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Law Student FAQs

URL: https://libguides.law.ucla.edu/faqs

1. How do I join Law Review?

UCLA Law Review staff members are selected based on their performance in the Write-on. All first-year students are invited to participate in the Write-on at the end of their 1L year. Joint degree students are also required to participate in the Write-on at the end of their 1L year and will not be allowed to participate during their 2L year.

The Write-on for membership on Law Review consists of three parts: the Comment, the Personal Statement, and the Production Test. Students will be notified of whether they have successfully made it on to Law Review approximately six weeks after the end of the Write-on. All candidates will be evaluated based on their performance during the Write-on. The vast majority of students will be invited to join based on two components: their Write-on score (Comment and Production Test) and their Personal Statement. A small portion of students will be invited to join based on a combination of their Write-on score, Personal Statement, and first-year grades. No students are invited to join the Law Review based on grades alone. All students must do well on the Write-on to be selected.

The Write-on begins on the Monday after the end of spring semester final examinations and ends seven days later on the following Monday. There is a separate, similar Write-on process for transfer students, which is held either in late summer or at the beginning of transfers’ 2L year, during the first two weeks of the fall semester. Admitted transfer students should consult exact dates each year with the Office for Student Affairs.

For more information on the Write-on process, please see the Write-on FAQs below, or visit https://www.uclalawreview.org/joining-the-law-review.

2. How do I join a journal?

For the Spring Application Law Journals, the office of Student Affairs coordinates a Spring Journal Application process from January to February of the spring semester. This application process is open to 1L and 2L students, including transfers. Interested students are encouraged to apply to up to three journals; however, please note that applicants may receive one offer of journal membership per Spring Journal Application process.

The Spring Journal Application consists of four parts: your resume, the Production test, a Statement of Interest, and a ranked journal preference form. Journals may also request additional application materials. Students will be notified of whether they have received an offer of membership approximately three weeks after submitting their Spring Journal Application. Application due dates and additional information about Spring Journal Application will be made available during the fall semester.

After the Spring Journal Application process has concluded, students who were not selected by or chose not to accept an invitation to a journal may inquire with journal Editors-in-Chief and submit their materials directly to a journal.

3. What is the Spring Journal Application Process (SJAP)?

To assist the specialty journals in recruitment, the Office of Student Affairs coordinates the Spring Journal Application Process (SJAP) in January–February each spring semesters.

The Spring Journal Application consists of four parts: your resume, the Production test, a Statement of Interest, and a ranked journal preference form. Journals may also request additional application materials. Students will be notified of whether they have received an offer of membership approximately three weeks after submitting their Spring Journal Application. Application due dates and additional information about the Spring Journal Application will be made available during the fall semester.

After SJAP has concluded, students who were not selected by or chose not to accept an invitation to a journal may inquire directly with journal Editors-in-Chief and submit their materials directly to a journal.

4, Who can participate in the SJAP?

SJAP is open to all 1L and 2L students, including transfers. Interested students are encouraged to apply to up to three journals; however, please note that applicants may receive one offer of journal membership per Spring Journal Application process.

5. Can I apply to join a journal outside of SJAP?

Good question! If you are a 1L, the earliest you may apply to join a journal is through the Spring Journal Application Process in January of your 1L year. This is because we want you to be able to focus on classes and adjusting to law school in your first semester! After the Spring Journal Application Process concludes in February of 1L year, interested students may either apply directly to a journal, or apply through the SJAP taking place in 2L year. Transfers are also welcome to apply through SJAP or, outside SJAP, directly to journal editors, thought we do recommend waiting to apply to journals until after your first semester here.

6. How do I find out more about journal membership?

Keep an eye out for an email announcement for the Spring Journal Application Process info session; this session typically takes place in late October or early November each fall, and event information will also be posted on MyLaw.