In light of the University’s recent announcement, the Virginia Law Review is altering its March Notes and Comments Pool submission guidelines and instructions. Students need only submit an electronic copy of their submission documents. The physical submission of hard (paper) copies to the Law Review office is no longer required. The March Notes and Comments Pool will continue to accept submissions until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 20th. Late submissions will not be accepted. Students who would like their Note or Comment to be considered for publication in the Law Review should read the following updated guidelines and submission instructions:
1. The recommended length for a Note is 10,000–15,000 words including footnotes (approximately 35–50 pages in double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font). Notes longer than 15,000 words are strongly discouraged. Notes longer than 17,500 words will not be considered without prior approval of the Notes Development Editor. Students may submit Notes shorter than 10,000 words without approval.
2. The recommended length for a Comment is 5,000-8,000 words including footnotes (approximately 15-25 pages in double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font). Comments longer than 8,000 words are strongly discouraged, and will not be considered without prior approval of the Notes and Comments Development Editor. Comments below 5,000 words will not be considered.
3. Please use Bluebook style for your footnotes, rather than any other style guide.
4. Submit a copy of your submission by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 20th. The following format is required for consideration: please use double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font for the body of your submission. Please use standard, 1inch margins. Please use single-spaced footnotes rather than endnotes for citations and references.
5. Your name should not appear on the copy of your note, nor should any other identifying information, but each copy should have an attached cover page which includes only the following pieces of information:
· The title of your submission.
· An abstract of approximately 250 words or fewer, single-spaced, which briefly summarizes the argument of your submission.
· A table of contents.
· A list of the five (5) secondary sources cited that are most related to your work. Please do not list cases or statutes.
· The word count for your submission, both with and without footnotes.
· If you are resubmitting a Note or Comment that you previously submitted to the Virginia Law Review, a brief description of any substantive changes that you made.
6. Submit everything in one large manila envelope with the title of your note on the outside. A box will be available outside WB 292.
7. All submissions must be emailed to vlr_7f30@sendtodropbox.com in .docx format by the time the Pool closes. The document must include the cover page, the file name must be the [Note Title], and the subject line of the email must be March Notes and Comments Pool. Please remove any identifying information from the body of the document as well as personal information embedded in the digital file by following the instructions below. This includes any references to the author’s demographic information. This also includes removing identifying information typically included at the beginning of a Note or Comment in a * footnote, such as class information, Notes and Comment Advisors, or professors that assisted in the drafting and editing of the submission. Correctly following all instructions will maintain each author’s anonymity.
· Word 2010, 2013, 2016: Go to File, select “Info”, click on Check for Issues”, click on “Inspect Document”. In the dialog box, click “Remove All” and close box. Save document.
· Word for Mac 2016, 2018: Go to Tools, select “Protect Document” or select “Protect Document” button on Review tab. Save document.
8. In addition to the document above, all submissions must include in a SEPARATE DOCUMENT the following information, which is to be both emailed to vlr_7f30@sendtodropbox.com in .pdf format. The separate envelope should be sealed and have “[Title], Confidential” written on the outside. The electronic copy should be titled “[Title].Confidential” (e.g. “Breaking Bad Law.Confidential”. This separate document should be a single page and include:
· Your name, phone number, e-mail address, and mailing address
· The title of your Note or Comment
· A signed statement (an electronic signature will be accepted) that your Note or Comment was substantially written during law school
· The name(s) of the professor(s) with whom you worked when writing your Note or Comment
9. Please complete this survey to better improve our process. The survey will not record your name or email address and will in no way be tied to your Note or Comment. Your information remains confidential and, other than the Notes and Comments Development Editor and/or your Notes and Comments Advisor, your identity will never be revealed to the Notes Department unless your submission is accepted for publication.
The results of the March Notes and Comments Pool will be announced at www.VirginiaLawReview.org. All current students whose Notes or Comments are accepted for publication by March 1st of their 3L year are invited to join the Law Review. If you have any questions, please contact Anna Cecile Pepper (acp3kc@virginia.edu).