Excerpt from Texas Wesleyan Law Review By-laws
(pertaining to Law Review Membership requirements)
A. Grade-On Process
1. Eligibility: A law student who meets the following requirements will be invited to join Law Review:
a. A grade point average within the top 10 percent (10%) of his or her entering class. Averages are computed solely on first-year lockstep courses completed at the Law School;
b. In good standing with the Law School; and
c. Have no violations of the Student Honor Code of the Law School or otherwise be the subject of any academic or disciplinary proceeding.
2. Timing of Invitation: Invitations to join the Law Review through the Grade-On Process are offered to all eligible students following the Spring semester. An eligible student will be invited to join the Law Review through the Grade-On Process only after the Registrar has posted grades for the semester in which he or she has completed all first-year lockstep courses. In the event a student completes his or her first-year lockstep courses in the Fall Semester, the Law Review may, in its discretion, extend an invitation to that student following the Fall semester. The time at which an eligible student is offered an invitation is based on his or her status as full-time or part-time; such status will be determined at the time he or she completes the first-year lockstep courses.
An invitation to join the Law Review must be accepted in the semester in which it is extended, unless the invitee requests and is granted a membership deferment.
3. Timing of Participation in Law Review: Participation as a Law Review Staff Member will commence in the semester immediately following membership acceptance.
4. Process: Upon receipt of the list of eligible students from the Registrar, the Editor-in-Chief will send letters to those students inviting them to join Law Review through the Grade-On Process in the following semester.
B. Write-On Program
1. Eligibility: A law student who meets the following requirements will be invited to participate in the Write-On Program:
a. A grade point average between the top ten (10%) and thirty percent (30%) of his or her entering class. Averages are computed solely on first-year lockstep courses completed at the Law School;
b. In good standing at the Law School; and
c. Have no violations of the Student Honor Code or otherwise be the subject of any academic or disciplinary proceeding.
2. Timing of Invitation to Participate in the Program: Invitations to participate in the Write-On Program are offered to all eligible students following the Spring semester. A qualifying student will be invited to participate in the Write-On Program only after the Registrar has posted grades for the semester in which he or she has completed all first-year lockstep courses. In the event a student completes his or her first-year lockstep courses in the Fall semester, the Law Review may, in its discretion, extend an invitation to that student following the Fall semester. The time at which a law student is offered an invitation is based on his or her status as full-time or part-time; such status will be determined at the time he or she completes the first-year lockstep courses.
An invitation to participate in the Write-On Program must be accepted in the semester in which it is extended, unless the invitee requests and is granted a membership deferment.
3. Timing of Participation in Law Review: Participation as a Law Review Staff Member will commence in the semester immediately following membership acceptance.
4. Process
a. Upon receipt of the list of eligible students from the Registrar, the Editor-in-Chief will send letters and instructions to those students inviting them to participate in the Write-On Program. The letter must also inform the student that if he or she is selected based on his or her participation, he or she will be invited to join Law Review in the following semester.
b. The instruction package will be composed by the Notes & Comments Editors, or any other Board Member designated by the Editor-in-Chief, and must include a Write-On topic, on which the Participant must write a paper not more than twenty pages in length; a Blue Book assignment; an editing assignment; the deadline for submission; and the date by which selections will be made.
c. A qualifying law student must submit the required documents anonymously.
d. The Notes & Comments Editors, or a committee of other Board Members designated by the Editor-in-Chief, will meet to determine which submissions represent the skills and quality necessary to be invited to join the Law Review. The committee is not required to choose a predetermined number of Participants. Selections must be based solely on the quality of the submissions.
e. Upon selection of successful Write-On submissions, the Editor-in-Chief will send letters to the selected students inviting them to join the Law Review.
C. Exceptions
1. Transfer Students: Transfer students are not eligible for Law Review membership.
2. Visiting Students: Visiting students are not eligible for Law Review membership.
REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP
A. Membership Agreement: An Invitee must complete and execute a Membership Agreement to secure membership on the Law Review. Execution of the Agreement will represent acceptance of the invitation to join and participate in the Law Review. Failure to fully complete and execute the Agreement will be deemed a rejection of the invitation to join the Law Review.
