Question 1

Do you have to be a UC Berkeley student to join or submit?

Accepted Answer

Staff member recruitment is based at UC Berkeley, but the journal welcomes article submissions from undergraduate students and recent graduates at any campus. Past contributing authors have come from UCLA, UCSD, UCSC, NYU, and others.

Question 2

What are the two ways to be involved: as a staff member or as a writer?

Accepted Answer

Students at Berkeley can apply to join the editorial staff (as writers or editors). Separately, any undergraduate or recent graduate can submit a paper for publication consideration. These are distinct paths handled through different application processes.

Question 3

What does the submission and editing process look like for contributing authors?

Accepted Answer

Authors submit a piece using a Google Form. The editorial team reviews it and determines fit. If accepted, the author is assigned a dedicated editor who works with them one-on-one through revisions until the piece is ready for publication. Authors are given due dates to pace out the development process.

Question 4

What are the submission requirements for a paper?

Accepted Answer

Papers must be at least 5 pages, include an abstract, relate to the field of law, be original work, follow MLA formatting, and must not have been published elsewhere. Plagiarism is not tolerated.

Question 5

What topics does the journal cover?

Accepted Answer

Each annual print edition focuses on a theme such as democracy, liberty, freedom, or security. The ongoing blog covers a wide range of legal topics including constitutional law, criminal law, immigration, intellectual property, AI and tech regulation, human rights, and international law.

California Legal Studies Journal