Light Edit Philosophy

The Virginia Law Review prides itself on our light edit philosophy, and we strive to maintain the author’s voice in every piece we publish. If we accept a piece for publication, we will suggest both discretionary and non-discretionary changes. Non-discretionary changes are those that must be made, and include things like spelling, grammar, substantiation, and Bluebook formatting. Discretionary suggestions include the style, clarity, and structure of the piece. We enjoy working with authors and collaborating on their pieces throughout the publication process, and we will make discretionary suggestions as part of the editing process, but we will respect the author’s judgment regarding whether those changes should be made.

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