To: Prospective Journal Petitioners
From: The Law Journal Petition Committee
Date: April 7, 2008
Re: The Petition Process
It's time to start thinking about the 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.
We will also be having an optional Q&A meeting at 12:15 on Tuesday, April 8th in Room 25. This session is the official "journal endorsed" Q&A on the petition process. Bring your questions!
The law school has four student run journals:
Law and Inequality covers a broad range of substantive areas focusing on the nexus between law and inequality.
Minnesota Journal of International Law (formerly the Minnesota journal of Global Trade) publishes articles on contemporary legal issues in international law, including trade, international economics, and politics.
Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology (formerly the Minnesota Intellectual Property Review) analyzes legal issues at the intersection of technology and the law, including, but not limited to the traditional domains of intellectual property.
Minnesota Law Review covers the entire spectrum of legal topics as well as the intersections between law and other fields.
These brief descriptions provide only a rough idea of the types of issues each of these journals covers. We recommend that you look at past issues of each journal and talk to current members to get a better sense of what each journal does.
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. Each journal evaluates petitioners independently and extends offers based on its own criteria. We encourage you to apply to all the journals that interest you.
You should note that the journals use the petition process to select staff members only. They select editors from the staff. If you become a staff member, you will be eligible for selection as an editor next spring.
Each journal's staff selection criteria differ to some extent, but all of the journals rely heavily on the petitions in selecting staff.
The petition will include two parts: 1) Writing a Note or Case Comment on a topic or case set forth in the petition packet; and 2) a Bluebooking exercise.
The packet contains all of the source material you may use. You are prohibited from doing any additional research. If it is discovered that you have consulted any sources outside of the petition packet, your petition will be immediately disqualified.
We strongly encourage you to look at examples of published notes and comments to acquaint yourself with the style and format in which you will be writing. Once you begin the petition, you may also consult a published article so long as it is not related to the petition topic.
You may also want to look at sample petitions on reserve in the library. The petitions on reserve should be the only petitions you consult for examples of how to compose your petition. Here is a brief summary of the structure of notes and comments:
Notes describe and analyze legal issues and propose ways to solve problems that arise within the context of those issues. Formats of notes may vary according to the needs of their subjects, but ordinarily they begin with an introduction, which summarizes the issue and its importance and sets out a road map describing the other sections of the note. Usually a background section follows. The background section puts the issue in context by detailing cases and statutes that address the issue as well as the historical development of the principles involved. One or two analysis sections follow the background section. The first critiques and compares the analytical approaches taken by the cases and statutes described in the background section. The second proposes and defends a solution to problems raised in the preceding section. The note ends with a short conclusion that summarizes the issue and the analysis.
Case comments focus on the important issues generated by a specific court case. The introduction to the comment focuses on the facts, procedural posture, and holding of the principal case. The introduction also briefly summarizes the issues raised by the case and outlines the format of the rest of the comment. The background section discusses principles and cases that place the lead case in historical perspective. The next section describes the lead case in detail and ties it to the state of the law described in the background. An analysis section follows where the comment analyzes the lead case and proposes an approach that would solve problems raised by the case. The comment ends with a short conclusion similar to that of a note.
The petition instructions will tell you which format we expect you to use and will offer a more detailed explanation of that format. We will describe exactly how you should organize your work, although it will be up to you to decide what you want to say within that framework.
Notes and comments rely heavily on footnotes or endnotes both to cite sources of authority and to communicate information and ideas. Generally, the text of the note or comment contains only the most central points while other material that may be useful to the reader appears in the endnotes. This approach to legal writing is different than the style of Brief Writing you are accustomed to from your Legal Research & Writing course.
To reflect this convention, we limit the text of the petitions to 10 pages but allow unlimited use of endnotes (instead of footnotes). Typically, there should be a text-to-endnote ratio of between about 1:1 and 2:1. Thus, end notes may occupy another 8-10 pages. Together, the text and footnotes can be no more than 20 pages in length.
Grading of the Note or Comment will be based on strength of your legal analysis, writing competency, grammar, and style. Please note: the Note or Comment is usually based on hotly contested, current legal issues. However, the position you take in your petition will not affect your grade; only the strength of your legal argument will be considered. Each journal is looking for the best writing, not a particular stance on an issue. (Also note that petition grading is like law exam grading—blind. Thus, no member of any journal will see your name in connection with your argument).
The Note or Case Comment will account for 80% of your petition score.
