Guest blog: Law Review at Loyola

By Andrew, 2L

Law review is one of the most unique law school experiences. The process begins with the write-on competition where students read 150-200 pages of source material on a specific topic and use that material to compose a 10-page article. This 10-page article is then read by the current law review staff who decide whether to extend an offer based on the quality of the writing. Seems simple enough, except you only get 10 days to complete the assignment, and the entire process is immediately on the heels of a brutal 1L finals period. It’s really as much a test of your stamina as it is a test of your analytical skills or writing ability.

As my first semester on Loyola Law Review winds down, I feel fortunate to have been chosen, and I feel that I am learning and developing from this experience. Each semester law review staffers are required to produce a 25-30 page note about a legal topic. I have chosen to write about the conflict against al Qaeda and its classification under international law, a topic that really interests me. Being on law review has afforded me the opportunity to work closely with a professor who is an expert in the field of international law and produce an article on a topic that I am deeply passionate about. 

One of the best parts is the potential for publication. Each semester, several students’ notes are chosen for publication. Beyond that, students can seek out other avenues to publish their articles. For example, I recently had an article published on the Jurist, a leading source of legal news. I encourage everyone to complete the write-on competition because choosing to join law review is a decision you will not regret!