review. All journals accept the Writing Exercise as a writing sample; however, with the exception of the Law Review, none require it.

The window for the regular application process is longer in duration than other processes.  However, the process is not designed to occupy the entirety of the designated window; rather, the window is deliberately long to provide students with flexibility in managing the ongoing demands of their personal and professional lives.

Only rising 2L JDs and certain dual-degree students can participate in this cycle. If you have questions about your eligibility, please email [email protected].

Final Application Process: TBD
Registration and application submission will take place on LawNet. As a part of this process, students can apply to any or all participating publications and rank them in order of preference.

Rising 2L JD, certain dual-degree students, transfer JD, and LLM students are invited to participate in this cycle. If you have questions about your eligibility, please email [email protected].

Note: Columbia Law Review does not participate in this process. Transfer students interested in Columbia Law Review are encouraged to explore CLR's Transfer Application website and the Publishable Notes Program.

Contact
Please direct questions about the note-writing event or the journal application processes, including accommodation-related inquires, to [email protected].

In the event you do not get matched with a journal, you will receive an email from Student Services.

J.D. students can obtain credit for supervised writing work in conjunction with their note. You can also use a note to satisfy one of the J.D. writing requirements.

See guidelines below and contact an academic adviser in Student Services with further questions.

Academic Point Credit

  • Supervised Research Credit
    • You may receive supervised research credit if you write or publish a note for your journal under the supervision of a Columbia Law School faculty member (including visiting/adjunct faculty).
    • Register for supervised research credit by completing the J.D. Research Registration Form via LawNet. After filling our the form, your faculty supervisor will sign off on it, and Registration Services will register you for your point(s) accordingly.
    • Credit Limit: You may receive a maximum of three points per term and four points per academic year in connection with work that qualifies either as Supervised Research or as Supervised Experiential Project.
    • Timing: You may opt to receive supervised research credit for your note during either the fall or spring semester or to split your points across multiple semesters (subject to your supervisor’s approval). Regardless, we encourage you to begin contemplating your topic and reaching out to potential faculty supervisors as soon as possible, as professors tend to book up quickly.

 Graduation Writing Requirements

  • Writing a note is an excellent way to satisfy either your Major Writing or Minor Writing requirement, regardless of whether you also receive Supervised Research credit.
  • You may register for Major/Minor Writing credit by filling out the J.D. Major/Minor Writing Registration Form via LawNet. After filling our the form, your faculty supervisor will sign off on it, and Registration Services will register you for your point(s) accordingly.

Timing: 

  • You must register for Major Writing credit no later than the end of Add/Drop of your penultimate semester, and for Minor Writing credit no later than the end of Add/Drop of your final semester.
  • If your supervisor is a visiting/adjunct professor, you must register for credit during the term in which they are appointed to teach.
  • In order to satisfy the Major Writing requirement, you must submit a complete draft of your note to your supervisor by February 1 of your 3L year, and a final draft by the first day of the month preceding the month in which you anticipate graduating.

LL.M. students may receive Supervised Research credit for writing a note under the supervision of a Columbia Law School faculty member if you complete the LL.M. Supervised Research Registration Form LawNet and submit it to Registration Services. If you have any questions about the rules or restrictions that apply to LL.M. journal members, please email the Office of Graduate Degree Programs at [email protected].

Related Events

Mar
18
2024

Problem Solving Drop-In

  • Mon, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
  • William and June Warren Hall, 1125 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10027 709