All four journals strongly consider Bluebooking skills when selecting staff members. Therefore, you are expected to use proper Bluebook rules in your petition Note or Case Comment. To further test your skills in this area, the petition also includes a short Bluebooking exercise designed to test your ability to recognize and correct citation errors.
The Bluebooking Exercise involves correction of one, single-spaced page of footnotes to correct according to relevant Bluebook rules. You are expected to ensure the correct format for full citations, short citations, internal cross references, citation order, etc.
All those planning to petition should own or have available the most recent (18th) edition of the Bluebook. We recommend that before starting the petition you take time to review the "law review" citation conventions (see the inside front cover of the Bluebook for an overview of common law review citations).
The Bluebooking Exercise will account for 20% of your petition score.
The journals do not rely solely on the petition score to select staff members. All choose some of their staff based partially on written personal statements, and some also factor grades into some of their selections.
You will designate on the forms in your petition packet whether you will release your grades to the journals. Even if you think your grades are not great, you should consider using them. Less-than-perfect grades will not hurt your chances of selection for non-grade slots, but choosing not to release your grades will make you ineligible for selection through slots that use grades as a factor. No student member of any journal will see your grades in connection with your name. We will take precautions to ensure that your grades are matched up with your petition number so that we never see grades matched up with a name. So, you really have nothing to lose by submitting your grades.
All of the journals use personal statements as a selection factor for at least some of their slots. We encourage you to begin drafting your personal statements before the petition period. You can use the personal statement as an opportunity to be creative and show how you are an interesting person or convey why you want to work on a particular journal. The personal statement is also an opportunity for you to display your writing skills in a less rigid format than the petition.
3. 9 positions: 75% petition, 25% personal statement
We will evaluate personal statements based on both content and style. The statement should be one to two pages long (double-spaced). The statement should reflect an experience or multiple experiences that have prepared the petitioner to be a positive addition to the 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 Law Review member. We will also be scoring personal statements based on writing competency, grammar, and spelling. Students petitioning for 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 Law Review, return to campus for Orientation, which is typically held during the week before classes begin. Staff members must also remain on campus during this week to begin their first racking citecheck assignment. Staff members are also expected to attend the Law Review symposium in the fall.
Law and Inequality will select 25 staff members, up to 3 of whom may be 2L or transfer student applicants.
1. 10 positions: 50% case comment/alternative petition, 20% personal statement, 30% interview.
2. 15 positions: 65% case comment/alternative petition, 15% personal statement, 20% interview.
Interviews: You must interview to be eligible for selection to Law and Inequality. Interviews, which take 15 minutes, will take place from April 11th to April 25th. Students will be able to sign up for interview slots beginning on April 8th. The interview sign-up sheet will be posted on the door of the JLI office (room 232 on the second floor of the library). No same-day interviews will be scheduled. If you are unable to sign up for an interview at one of the scheduled times, please email lawineqj@umn.edu to schedule a time. If you have questions about interviewing, we strongly encourage you to attend the JLI Reception, which will be held on Thursday, April 10th, from 3:30-6pm in Auerbach (adult beverages and appetizers will be provided).
Petitions: The petition will be scored for legal reasoning and analysis, organization, grammar, bluebooking, clarity, creativity, and the use of petition packet materials. Scoring for the alternative petition will consider the same factors. The petition should demonstrate your writing and analytical skills, whichever form is used.
Alternative Petitions: A student who chooses to submit to Law and Inequality is free to select a written form that best exhibits his/her reasoning and writing skills. The piece may be, but is not limited to a play, a short story, a judicial opinion, a brief, or an essay. An alternative petition should be responsive to the packet materials. It must be an original work which addresses a question or topic raised by the materials. Candidates submitting an alternative petition must bluebook all sources included in the petition packet. Before beginning work on an alternative petition or article proposal, petitioners must have their idea approved by Joe Steinberg (please email stein177@umn.edu).
Personal Statements: We consider the personal statement as a significant 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. Because of the importance we place on the personal statement, we strongly recommend that applicants write their personal statement before writing their petition. There is no page limit for personal statements. Please double space your statements.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact either Joe Steinberg, Editor-in-Chief (stein177@umn.edu), or Jonathan Blackburn, Executive Editor (black375@umn.edu).
Minnesota Journal of International Law will select 25 staff members up to 3 of whom may be current 2L or transfer student applications.
