Make Your Law Review Articles Stand Out With These Simple Tips

During the course of your legal profession, there is a good chance that you will come across writing law review articles.  Whether you are a teacher writing it for a journal or a student sharing it for a publication, working on a legal review article can benefit you.

As you critically analyze a current legal issue, you get to enhance your skills and showcase it to the world.

It is specifically more beneficial for students as it allows them to become members of the coveted review boards and add weight to their resume.

Here are the tips that can help you create an impressive law review article.

Select A Relevant Theme And Topic For Your Article

It won’t be wrong to say that half of your work is done if you choose the right theme and topic for your article. People will find it more interesting if your note is topical.

At the same time, it is inadvisable to choose a topic that is too relevant, or you may come under scrutiny from others. Selecting a contemporary and important legal issue will attract contradicting opinions.

It might be helpful to choose an issue that was relevant three to four years ago. Select a theme that has been away from people’s minds for quite some time.

Finally, try to choose an original topic. It is not that easy as people have been writing legal review articles for years. If you have access, try to use the best legal research software for this purpose.

If you cannot find an original topic, try to think of a unique and new conclusion for your article. This approach will set your work apart from others and bring it the desired attention.

Think Of An Appealing Title

With an article that attracts the editor and compels them to give it a read, you can rest assured you have done the job right.

Keep it concise but try to separate the different aspects that you have covered in your article with colons. It will leave an impression that your review has more substance.

Evaluate Your Topic

Depending upon the law review board that you are part of, you may have to submit a critical evaluation of your topic before you start penning it down.

A few committees even ask to share two such notes and the strengths and weaknesses of each issue. If not, they will need something in writing to give you the go-ahead.

However, as long as your work is original and not a knock off from another article, you have good chances of passing this hurdle.

To make the task easier, do not spend too much time finding an issue that has not been covered before. Instead, try to give a unique perspective to an existing issue.

Research Your Law Review Article Thoroughly

Research is a crucial part of any legal professional’s job. Several tools can support you in researching. Read a lexis advance review to help you decide if it’s the best program for you.

Once you receive the go-ahead from your law board, you can start working on your piece.

It is also helpful to follow the sources listed in your original research. It may lead you to better references and help in creating a unique law review article.

As you read more, you will get more clarity about the flow that you want to adopt in the article.

In some circumstances, you may want to take a different approach than what you had shared with the board. It is fine as long as you feel the new strategy works better.

Once you are done with the research, you may want to bookmark all the relevant ones to start writing.

Begin Writing

Even before you start drafting your law review article, it is advisable to think of the flow of your article. Usually, your review article should have four main sections – an introduction, objective and subjective parts, and the conclusion.

A lot of students pay more attention to the objective and subjective portions. However, submitting a patchy or incongruous introduction can do more harm than good.

Your introduction should give a glimpse of your conclusion and what lies ahead in the article. See to it that it is well written and does not contradict in any way. Essentially, it should give the reader a view of the arguments presented in the article.

Similarly, do not forget to write an impactful conclusion. Most students tend to miss this part. However, each section is important and should reflect a high quality of work.

Draft The Objective And Subjective Portions

Next comes the objective portion of your law review article. As the name suggests, it is the place where you mention only the facts. Try to avoid making it verbose and include everything about the theme of your article.

The best approach is to state only the facts that are required to support your recommendation. You can win more brownie points if you follow this approach.

Before you begin writing the subjective portion, revisit the purpose of your article. You are doing it to offer an entirely new perspective on an existing issue.

As you do this, you are going to add more value to the existing sources. Thus, it is essential to be as creative as original as you can.

The subjective portion is the longest section of your article. Everything you say should tie back to what you have mentioned in the objective portion.

Finally, mention all the citations and keep the information short and crisp. Try to use easy words instead of complex language. It will keep the reader more engaged.

Proofread

The need to proofread your article cannot be stressed enough. Try to read it aloud to understand if it needs more work. You can also try sending it to a lawyer or a friend for a second opinion before submitting it to the board.

Conclusion

While writing a law review article is no easy task, it’s best to get into it straight away without procrastinating. The more time you invest in your review, the better it’ll turn out to be.

With the tips shared above, you can write an impressive law review article and create a useful resource for society.