How To Write A Law Review Article: Step-By-Step Guide

Law review articles are one of the most important parts of legal academia. These pieces of legal writing shape legal discourse and even influence judicial decisions. A study found that during the early 21st century, U.S. Supreme Court justices cited law review articles nearly 40% of the time when deciding cases. This means that when you write a law review, you make a meaningful contribution to legal scholarship that could potentially impact the highest court opinions in the land.

This article will walk you through the entire writing process of a law review article. If you struggle with completing this assignment, keep in mind that you can always request the professionals from PaperWriter's review article writing services to take over.

What is a Law Review Article?

A law review article is a scholarly legal essay that critiques or analyzes a specific legal issue. Contrary to case summaries or opinion pieces, law review articles are more formal and heavily researched. Such legal writing aims to challenge existing legal perspectives and contribute fresh insights to ongoing legal debates.

However, law review articles don't just hold a place in academic journals but rather influence real legal decisions. They can help judges make sense of legal grey areas and impact lawmakers when crafting policies. In short, academic legal writing is no small task, which is why college paper writing services can always be of help for law students to make sure the writing is up to academic standards.

Guide for Writing a Law Review Article

The best advice we can give you about writing a law review article is to break it down into smaller steps that are easier to manage. The first steps can certainly feel overwhelming, but once you have a well-thought-out plan, all you have to do is carefully follow it.

Selecting a Topic

Any academic writing starts with choosing the right topic, as it's exactly what sets the tone for the entire project. A compelling law review article should ideally tackle a current pressing legal issue and must aim to fill gaps in existing legal scholarship.

Try to find the perfect balance between broadness and specificity. For example, instead of writing “Constitutional Law,” try → “The Impact of Recent First Amendment Rulings on Social Media Regulations.” 

Narrow down broader law essay topics by asking yourself these questions:

1. Does this topic address a recent court ruling or legislative change?
2. Will my research help lawyers, judges, or policymakers?
3. Can I provide a new angle to the already existing literature on this issue?

It will also help to browse through the law essay topics we've put together for inspiration.

Conducting Research

A solid law review article must be extremely well-researched and backed by credible, authoritative sources. It's always a good idea to use legal research databases like Westlaw, LexisNexis, or JSTOR, as these platforms give you access to scholarly articles and legislative history. A well-crafted article analyzes how courts have interpreted law over time. 

Your research should cover:

• Case law (court decisions relevant to your topic).
• Statutes and regulations (laws that govern your legal issue).
• Academic legal journals (law reviews, peer-reviewed papers, and books).

Developing a Thesis Statement

Once you have your topic and have spent enough time on research, it's time to start working on your thesis statement - the main argument of your article mentioned in the law review abstract that summarizes the claim of the entire essay. 

A vague statement will only cause you to write a scattered article, so you must make sure that your thesis:

• Clearly states the issue and your stance.
• Is specific and arguable (not just a fact).
• Aligns with your research and in-depth analysis

Structuring Your Article

Any professional would advise you to create a clear structure for your article before actually jumping into writing. A properly organized law review article makes the paper easier for the reader to follow. Here's the general law review article template you should follow:

• Law Review Abstract - It's a brief summary of your article that summarizes your key arguments and findings. It gives the reader a general idea of what to expect.
• Introduction - Set the stage for the discussion. Explain why your topic matters and present your main argument. An effective introduction should grab the reader's attention and set up your thesis statement all at once.
• Background - Give readers the legal and historical context they need to understand your argument. Consider including case law, statutory developments, or policy discussions.
• Analysis - This is the heart of your article, where you break down your argument logically. Use legal precedent, scholarly opinions, and statutory interpretation to support your claims.
• Counterarguments - Strengthen your perspective by addressing opposing viewpoints. Few things are better for going in-depth on an issue than stating the opposing side's argument and ultimately presenting yours as the most logical solution.
• Conclusion - Shortly wrap up your discussion in the final section of your scholarly article. Summarize the most important takeaways and reinforce your main thesis without sounding repetitive.

Creating a Law Review Article Format

Law review articles are serious pieces of academic writing, which is why they must carefully follow strict citation and formatting guidelines. While the APA article review format is quite common, most law schools and journals require following The Bluebook citation standards, as it's still considered the gold standard. 

Here are a few general formatting tips you can follow to make the writing process a bit easier:

• Footnotes: Law review articles use footnotes instead of in-text citations to back up arguments.
• Headings and Subheadings: Clear, well-structured headings and subheadings improve your review article's readability.
• Quotations: Use accurate, properly formatted citations when quoting case law.

Writing a Reference List

None of your arguments can hold up without proper sources, and each piece of evidence you use to support your claims must be properly cited. A reference list is a collection of all sources you used for your law review articles that makes it easier for the reader to find what they're looking for.

It's a common practice to use citation management tools like Zotero or EndNote to help keep track of your sources. Follow the Bluebook format (or APA, if that's the requirement), and always double-check your citations for accuracy before submitting.

Revising and Proofreading

No one writes a perfect first draft. Creating an article comes with a long writing process with lots of revisions throughout. A good law review article must go through many rounds of proofreading to ensure everything is up to standards. You don't want to submit your writing and later discover you didn't cite a source or that you missed grammatical errors.

Here's what you should check during revisions:

• Logical flow - Does each section build naturally on the last?
• Legal accuracy - Are your case law interpretations correct?
• Clarity – Is the entire article easy to read and follow? Have you made your points as clear as possible?

3 Tips for Effective Writing

Even the most experienced scholars might have trouble staying on track while completing a law review article. So, take this useful advice:

Common Questions About Law Review Articles

Let's go over some of the most frequently asked questions and concerns about law article reviews:

How long should a law review article be?

Generally, the law review article length is somewhere between 10,000 and 30,000 words, depending on where you're submitting it. That being said, don't obsess over page numbers: if there is something you can say in 9,000 words, don't write 20,000 just to meet the word count.

How do I find a unique angle for my topic?

Finding an effective topic and a fresh perspective is half the battle sometimes. If you have trouble coming up with the title, ask these questions:

• What's missing in the conversation? Maybe you find an angle other scholars have missed.
• Has there been a recent change in the existing law? New rulings and legislations open new areas for discussion.
• Can an overlooked legal theory be applied? Sometimes, borrowing ideas from another area or discipline can bring new insights.

What mistakes should I avoid?

There are many common pitfalls law students make when writing review articles. Firstly, you shouldn't pick a topic that’s too broad, as you won't be able to go below the surface. On the other hand, pick a subject too specific and you might find yourself struggling to find credible sources. Don't overcomplicate your language; legal writing should be clear and concise, so edit your drafts ruthlessly and avoid any unnecessary legalese. And don't skip proofreading! You'll be surprised how many minor mistakes you'll notice with each revision, even if it's the final draft.

If you still need law essay help, don't hesitate to reach out to PaperWriter and let our professional writers take over.

Law Review Article Example

We can give you all the pieces of advice in the world, but nothing’s better for clarity than an actual example of a successful law review article:

Wrap-Up

A solid law review article can shape legal debates, influence policies, and even get cited in court. No pressure, right? But don’t worry, once you get the hang of writing one, it won’t feel so daunting.

Every airtight legal argument starts with a single sharp idea that gets polished over time. Pick a strong topic, do your research (and then do some more), and stick to a clear structure.

Skipping proofreading or ignoring feedback? Bad move. A little extra time editing saves you from embarrassing slip-ups. Planning and persistence will get you across the finish line. And if legal scholarship ever feels like too much, PaperWriter is always ready to step in.