H O W T O J O I N
T H E W r i t e - O n C o m p e t i t i o n
Each year, students who have completed Legal Skills II are invited to participate in a Write-On Competition held in both June and August. To find out more, please view this informational video.
W H Y J O I N I N T E R N A T I O N A L L A W J O U R N A L ?
ILJ membership is a prestigious privilege at California Western School of Law. The journal is recognized as one of the oldest in the nation and is well-known to employers as a publication run by top students, including many Kennedy Scholars. Each year, students who are offered invitations distinguish themselves for the following reasons:
(1) Journal membership is universally revered in the legal profession. It demonstrates to employers that you have the ability to write and edit effectively, thereby increasing your chances of securing legal internships and jobs. If you have any questions about the career benefits associated with journal membership, make an appointment with CWSL’s Career and Professional Development Office (CPDO).
(2) Journal membership will significantly improve your writing and editing skills. ILJ members in particular will learn how to edit challenging international scholarship, which allows them to gain unique command of the Bluebook along with the opportunity to read creative legal work. Although writing and editing are essential skills in the practice of law, ILJ members develop stronger editing abilities due to the variety of text with which they interact.
(3) Journal membership will offer you a deeper understanding of different legal fields, some of which you may not otherwise have the chance to explore. For ILJ members, this legal exploration is specific to international and comparative law. In the 21st century, there is simply no question that attorneys will encounter international law within our globalized society—therefore, having exposure to this field will help you excel in the legal profession.
(4) And of course: ILJ members receive academic credit for their work! You will receive academic credit while given the opportunity to write a scholarly article on a topic of your choosing, which is a project that will serve to fulfill your scholarly writing requirement. And at the end of each year, students are eligible for special recognition awards and scholarships that are exclusive to ILJ members.
CWSL has several faculty members who study international and comparative law, including Professors William Aceves, Emily Behzadi, James Cooper, Pooja Dadhania, Pedro Gerson, and Richard Oppong. Each of them has published numerous articles about international law and continue to participate in the development of the field. You can read more about the contributions of our faculty and students here:
ILJ alumni have gone on to create successful careers in many areas of law, including public interest law, criminal defense & immigration law, professional liability & legal malpractice, employment law, personal injury, and the Department of Justice.
You do not need a background in international or comparative law to join ILJ. You also do not need to have an interest in pursuing a career in international or comparative law. However, you will learn a great deal about the field if you join us, which will only serve to benefit your future legal careers.
If you have any questions about the value of ILJ membership, please reach out to ILJ’s Editor-in-Chief at ilj@cwsl.edu, or ILJ’s Executive Director of Notes & Comments at iljexecdnc@cwsl.edu.