Law Journals at the University of Minnesota Law School
It's time to start thinking about the journal petitioning process! The Law Journal Petition
Committee would like to encourage everyone who is interested in becoming a journal staff
member to submit a petition. To that end, we are circulating this explanation of the petition
process. All journals select their staff members during the summer through a single petition
process. Petitioners write one petition and submit it to as many journals as they want, ranking the
journals according to preference.
The petition includes a case comment (70% of the petition) and a Bluebook exercise (30% of
the petition). The case comment is a twenty-page written submission (ten pages of text; ten
pages of footnotes) based on a recently decided case. The case and all supplemental materials
that you may use to write your petition will be provided to you. Each journal extends offers
based on its own criteria, which may include personal statements, interviews, and grades in
addition to the combined petition score. We encourage you to apply to all the journals that
interest you.
We will host numerous events throughout the semester to prepare students for the petition
period. For students unable to attend these sessions, we will post recordings and/or handouts on
the Minnesota Law Review website. Transfer students and 1Ls who are unable to attend are
encouraged to review the materials online.
Students requiring accessible text materials or other accommodations should contact
Gracie Hyland, M.Ed. in Disability Services, to make their request. She can be reached by email
(mghyland@umn.edu) or phone (612) 626-9459. Please note: Students seeking accommodations
must make their request by April 29th, 2014 to ensure materials are converted and provided in an
appropriate form and timely manner.
Important Dates & Contact Information for the 2014 Petition Process
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Petition 101: Tue., April 15, 2014 at 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm, Room 25
WLSA Bluebooking Event: Wed., April 16, 2014 at 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Room 25
Petition 101 Breakout Sessions: April 18th – April 25th, 2014 (see 1L calendar)
Petition Period: Tue., May 13, 2014 at 4:30 pm – Tue., June 3, 2014 at 4:30 pm
(Students may pick up the petition at any time after May 13th, and will have two
weeks from that date to submit the completed comment and Bluebook exercise).
Mailing and Electronic Arrangements: Please contact the Petition Committee at the
email address below.
Offers Extended: Beginning APPROXIMATELY July 5, 2014.
Questions during the Petition Period? mnpetitionquestions@gmail.com
Additional Information is posted on the Minnesota Law Review website:
http://www.minnesotalawreview.org/content/membership
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Selection Criteria
The ABA Journal of Labor & Employment Law will select nine staff members from its 1L
applicants.
About the Journal: The Labor and Employment Law Section of the American Bar Association
has published The ABA Journal of Labor & Employment Law (formerly The Labor Lawyer)
since 1985. The journal is a practical forum for balanced discussions of trends and developments
in labor and employment law. Unlike traditional academic journals, The ABA Journal of Labor
& Employment Law aims to serve practicing attorneys, judges, agency officials, and others
through articles written in an informal and direct style.
The 2014–2015 volume will be the sixth volume produced at the University of Minnesota Law
School. Work will be shared by Professors Stephen Befort and Laura Cooper, journal co-editor,
seven third-year student editors, and nine second-year staff members chosen through the
following criteria:
Petitions: The Case Comment or Note gives writers the chance to demonstrate legal reasoning,
analytical ability, organization, clarity, and style—under a challenging deadline. The Bluebook
exercise is an opportunity to demonstrate precision, attention to detail, and grasp of legal
citation. These skills are required to be a successful staff member of The ABA Journal of Labor
& Employment Law, giving the combined petition score the greatest weight in the staff selection
process.
Personal Statements: Students must submit an essay in which they describe their interest in
The ABA Journal of Labor & Employment Law and explain why they would be an asset to the
journal. Students who are interested in or have experience with employment or labor law should
explain this in their personal statements. While there is no formula for a successful essay,
students should avoid generalities and instead explain how specific experiences, interests, skills,
and career goals will serve the journal. Personal statements should be double-spaced and
between one and two pages in length and will be scored for content, writing competency,
grammar, and style.
Petitioners are invited to learn more about the journal and meet students at our reception in April.
Stay tuned for details. Questions can be directed to Editor-in-Chief Brittany Mitchell at:
mitch962@umn.edu.
Law & Inequality: A Journal of Theory & Practice will select 25 staff members, up to 3 of
whom may be current 2L or transfer student applicants.
About the Journal: Law and Inequality was founded in 1981 to examine the social impact of
law on disadvantaged people. The Journal publishes high quality scholarship from a broad
spectrum of disciplines, though all published articles share the common denominator of
identifying a nexus between law and inequality. Law and Inequality ranks first among law
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journals for scholarly impact in the area of family law and third in the area of minority, race and
ethnic issues.
Petitions: The petition will be scored for legal reasoning and analysis, organization, grammar,
Bluebooking, clarity, creativity, and the use of petition packet materials. The petition should
demonstrate your writing and analytical skills. Your petition score will not be affected by any
political views that may be reflected in your legal conclusion.
