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Monday, July 25, 2016
Submission Angsting Fall 2016
This is the post to share information or ask questions about submitting to law reviews.
The comments can be used to share information, complaints, praise, etc. about which journals you have heard from, which you have not, and so forth.
Additionally, a spreadsheet to gather information is here (and embedded below).
I won't update or watch the spreadsheet. You can go ahead and add your own information by going to the spreadsheet here. The spreadsheet is editable by anyone, except that a few columns and a row (the ones highlighted in yellow) are locked, either because they auto-calculate or because tampering with them has caused a problem in the past. (If something about them needs to be changed post a comment, and I will change them.) As more information is added, I will do some pointless data calculations on subsequent sheets.
Entering information in the column entitled "Username" is of course totally optional, but a way to make keeping track easier. For example, if you pick a username, you will easily be able to sort by your entries and update them, instead of trying to remember what day you submitted and sorting that way. This also adds information -- showing, for example, that all of the entries on the spreadsheet come from one person, or from lots of people, etc. At any rate, totally optional, and simply a way to add more information.
Rostron & Levit's extremely helpful guide to submitting to law reviews is available here (this is the July 2016 version). Rostron and Levit have also posted a list of links to law review websites.
Here is the final page of comments.
Posted by Sarah Lawsky on July 25, 2016 at 10:59 AM in Law Review Review | Permalink
Comments
New angsting thread up here:
http://prawfsblawg.blogs.com/prawfsblawg/2017/02/submission-angsting-spring-2017.html
Posted by: Matt Bodie | Feb 9, 2017 2:32:40 PM
FWIW, I sent an expedite to UCLA and they responded that their board was turning over this weekend and couldn't review expedites until then.
Posted by: AnonProf | Feb 9, 2017 12:47:24 PM
Again, that is not a safe assumption. And even reviews that were closed and are now open does not necessarily mean the boards have turned over. My trick is generally submit early to places that are free (SLR, Harvard, Yale), but wait some time for places you have to pay to submit.
You're probably right. Unless it's a big name, submissions sent before the boards turn over are probably ignored.
Posted by: YesterdayIKilledAMammoth | Feb 9, 2017 12:15:20 PM
No, again, that's probably not a safe inference. According to stats I saw on Scholastica, only 40% of the law reviews ever close their submissions window. That means the majority leave it open year round regardless of activity. On the other hand, if you notice that a school that was previously closed is now open, that is a better indication.
Posted by: Facepalm | Feb 9, 2017 11:37:25 AM
Is it safe to infer that a review being open to submissions on Scholastica is, in fact, actually reviewing submissions? I have this irrational conviction that submissions via Scholastica before the new board takes over are ignored. Checking both Scholastica and the law review's web site seems silly, and often one suggests the review is taking submissions while the other suggest otherwise.
Posted by: again | Feb 9, 2017 11:14:18 AM
Emily - nope. Just rejection (I did get confirmation from Harvard and Yale).
Posted by: Booboo | Feb 9, 2017 9:48:32 AM
Booboo - did you get a confirmation letter from SLR after you submitted? Tried it and got none.
Posted by: Emily | Feb 9, 2017 7:48:38 AM
SLR ding. 2 hours after submission.
Posted by: Booboo | Feb 9, 2017 5:58:24 AM
anon00b, no, the requests, so far, have gone unanswered by those in charge of the "blawg".
Posted by: YesterdayIKilledAMammoth | Feb 8, 2017 9:46:08 PM
Hey everyone, is there an angsting thread for spring 2017?
Posted by: anon00b | Feb 8, 2017 9:15:08 PM
I submitted pretty broadly on Feb. 3. Two dings (including one from Stanford LR within 30 minutes - impressive!) and one acceptance from a lower T50 LR. Radio silence from all others.
Posted by: lawprofessor | Feb 8, 2017 9:00:59 PM
My understanding is that the pieces Northwestern didn't accept via the exclusive track were rolled over into to the pool of other submissions (i.e., Northwestern is accepting via Scholastica now too) and will be considered next to them. Thus, it could be awhile for rejections. In light of that, I went ahead and submitted elsewhere and would encourage others to do the same.
