Call for Contributors: Volume 26

Apply as a Writer or Editor

The UCLA Undergraduate Law Journal is seeking contributors for Volume 26, to be published in Spring 2027. We are looking for driven, passionate undergraduate students (or 2025–26 academic year graduates) from the United States and abroad to apply to be writers and editors for the Journal.

The Powell Library Reading Room, featuring tall arched windows, wooden bookshelves filled with books, and a reading area with tables and desk lamps. A person is sitting at one of the tables working on a laptop.

The Journal is composed solely of undergraduate and recently graduated students' work, making it one of the few undergraduate law reviews in the country modeled after top law school publications. As an annual collection of student-written articles on law-related topics, it is among the very few undergraduate legal publications in the United States. Past contributors have written on subjects ranging from legal philosophy and history to public policy and the criminal justice system. The Journal has published 25 volumes to date and is developing a digital archive of past issues.

The Journal is also committed to empowering students who are underrepresented in the legal field by equipping them with the skills to thrive as writers, editors, agents of change, future leaders. To further this mission, we welcome submissions from Community College students and foster a collaborative, inclusive environment. As of Volume 26, we are continuing to work on Volume 25’s initiatives to promote accessibility and broaden participation in undergraduate legal scholarship (Read more).

Editor Application Info
Writer Application Info

Deadlines and Important Dates

[Applications are not yet opened.]

The Executive Board will be hosting two informational virtual meetings over Fall Quarter to review important application information. Check back for registration.

  • Applications Open: [Week 2] date/time TBA

  • Information Session 1: [Week 2] over Zoom, date/time TBA

  • Information Session 2: [Week 3] over Zoom, date/time TBA

  • Applications Due: [Week 4] date/time TBA

  • Application Decisions Released: [Week 5] date/time TBA

  • First Meeting for Accepted Applicants: [Week 6] date/time TBA

  • Second Meeting for Accepted Applicants: [Week 7] date/time TBA

  • Third meeting for Accepted Applicants: [Week 8] date/time TBA

We do not accept applications on a rolling basis or during the academic school year past our deadline. If you miss our deadline, you may apply the next cycle.

Direct any questions about the application to the Executive Board at uclaulj@gmail.com, where are most responsive.

For updates, check our Instagram (@ucla_ulj) and subscribe to our forthcoming newsletter at the bottom of the page.

We will post FAQs, Executive Board story takeovers, and timely announcements on Instagram, so we encourage you to turn on post and story notifications.

A timeline chart titled 'Writing/Editing Process Timeline' depicting the stages of writing and editing articles through different quarters of the year. The stages include End of Fall Quarter, Winter Quarter, Before Spring Break, Spring Quarter, and Winter Break, with corresponding activities listed for each stage. The chart features a black hand drawing a pen in the top right corner.
A schedule showing deadlines for drafts and submissions for the Winter Quarter meetings and timeline, with a note about meetings and feedback, on a crumpled dark background with an illustration of stacked books and a torn notebook with handwritten notes

Exciting New Developments

  • Launching this Fall, our digital newsletter will feature legal explainers, excerpts from past volumes, and contributor highlights. We will also include interviews with past contributors, alumni check-ins, and updates on current projects, along with opportunities to engage with nation- and campus-wide peer journals and pre-law societies.

  • We are launching workshops to sharpen contributors’ skills and demystify the legal writing process. Using curated materials and past journal content, these sessions will provide practical guidance and peer discussion. Workshops will also be open to other interested students, with select sessions held in partnership with UCLA Law reviews and the UCLA Law Library.

  • To build community, we will host informal gatherings with contributors and partner journals. These events aim to connect students across UCLA who share an interest in law and policy. These socials will offer space to network, exchange ideas, and celebrate a shared appreciation for legal writing. Some events may include

    • Book exchanges focused on law, philosophy, and public policy

    • Coffee chats with contributors and editors from partner journals

    • Mixer with UCLA Law reviews to discuss pathways from undergraduate to law school publishing

  • This year’s symposium will showcase the scholarship published in Volume 25 during Undergraduate Research Week. Contributors will present their work and engage in dialogue with peers, highlighting the strength of undergraduate legal research. The symposium will be open to all students, inviting the wider UCLA community to engage with and celebrate undergraduate legal scholarship.