Personal Statements: The personal statement is an important factor in selecting every staff
member. We will be looking for statements that reflect interests, experiences, and perspectives
on issues concerning law and inequality in its various forms. It is in no way required that you
have personal experience with inequality, but we will be looking for students that demonstrate an
awareness of the current inequality issues. Because of the importance that we place on the
personal statement, we highly recommend that an applicant start writing his or her personal
statement before beginning the petition. Your personal statement must be between 1 and 3 pages
in length, double-spaced, and use 12 point font.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Evan Gelles, Editor-in-Chief
(gelle050@umn.edu) or Bethany Hurd, Executive Editor (dorfe008@umn.edu).
Minnesota Journal of International Law will select 25 staff members (with up to 3 positions for
transfer students and/or 2Ls).
About the Journal: The Minnesota Journal of International Law is a multidisciplinary
scholarly publication dedicated to the development of international law and policy. The Journal
publishes articles covering a myriad of topics, including international trade, intellectual property,
human rights, the environment and inter-governmental organizations.
Petitions: Each comment will be scored using the Petitioning Grading Rubric included in the
packet. The comment should demonstrate precise reasoning, strong writing skills and
comprehensive Bluebook citations.
Personal Statement: We will evaluate personal statements based on both content and style. The
statement should be one to two pages in length, double-spaced. The statement should discuss
your interest in international law with specific regard to trade, economics, human rights, the
environment, and/or politics. Your statement should also explain any experiences that helped you
develop that interest. The Minnesota Journal of International Law is interested in members who
bring diverse ideas and experiences to our staff.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Editor-in-Chief, Allison Don
(donxx003@umn.edu), Executive Editor, Leah Leyendecker (leyen003@umn.edu) or Lead
Articles Editor, Brian Kennedy (kenne795@umn.edu).
The Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology (MJLST) will select 22 staff members
(with up to 3 positions for transfer student applicants and rising 3Ls).
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About the Journal: The Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology (MJLST) is a
multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal published twice annually, edited by law students as well
as faculty from across the University. MJLST addresses policy, ethical, and societal issues at the
intersection of law, science, and technology.
Case Comment: MJLST highly values strong legal writing skills. Petitions are scored for
organization, legal reasoning and analysis, style, and careful, nuanced Bluebooking.
Personal Statements: MJLST will be reading personal statements for both style and content.
Personal statements should be one to two pages long, double-spaced. In the past, students have
come to the journal with both technical and non-technical backgrounds. Regardless of
educational background, however, all members of MJLST have an interest in how the law relates
to issues of science and technology. In their personal statement, applicants should highlight their
background in science, health and medicine, or technology (e.g. an undergraduate or graduate
degree or relevant work background) and/or interest in law and science (e.g. a plan to pursue a
joint degree; and interest in bioethics, the environment, or technology; relevant volunteer
experience). We are interested in members who can contribute to the journal by providing new
perspective from a variety of interests and life experiences. Most importantly, we look for a
willingness to engage in the dynamic nexus of law, science, and technology, even if it is for the
first time.
For further information or any questions about MJLST, please contact Alison Key
(keyxx025@umn.edu) or Danny Schueppert (schue133@umn.edu).
Minnesota Law Review will select 39 staff members up to 3 of whom may be rising 3L or
transfer student applicants.
About the Journal: The Minnesota Law Review is one of the preeminent journals in the
country—ranked 11th nationwide. We publish six issues a year, reflecting a broad variety of
scholarship. In Volume 99, we will be publishing a piece by Justice Ginsburg, as well as articles
from the fields of tax, corporate, and constitutional law, among others. Moreover, we look
forward to next year’s Symposium, entitled “Offenders in the Community,” which will bring
together leading criminal law and probation reform scholars.
Case Comment: Each case comment will be scored against the Petitioning Grading Rubric
included in the packet. The comment should demonstrate precise reasoning, strong writing skills
and comprehensive Bluebook citations.
Personal Statements: The Minnesota Law Review will evaluate personal statements based
on both content and style. The statement should be one to two pages long (double-spaced). The
statement may reflect an experience or multiple experiences that have prepared the petitioner to
be a positive addition to the Minnesota Law Review. The nature of the experience is not
important (it could be a personal experience like traveling the world, or a more “practical”
experience like working as a newspaper editor); what is important is that the petitioner clearly
explain the connection between the experience(s) and his or her qualifications to be a Minnesota
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Law Review member. The statement may also reflect the student’s diverse or unique background.
We will also be scoring personal statements based on writing competency, grammar, and
spelling. Students petitioning for Minnesota Law Review are not required to submit a personal
statement. Declining to submit a personal statement will, however, disqualify you from
consideration for those positions that take the personal statements into account.
New members must be on campus for both semesters of their first year on Minnesota Law
Review, and must return to campus for Orientation, which is typically held during the week
before classes begin.
For more information about the Minnesota Law Review, please contact Lauren Roso
(rosox001@umn.edu) or Julia Zwak (zwakx015@umn.edu), and please attend our 1L Reception
on April 15th, 2014 from 4:30pm–6:30pm in Auerbach Commons.
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