Posted by: Anon | Feb 8, 2017 6:51:43 PM
@Facepalm, all of what you say is true, but since all exclusive subs were to be for the first two issues, that means there's only 6 or 7 spots, max. And I doubt that they'll fill all of those spots from the exclusive subs. If there's already been a couple of acceptances, there may be 1 (just possibly 2) spots left.
The email they sent me after submission seems to suggest that they are doing rolling rejections and acceptances; however, if nobody's gotten rejections from them, then I wouldn't be surprised for a reject blast on the last day.
Either way, it's probably smart to go ahead and submit to other places if you want to submit early in the cycle. Enough time has passed now that you'll either hear back from Northwestern or reach the deadline before it's accepted. And even if a place does accept it quickly, you'll have enough time off the expedite to wait and see what Northwestern does.
Posted by: YesterdayIKilledAMammoth | Feb 8, 2017 6:23:55 PM
Dings from Iowa, Yale, Michigan.
Posted by: Angstingagain | Feb 8, 2017 6:10:27 PM
I submitted exclusively to Northwestern as well. There more important information, to me at least, is whether there have been any dings, not whether there have been any offers. I suspect there is still hope if you haven't heard back yet, as I have a hard time believing that they would just sit on articles that they know they are not going to take. But if they do end up sending out all of their dings on the last possible day, or not communicating at all, that would be extremely poor form. Undoubtedly, it would also impact the future success of their exclusive cycle.
Posted by: Facepalm | Feb 8, 2017 6:08:30 PM
I submitted via Northwestern's exclusive track. If there's already been a couple of acceptances that probably doesn't bode well for the remainder.
Posted by: YesterdayIKilledAMammoth | Feb 8, 2017 4:59:51 PM
I too have been dinged by that same group and also by Wisconsin.
Posted by: Anon | Feb 8, 2017 4:19:53 PM
dings from Chicago, Michigan, Texas, Yale. Applied as soon as each opened up.
Posted by: dingd | Feb 8, 2017 3:50:28 PM
Please- a new submissions thread! We are getting angsty.
Posted by: seconded | Feb 6, 2017 8:05:07 PM
Can we please get a new Submission Angsting thread for the Spring 2017 cycle?
Posted by: Booboo | Feb 6, 2017 2:19:33 PM
I've heard of a couple acceptances from the exclusive submission cycle.
Posted by: AnonProf | Feb 6, 2017 1:36:25 PM
Did people submit to Northwestern's exclusive cycle? And have they heard back?
Posted by: Anon | Feb 6, 2017 9:45:45 AM
Can we please get a new Submission Angsting thread for the Spring 2017 cycle?
Posted by: Anon | Jan 30, 2017 6:13:57 PM
@anonhalffull, Thanks! I jest, but behind every joke there is a kernel of truth ;-).
Posted by: Guest4:29 | Oct 21, 2016 11:34:17 AM
Awww, 4:29, don't take it that way ;). I got rejects in just a few hrs from journals that were still open and who gave board reads to others who submitted after me, but I also got board reads at some great places. Maybe fast rejections for late submissions are for topical reasons.
Posted by: anonhalffull | Oct 20, 2016 8:53:03 PM
@anonhalffull, yeah I've seen that's the general response here. I'm not assuming my writing is world class or anything, but I had trouble believing it was so bad that a 2 AM skimming on a Friday night would be a reject. Obviously it's possible, but let me have my self-serving illusions, no =) ?
Posted by: Guest4:29 | Oct 20, 2016 3:59:02 PM
Thanks for your thoughts, anonhalffull. Got my Columbia ding within an hour of posting yesterday . . . seems like quite the coincidence, ha. Guess I'll just let the last few ride.
Posted by: lingeringanonanon | Oct 20, 2016 2:20:08 PM
4:29 - The tendency here is to only say a journal is full when a person has direct knowledge (or maybe one person removed). not assumptions based on timing of rejections. near autorejects from journals who are still accepting and still considering items already-submitted happens.
I think scholastica also gives fee waivers or something like that for submissions if you look around. It's tough to pay for, but you don't want to throw money away by trying to target when it's impossible to know who'll bite.