B. Duration of Membership: Membership in the Law Review will commence in the semester or term immediately following membership acceptance. A member is required to serve in each of the Fall and Spring semesters following acceptance, until graduation; provided, however, that no member shall be required to serve more than four semesters. Members may elect, but are not required, to serve more than four semesters or terms.
C. Writing Requirement
1. To qualify for status as a Law Review Member, a Staff Member is required to author a Student Article. The article must be completed by an active member during the first Spring semester following membership acceptance and must comply with the applicable guidelines set forth in the Law Review Handbook.
2. A Student Article must be:
a. Of publishable quality;
b. On a timely topic;
c. Representative of sufficient research;
d. Inclusive of original thought;
e. Appropriately attributed in Bluebook and Greenbook form; and
f. Sufficient to satisfy the Law School’s rigorous writing requirement and the requirements set forth in the Law Review Handbook.
3. The Notes & Comments Editors, under the direction of the Editor-in-Chief, will determine if the Student Article satisfies the requirements outlined above. Failure to meet these requirements may result in one or more of the following actions:
a. A failing grade;
b. No credit for the rigorous writing component necessary to graduate; and /or
c. Internal disciplinary action, including removal from the Law Review.
d. Editing Requirement
D. Hours Requirement: In addition to the Writing Requirement, Staff Members must complete a minimum of sixty hours of work per semester or term editing articles selected for publication in the Texas Wesleyan Law Review.
1. Such duties may include, but are not limited to:
2. Cite-checking footnotes;
3. Substantive and technical editing;
4. Administrative duties;
5. Communicating with student authors;
6. Proofreading;
7. Attending staff meetings or training sessions; and
8. Any other duties required by the Board of Editors or otherwise necessary to effectuate the Purpose of the Law Review.
9. Upon successful completion of the required sixty hours each semester, the Staff Member will receive one pass/fail credit hour. Failure to comply with all minimum requirements may result in one or more of the following actions:
a. A failing grade; and/or
b. Internal disciplinary action, including removal from the Law Review.
E. Grades: Grades and the award of the Rigorous Writing Requirement are recommended by the Editor-in-Chief to the Faculty Advisor, who, in turn, will officially submit them to the Law School.
F. Other Organizations: Although members of the Law Review are encouraged to participate in other campus organizations, the nature of the Law Review requires that each member be committed to accomplishing the goals of the Law Review and to furthering the purpose of the Law Review. Failure to fulfill these obligations may result in Disciplinary Action.
G. Invitee Membership Deferment
1. An Invitee may defer membership on the Law Review if:
a. The Invitee presents a written request to the Editor-in-Chief prior to the semester in which the Invitee is scheduled to achieve Staff Member status;
b. The request is based on reasonable grounds, such as hardship arising from family, economics, employment, medical conditions, or the like;
c. The Invitee is in good standing with the Law School; and
i. Leave is approved in writing by the Editor-in-Chief.
ii. If an Invitee’s deferment request is granted, he or she must begin active status as a Staff Member in the fall semester immediately following the request for deferment. No further reinstatement process will be required. If an Invitee defers membership without following the procedure described above, or is otherwise unable to fulfill all membership requirements, the invitation to join the Law Review will be deemed rejected.
H. Staff Member Withdrawal: A Staff Member may withdraw from Law Review by giving written notice to the Editor-in-Chief. A Staff Member who withdraws from Law Review will not be entitled to the benefits of membership, including the right to list Law Review on his or her résumé. Pursuant to the Law School’s Policies and Procedures, a grade of “Withdrawal” will be posted on the member’s transcript if he or she withdraws from Law Review after the drop deadline. Official withdrawal requires permission from the appropriate Dean of the Law School. Upon withdrawal, the member will not receive academic credit for Law Review, regardless of work-hours completed prior to withdrawal. A member who withdraws without Law School approval will receive a failing grade. Furthermore, unless the student has certification of his or her Rigorous Writing Requirement from the Law Review Faculty Advisor prior to his or her withdrawal from Law Review he or she cannot satisfy his or her rigorous writing requirement with his or her Student Article.