Call for Submissions
The Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society and the Mitchell Hamline Law Review are pleased to announce a Fall 2027 symposium, Celebrating the Minnesota Constitution: A Historical and Contemporary Look at Minnesota Constitutional Law. This will be the first symposium on the Minnesota Constitution since 1993.
The organizers invite written submissions for a publication with the Mitchell Hamline Law Review. Selected authors may also be invited to participate in the symposium as a speaker or panelist.
The Minnesota Constitution establishes the State’s systems of government and sets forth bedrock rights and protections that are independent of those in the United States Constitution. This symposium and the accompanying Law Review issue seek to shine light on the Minnesota Constitution, its history, and its contemporary relevance. Preferred submissions will explore the historical development of Minnesota constitutional principles or will probe recent, emerging, or unsettled issues in Minnesota constitutional law. Submissions are not limited to a particular area of constitutional law, so long as there is a tie to Minnesota. Topics may include, but are not confined to, fundamental constitutional rights, separation of powers, and constitutional interpretation. For examples of existing publications relating to the Minnesota Constitution, see the bibliography here.
Essays and Articles will be considered. Full manuscripts are preferred, but Essay Abstracts and Article Outlines will also be considered on the timelines noted below.
Longform Articles are original work offering a unique perspective on the Minnesota Constitution, Minnesota constitutional history, or other important issues relating to Minnesota constitutional law. Articles submitted to the Law Review cannot be previously published and must adhere to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (Columbia L. Rev. Ass’n et al. eds., 22d ed. 2025). Articles are typically between 8,500 and 20,000 words (including footnotes) and must rely on academic-quality sources. The Law Review does not accept articles exceeding 25,000 words.
Article Outlines are original work outlining the key legal arguments and thesis of the Article and include an abstract of 150 to 300 words. An outline uses headings and subheadings to communicate its argument with most sentences utilizing footnotes to cite the key academic-quality sources the author intends to use. The Selection Committee will evaluate Article Outlines to make an offer of intent, with a potential publication offer pending a review of a completed manuscript. Article Outlines are typically three to five pages, including footnotes and abstract.
Essays are original work similar to longform articles but narrower in scope and therefore shorter. Essays similarly cannot be previously published, must adhere to The Bluebook, and must rely on academic-quality sources. Essays are typically between 5,000 and 8,500 words (including footnotes).
Essay Abstracts are original work summarizing the key legal arguments and thesis of the Essay as well as the academic-quality sources the author intends to use in their argument. The Selection Committee will evaluate Essay Abstracts to make an offer of intent, with a potential publication offer pending a review of a completed manuscript. Essay Abstracts are typically between 150 and 300 words.
Submission Process
Original works can be emailed to Submissions.LawReview@mitchellhamline.edu according to the Timeline. Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
The Law Review requests that all manuscripts submitted for consideration be double spaced, with citations placed in footnotes that conform to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (Columbia L. Rev. Ass’n et al. eds., 22d ed. 2025). For matters not covered by The Bluebook, submissions should follow The Chicago Manual of Style (18th ed. 2024). Please submit manuscripts in Word format rather than as PDFs.
The Law Review reserves discretion to edit submissions in accordance with The Bluebook and The Chicago Manual of Style. We will use our best efforts to ensure that the piece, as published, accurately represents the author’s views. While the author has the final say over the substance of the work, the Law Review retains final say over the work’s technical aspects, including typography, grammar, and style. The Law Review does not accept submissions that have been generated, in whole or in part, by artificial intelligence (“AI”) and reserves the right to cancel publication of a submission if it determines the piece contains AI-generated content.
Timeline
August 2026……………………………………….…………..Call for Submissions Announced
February 2027 to May 2027………………….Essay Abstracts Accepted for Review
February 2027 to May 2027…..Full Essay Manuscripts Accepted for Review
February 2027 to April 2027…..….……….Article Outlines Accepted for Review
February 2027 to May 2027…Full Article Manuscripts Accepted for Review
Questions may be sent to law.review@mitchellhamline.edu.