Posted by: anonhalffull | Oct 20, 2016 1:53:47 PM
@lingeringanonanon, I pretty much got an instant reject. Submitted on a Friday afternoon. Rejected 8 AM the next day. Definitely full.
Posted by: Guest4:29 | Oct 20, 2016 11:28:54 AM
@anon25
Well by then I'll have more of the ole student debt paid off, so that will be more realistic for me financially ;-). Law schools aren't making life easy for new grads, that's for sure. Thanks for the advice, I will expand my submissions. As it is, I applied to a few in each in bracket of the T100. They're not all T30.
Posted by: Guest4:29 | Oct 20, 2016 11:27:29 AM
@anon25
Well by then I'll have more of the ole student debt paid off, so that will be more realistic for me financially ;-). Law schools aren't making life easy for new grads, that's for sure. Thanks for the advice, I will expand my submissions. As it is, I applied to a few in each in bracket of the T100. They're not all T30.
Posted by: Guest4:29 | Oct 20, 2016 11:27:29 AM
@guest4:29 - unless someone is a special situation (top scholar or a few articles already placed very highly), I'd guess that the person would probably need to submit to way more than top 21.(others might disagree w me, not sure.) but even a lot of candidates who do well on the market publish their first article somewhere ranked 30-50. I'd submit to at least top 80 or so and some specialty journals (sounds like international and con law in your case) or as close to that as possible. There might not be benefit to submitting to too many more right now- I don't have a clue what reception new submissions could get now. But, if you end up submitting in the spring, maybe you could plan to submit to way more journals.
Posted by: anon25 | Oct 20, 2016 1:41:54 AM
This was a disappointing cycle. international journals were not responsive this time.
Posted by: I.F | Oct 20, 2016 12:35:12 AM
Columbia is full.
@lingering: Wisconsin and Washington dinged me w/i the past 2 weeks. I know of someone declining T50 offers within the past 2 weeks. I've heard of offers being made in November and December. If you'd accept from a journal, it does no good to withdraw before basically the eve of spring cycle. I also don't see the point in asking if they're still working. Why not just wait? Yes, you could avoid lingering uncertainty, but you may also be preventing a potential of good offer.
Posted by: anonhalffull | Oct 19, 2016 8:00:04 PM
So, Columbia is still dinging? I submitted at the end of August, and they are one of just five journals from which I haven't withdrawn and haven't heard. (The others are GW, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Washington).
I did a narrow submission to only about 30 mainline journals, with the intention of resubmitting--and more broadly--in February if the piece didn't place. I've been assuming that things are over. In which case, I'd just withdraw from the remaining journals, to clean things up a bit. Is there any point in asking the remaining journals if they're still working before I withdraw?
Posted by: lingeringanonanon | Oct 19, 2016 2:15:51 PM
@Anon25 - it's a full length piece on an interesting intersection of legal history, international law, and constitutional law. I did end up submitting to another ten journals. So far two dings (VA and Columbia). Glad to hear late submissions are possible. I'll just wait and see what happens. Thanks for your advice!
Posted by: Guest4:29 | Oct 19, 2016 12:13:51 PM
Guest @4:29: you might as well wait to see what happens. If I were you, I'd submit much more broadly (to 100 journals or so). I also submitted the last week of September and got a few nice offers from top 30-100 flagships, from some specialty journals (including top 5 w&l ranked specialties), and board reviews from some top 30 journals (not sure where I stand on some of those). I haven't heard yet from <15 journals (the others gave me offers, rejected the piece, or I withdrew after getting another offer that I preferred).
Timing isn't everything. It also depends on the quality of the piece and where you submit. You might still get something. At this point, doesnt hurt to wait and see. While I could probably place better if I revise and resubmit earlier in the spring cycle, many say that that cycle is pretty tough and that it can be easier to place something at a higher-ranked journal after you already have another placement under your belt and on your cv. It might not be common, but I'll be happily accepting an offer to publish a piece that I submitted in late September.
Is your piece a full-length article or something shorter or intended for publishing online?
