Volume 51 Write-On Process

Registration closes Sunday, May 12, 2024 at 11:59 PM CST. 

The entire Write-On Process is a two-part process spanning over a three-week period: 

Bluebook Citation Quiz  

• May 15, 2024, 8:00 AM CST – May 22, 2024, 11:59 PM CST   

Case Note analyzing recent MN Supreme Court decision

• May 23, 2024, 8:00 AM CST – June 5, 2024, 11:59 PM CST 

Applicants must submit each part during its respective time period. 

For more information, please attend the below sessions and/or email the Volume 51 Notes and Comments Editors at mhsl.submissions@gmail.com.  

Write-On Accommodations

Students with disabilities who would like to request accommodations should contact Allison Quinn, Director of Disability and Student Services in the Dean of Students office. Students will be asked to complete an accommodation request form and meet with the Director of Disability and Student Services to discuss their request.

We ask for requests for accommodations to be submitted, by May 1st, 2024, at least 14 days prior to the write-on.

For more information, contact Allison Quinn by email at allison.quinn@mitchellhamline.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Mitchell Hamline Law Review? 

• The Mitchell Hamline Law Review is a student organization that publishes academic legal articles written by practitioners, professors, and students. It is often cited in judicial opinions – a testament to the relevancy of its topics and the quality of its work product. 

Who is involved in Law Review? 

• The Law Review is run by a Board of Editors that consists of students who initially joined Law Review as Associates. Their responsibilities include selecting articles for publication, managing the editorial process, organizing our annual symposium, managing the write-on process, and helping Associates write their long paper. 
• Associates assist the editorial process by conducting authority checks and proof reading assigned articles. All associates must write an article during their time on Law Review, which satisfies the “long paper” requirement for graduation. For their services, Associates earn 3 pass/fail academic credits for the school year. 
• The Law Review‘s faculty advisor is Professor Michael K. Steenson. 

Who is eligible to be an Associate? 

• Any student who has completed one year of studies, is in good academic standing, and will not graduate before May 2025 is eligible to be an Associate on Volume 51. Students may be enrolled in any program and need not be located in the Twin Cities. 

How do I become an Associate? 

• Students join Law Review by participating in the Write-On Process.

What happens during the Write-On Process? 

• The Write-On Process consists of two tasks designed to evaluate your ability to think and write like a member of the Law Review. These two tasks are the Bluebook quiz and a case note. More information on these tasks is included below. 
• Once the Process has closed, Board members will grade the case notes and Bluebook quizzes. All grading is anonymous. Participants who receive the highest combined score for their case note and Bluebook quiz will be invited to join Volume 51. 
• Additionally, all participants will be asked to complete a short survey at the close of the Write-On Process. 

What is the Bluebook quiz and how do I prepare for it? 

• The Bluebook quiz contains twenty endnote citations and twenty authority check questions. You must correct each endnote according to the twenty-first edition of the Bluebook and the Chicago Manual of Style. 
• There is no one right way to prepare for the Bluebook quiz. Since the quiz will likely contain citations that are unfamiliar to you, it is best to familiarize yourself with the Bluebook’s index and the table of contents and to look over sections of the Bluebook that you are unfamiliar with. Additionally, you can prepare by reviewing the citation rules that you have learned in your legal research and writing class. 
• If you do not have a copy of the Bluebook, you are not required to purchase a copy for the Write-On Process. Access to Mitchell Hamline Law Review’s online Bluebook account will be made available to you. We will provide more details before the process begins. Lastly, the Library has a page with resources and tips that may help you when dealing with Bluebook questions. 
• Please plan on attending our Bluebook information session or watch the recording for additional information.

What is a case note and how do I write one? 

• A case note is a piece of legal writing that focuses on the significance of a single case. It is an in-depth analysis of the issues raised in the opinion. All participants in Volume 51’s Write-On Process will receive the same case as well as a closed universe of sources that they will use to write their case note. Your case note must have at least eight pages of text and six pages of endnotes for a minimum total of fourteen pages. Casenotes must not exceed eighteen pages. 
• It is not expected that you have any experience writing a case note. The Volume 51 Write-On Handbook will include the case note requirements, a suggested format, and examples of case notes students wrote during prior write-on processes. 
• Additionally, the Volume 51 Board will host a “How to Write a Case Note” session during which a Mitchell Hamline professor will discuss the process of writing a case note and will answer any student questions. 
• If you are unable to attend live training sessions, please review the recorded sessions.

Can I get help during the Write-On? 

• You can direct any questions you may have about the Write-On Process to Volume 51’s Notes & Comments Editors at mhsl.submissions@gmail.com. The Notes & Comments Editors can provide general guidance on competition procedural issues, but they will not answer substantive questions. You may not submit written portions of your case note to the Notes & Comments Editors. 
• Additionally, the NCEs will host tech support Zoom sessions throughout the Write-on Process. This is an opportunity to verify all technological aspects of Write-On are working. NCEs will not discuss any substantive questions. One applicant will be admitted at a time to the Zoom call so please wait in the waiting room until an NCE admits you to the call.
  • Dates of sessions:
    • Wednesday, May 15, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. CST
    • Thursday, May 16, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. CST
    • Thursday, May 23, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. CST
    • Friday, May 24, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. CST
• Zoom link for all sessions:
  • Zoom link: https://mitchellhamline.zoom.us/j/7665952056
  • Passcode: 747217

Do my grades or other qualifications factor into the Associate selection process? 

• No. The Write-On Process is completely anonymous and no information about your grades or other qualifications is collected. Only the Notes & Comments Editors will know which students have signed up for the Write-On Process. The Notes & Comments Editors will assign each participant an anonymous ID, and they will not grade any Bluebook quizzes or case notes. 

Will Associates be published in MHLR Volume 51? 

• The Volume 51 Board may select one case note from the Write-On Process for publication. 
• All associates must write an article during their time on Law Review, which satisfies the “long paper” requirement for graduation. These papers will be considered for publication in the Law Review.  

What happens if I’m not selected? 

• You are welcome to try again for Volume 52 if you meet the eligibility requirements for that Volume (such as not graduating before May 2026). You may also consider participating in other journals at Mitchell Hamline; some select staff members before Law Review, and some do so after. 
• For students who are not selected, the Write-On submissions are their property. Students may revise their case notes and attempt to have them published elsewhere.