1. 9 positions: 50% petitions / 50% grades*
2. 6 positions: 70% petition / 30% personal statement
3. 10 positions: 100% petition
*Grades will not be considered for current 2Ls participating in the petition process.
The Minnesota Journal of International Law is a student run journal focused on compelling issues in international law. The Journal publishes two issues annually, which contain articles by international law professors and practitioners, as well as student notes and case comments. Recent diverse topics ranged from the legal status of enemy combatants to the weaponization of space to blasphemy law in Pakistan to international environmental issues. This fall the Journal will host a symposium entitled, "Creating a Global Rule of Law Culture," that will feature many prominent judges and academics known for their contributions to the study and practice of rule of law.
MJIL grades petitions based on the following factors: the individual's ability to persuasively argue for a clearly defined thesis, use a broad range of sources, organization, style, and mechanics. Proper citations will be considered in grading both the petition and, naturally, the Bluebooking exercise.
The Journal 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 the applicant's interest in international trade, economics, law, and/or politics and any experiences that have helped to develop that interest. MJIL is also interested in members who bring a diversity of ideas and experiences to our staff.
The Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology (MJLST) will select 20 members (with up to 3 positions for 2L or transfer student applicants).
*The extra 5% for the Bluebook Exercise is based on the same Bluebook Exercise you do for the petition score – MJLST just weights it more heavily.
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.
MJLST will be reading the Note or Case Comment portion of the petition for persuasive and creative legal arguments and analysis; the appropriate use of authority; overall structure and organization; broad use of available sources; correct Bluebooking to those sources; and grammar and spelling.
MJLST will be reading personal statements for content and will look for applicants who are interested in science, technology and the law. Both a science/technology background and experience or interest in science/technology-related law (e.g., intellectual property law, health law, and environmental law) are viewed favorably, but are by no means required. We are interested in members who can contribute to the journal by providing new perspective from a variety of interests and life experiences.
Petition packets will be available for pick up in the Law Review office (Room 230 on the second floor of the library) from Friday, May 16 through Friday, June 6 at 12:00 noon. You must return your petition within two weeks from the date you picked it up or by Friday, June 6 at 12:00 noon, whichever is earlier.
You will only be able to pick up and drop off petitions at designated times. We will post a schedule of times on the door of the Law Review office. The hours will include some weekday business hours, some evenings, and Saturday mornings. The hours may be irregular, so check times carefully.
If you will not be able to return your petition in person, you may mail it back to the address given in the petition instructions. If you mail your petition back, it must be postmarked by the date it is due (two weeks from pick up or June 6, whichever is earlier).
If you are unable to pick up the packet in person, you may arrange to have it mailed to you on a date you select within the petition period (May 16 - June 6). You will be responsible for paying postage. If we mail the petition to you, you must return it within 16 days from the date we mailed it or by June 6, whichever is earlier. If you mail it back after we mailed it to you, it must be postmarked within 16 days of the date we mailed it or by June 6, whichever is earlier.
If you would like us to mail the petition packet to you, you must make arrangements by stopping by the Law Review office (second floor library) to arrange to have a petition packet mailed to you. The window for making these arrangements is Monday, May 12 to Wednesday, May 14, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. each day. That is, you may only make these arrangements on or after May 12 and before 12 pm on May 14. If you absolutely cannot make those times, please email us at mnpetitionquestions@gmail.com to make alternate arrangements. If you fail to make appropriate arrangements, we will not mail a petition to you.
The journals plan to begin extending offers at the beginning of July (although this depends on grades, which may not be received until later). All of the journals should be extending offers at roughly the same time. As part of the petition process, you will rank the journals you wish to join (you do not need to rank journals you do not wish to join). If you receive an offer, you will receive an offer from one journal, and one journal only. If you choose to accept this offer, you will become a staff member of that journal. If you choose to decline, then you will be withdrawn from consideration for all journals. You should keep in mind that the offer and acceptance process may take a significant period of time so do not give up hope of receiving an offer just because you are not one of the first to be called.
Remember that the petition process is governed by the honor code. Petitioners should not discuss the petition with anyone until after the petition period is over. Petitioners should not even know what the topic of the petition is until they receive the petition packet. Please respect these rules to help ensure that the process is as fair as possible.
In addition, be advised that all journals require nominal social dues to cover such expenses as food and beverages for the group.
*NOTE: Additional hours may be added later (most likely in the afternoon) – check the schedule posted on the Law Review office door or the Law Review website for the most up-to-date hours.