Posted by: anon25 | Oct 14, 2016 6:55:43 AM
Hi everyone. Wish I had found this site sooner. I am not a law prof, but I stumbled upon an interesting topic during a 3L research project that I think would be of interest to some, so I'd like to publish it. Not knowing the game well, I submitted the last week of September, thinking that descriptions of the fall submission season as August-September meant... well, you know... the whole month. Now that I'm better informed, I can see that submitting after August was pretty stupid.
Anyway, do you think I should withdraw my submission and plan to resubmit in February? I have only heard back from 1 of 11 journals (Columbia, for the record). Your posts are very illuminating, and your advice would be much appreciated. Thanks
Posted by: Guest | Oct 11, 2016 4:29:45 PM
Thanks, Guest!
Posted by: New | Oct 4, 2016 11:10:08 AM
Newbie - id go ahead and post. Your submission cover letter to the journals can note the posting and any attention that has come therefrom (views, downloads, blog discussions, etc.). Most publication agreements' exclusivity provisions have an SSRN carve out. Finally, I was recently encouraged by an accepting journal to post a draft to SSRN as soon as possible so as to avoid complaints to the journal from other scholars that my piece took its arguments, thesis, idea, etc. from their earlier-published piece (apparently this actually happens). Good luck!
Posted by: Guest | Oct 4, 2016 10:39:43 AM
I have a short, but time-sensitive piece that I'm trying to place in an online journal - anyone have thoughts on whether posting a draft to SSRN will hurt/help/not affect placement?
Posted by: New | Oct 3, 2016 10:37:11 PM
From Scholastica:
65 law reviews are actively soliciting & reviewing articles.
We emailed all of the law reviews using Scholastica and asked:
Is your law review looking for articles?
Below is the list of all those that responded to our email between Thursday (9/22) at 2pm CT and Monday (9/26) at 11:59pm CT.
We hope this email helps if you're currently trying to place an article. Some of these journals are trying to find just 1 or 2 more articles to fill their volumes!
Law reviews that still need articles:
General Law Reviews
1. Albany Law Review (specifically Supreme Court, NY State, or State Constitution articles)
2. Arkansas Law Review
3. Barry Law Review
4. California Western Law Review
5. Capital University Law Review
6. Concordia Law Review
7. Elon Law Review
8. Howard Law Journal
9. Lewis & Clark Law Review
10. Loyola University Chicago Law Journal
11. Michigan State Law Review
12. Southern Illinois University Law Journal
13. Southern University Law Review
14. Texas Tech Law Review
15. The University of Dayton Law Review
16. The University of Memphis Law Review
17. Thomas Jefferson Law Review
18. UC Davis Law Review
19. University of Baltimore Law Review (1 article spot left)
20. University of Detroit Mercy Law Review
21. University of Louisville Law Review
22. University of Massachusetts Law Review
23. Washburn Law Journal (specifically Labor and Employment articles)
24. Willamette Law Review
25. Wisconsin Law Review
Submit now
Specialty Law Reviews
Technology, Intellectual Property, & Entertainment
1. Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal
2. Chicago Kent Journal of Intellectual Property
3. Cybaris®, an Intellectual Property Law Review
4. Georgetown Technology Review (for Spring 2017 issue)
5. Harvard Journal of Law and Technology
6. IDEA: The Journal of the Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property
7. Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review
8. Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property
9. NYU Journal of Intellectual Property & Entertainment Law
10. The Rutgers Computer and Technology Law Journal
11. UCLA Entertainment Law Review
12. UF Journal of Technology Law & Policy
Environmental
1. Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review
2. Duke Environmental Law and Policy Forum
3. LSU Journal of Energy Law and Resources
4. Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law (looking for 1-2 articles that focus on Indian law)
5. San Diego Journal of Climate and Energy Law
6. The Arizona Journal of Environmental Law & Policy
International
1. Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law
2. San Diego International Law Journal
3. South Carolina Journal of International Law and Business
4. The George Washington International Law Review
Public Policy
1. Connecticut Public Interest Law Journal
2. Florida Journal of Law & Public Policy
3. Journal of Law & Public Affairs
4. University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform
5. Willamette Journal of Social Justice & Equity
Other Specialty-focused Law Reviews
1. American Indian Law Journal
2. Child and Family Law Journal
3. Howard Human and Civil Right's Law Review
4. Michigan Business & Entrepreneurial Law Review
5. Northwestern Journal of Human Rights
6. NYU Annual Survey of American Law
7. Quinnipiac Health Law Journal
8. Review of Banking & Financial Law
9. Seton Hall Circuit Review
10. Seton Hall Legislative Journal
11. Syracuse Journal of Law and Civic Engagement (specifically Judicial Independence articles)
12. University of Miami Business Law Review
13. Veterans Law Review
Posted by: fyi | Sep 27, 2016 3:20:44 PM
Cardozo is full.
