Each year the Review selects approximately 45 members from the rising Columbia 2L and Transfer Student class. The Review selects members based on four components: (1) Personal Information, (2) the Writing Component, (3) 1L Grades, and (4) a Personal Statement. This year, the Review's membership selection process will be administered through the computerized match system used by all CLS journals.
Writing Component
The Writing Component asks participants to use a closed set of materials to analyze a legal problem in under 3000 words. The problem has varied from year to year – in the past students have been asked to write an essay justifying a position recently taken by a judge on a cutting-edge legal issue, write a bench memorandum, or complete a classic law school issue spotter. No outside research is expected or permitted on the problem. The citation format for the Writing Component is included in the problem itself and does not follow the Bluebook. No preparation is required or possible. Rising 2Ls need only register for journal selection on Lawnet – instructions for doing so will be emailed in late April.
This year, the Writing Component will be made available the morning of May 13, 2011 and will be due on the afternoon of May 20, 2011 These dates are the accurate release and submission dates--alternate dates found from other sources, including Lawnet, are not necessarily accurate. Students need not be present in New York City to complete the Writing Component. On the day of the release of the Writing Component, 1L participants will download the packet online through Lawnet. The Writing Component is designed to be completed in four to five days, but participants may take as many of the available days as they feel is necessary.
Personal Statement
In addition to the Writing Component, the Review requires each applicant to submit a personal statement. This statement is intended to offer applicants an opportunity to share information about their background, experiences, or other relevant information that will help them contribute to the community of the Review. More information about the personal statement will be available in the application packet.
Journal Selection Computerized Match
This year, CLS is using a new computerized match system to match 1Ls with CLS journals. All 1Ls applying to journals will rank the journals to which they are applying. This means that each 1L will receive no more than one offer from a journal; each 1L will be matched with the journal they ranked the highest that also ranked them highly enough to fit within the journal's desired number of 2L staffers. Because of the way the system works, it is essential that all 1Ls applying to the Review rank it first. If you do not rank us first, then the system may match you with another journal, and we will not be able to offer you a spot.
Learn More about the Columbia Law Review
There are several ways to learn more about applying to and working on the Review. We will host an information session on Tuesday, April 12, in JG 103 during lunch. You can access a recording of the information session here. Please direct any questions about the application process generally to the Editor-in-Chief, Maren Hulden (eic@columbialawreview.org), and questions about the Writing Component or Transfer applications to the Executive Notes Editor, Joanna Wright (joanna.c.wright@gmail.com).
