Feedback on Paper Prior to Submitting to a Law Journal?

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Posted by Keith Eakins, community karma 687
Hi all!  I am a non-law school academic (PhD/JD) at an M3 institution who is looking to complete and submit a paper to a law journal for the first time. 

In my world, typically you present your paper at a conference, and if you're lucky you get good feedback from the chair or discussants on your panel on how to improve it.  Also, you have your knowledgeable and/or trusted colleagues look over it and give you feedback.  Then, you submit to one journal at a time and wait and wait.  

Aside from presenting at a legal conference--I won't be able to do that prior to spring--are there ways to get feedback on your work prior to submitting it?  I have served on discussion panels with some local law professors (generally I invite them), but I don't know them on a personal level and I don't want to be intrusive.  

If anyone could educate me a bit on the norms surrounding pre-submission feedback, I would greatly appreciate it. 

Thanks so much!

3 Comments

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Charlie Martel, community karma 6849
Hi Keith--as you probably know law review submissions are different. We can and do submit simultaneously to many journals (aided greatly by this platform). Depending on your subject there are many opportunities to submit to conferences, workshops, and colloquia. The American Association of Law Schools (AALS) hosts these. AALS and other legal organizations have specialty groups aligned by subject--they often host these kinds of conferences and workshops. Some people post a draft on SSRN and get feedback that way (though I am bound to say that has not worked for me). Check and see if there are legal blogs on your subject--if so, submit your paper to one of the blog editors for feedback or posting on the site. I would not hesitate to ask the law professors you have met for feedback--or for their recommendations on profs who would take a look. 

Good luck!
--Charlie
10 months ago
Thanks, Charlie, that's very helpful!
Keith Eakins – 9 months ago
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Michael Cicchini, community karma 27021
You'll probably get some useful replies, but one option is to be bold and go it alone: https://thelegalwatchdog.blogspot.com/2021/08/a-heap-of-sand-law-review-publishing.html
10 months ago
Thanks, Michael. I’ll take a look.
Keith Eakins – 10 months ago
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Lorianne Updike Toler, community karma 11587
You can always reach out to scholars you cited and/or in the field and cold-ask, especially if you offer to read their work, too.
9 months ago
Thanks, Lorianne, that helps!
Keith Eakins – 9 months ago
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