Posted by: Bell | Sep 24, 2016 9:38:38 PM
Cardozo is full.
Posted by: Bell | Sep 24, 2016 9:38:28 PM
Can anyone confirm that Emory is full (apart from above)? Any word lately from BC or GW? Thank you.
Posted by: anon | Sep 24, 2016 4:55:19 PM
Anon, thanks for the tip. Much appreciated.
Posted by: B-School | Sep 24, 2016 10:08:41 AM
B-School,
The Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) has prepared various statements and documents that help to explain/justify law review publications to those in other business disciplines. If you aren't a member already, I'd join the ALSB to get access to those materials. The members are also a helpful resource in that regard, and can provide examples of journal lists that have been adopted by other schools under which articles published in outlets of the sort you mention would certainly qualify as scholarly academic contributions.
Posted by: Anon | Sep 23, 2016 10:05:57 PM
I am junior faculty at an AACSB-accredited business school and am trying to argue that an article in a student-edited T100 law review should "count" toward the publication requirements for a "scholarly academic." Has anyone encountered this question? Any policy/precedent I could point to, to support my argument? Thanks.
Posted by: B-School | Sep 23, 2016 7:27:00 PM
FWIW - I just received S.Cal ding email (saying that they are full) too. I also received a ding from G-town. Still nothing from Emory which is allegedly full (or Columbia, Chicago, UVA, GW, BC, or Irivine (in the T30)). No word from another dozen in the T50.
Posted by: anon1234 | Sep 23, 2016 9:00:14 AM
S. Cal. is full.
Posted by: Anonymouse | Sep 23, 2016 8:22:39 AM
Who cares, isnt it a 70s school per USN?
Posted by: To IF | Sep 23, 2016 1:45:40 AM
By the way, is Cardozo done at this point?
Posted by: I.F | Sep 22, 2016 6:57:56 PM
This has been a most disappointing submission season, hardly no replies.
Posted by: I.F | Sep 22, 2016 5:45:10 PM
A- When did you submit? Were you on an expedite? Thank you.
Posted by: anon-ly | Sep 22, 2016 12:46:07 PM
Are you saying that you received an email rejection saying that Emory is full?
Posted by: anon | Sep 22, 2016 10:22:47 AM
Emory is full.
Posted by: A | Sep 22, 2016 9:46:47 AM
T60 offer, as well as some additional T100 offers, so they are still reviewing...
From your list, haven't heard from G-town, S.Cal, GW, Emory, BC, Wake, Washington, or Illinois. Dings from Wisconsin and Fordham awhile back.
In the T50 (USnews), I also haven't heard from Columbia, UVA, Ivrine, Ga, Wash Lee, George Mason, SMY, FL, Temple, Tulane, Hastings. Has anyone heard from any of these lately? (I submitted 9/3)
Posted by: anon1234 | Sep 21, 2016 11:06:18 AM
Anyone know the current status of any of the following: Georgetown, S. Cal, GW, Emory, BC, Fordham, Wisconsin, U. of Washington, Wake Forest, or Illinois?
Thanks!
Posted by: John Keating | Sep 21, 2016 9:27:29 AM
T40 offer this afternoon off of a submission from last week. Keep hope alive!
Posted by: Anonymouse | Sep 19, 2016 2:54:31 PM
I submitted earlier in September and it was apparent that Michigan and Texas did not even review the submission. I wish schools would close submissions as soon as they know they are not going to review anymore
Posted by: anon | Sep 19, 2016 1:01:36 PM
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