About Us

The Pepperdine Law Review publishes articles, comments, and case notes from professors, judges, legislators, practicing lawyers, and other scholars. The Review is traditionally published in December, February, March, and April, including a Symposium issue. We are currently reviewing articles for Volume 50.

Publication decisions are typically made within one to four weeks from the date a submission is received. Contributors may request an expedited review.

Contributors are encouraged to cite sources in accordance with the current edition of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation. We ask that contributors submit their articles in Microsoft Word if possible. Authors are also asked to provide a brief cover letter, an abstract of their submission, and biographical information.

Annual Volume

In addition to traditional articles and student notes/comments, the Pepperdine Law Review publishes essays, book reviews, and other forms of academic correspondence in our Annual Volume. These pieces receive the same Pepperdine Law Review citation format as traditional lead articles. We publish them on the Pepperdine Law Review website and upload them to Westlaw, Lexis, and Digital Commons individually, as they become ready.

Essays
(5,000-15,000+ words)

Essays are essentially short form law review articles that typically address novel issues of particular relevance and interest to the legal academic community. However, because they are written for a peer audience, they are subject to significantly fewer stylistic restrictions. For example, authors are encouraged to experiment with structure, engage in more active hypotheticals, and forward novel analyses. Moreover, while footnotes should not be abandoned completely, the traditional “footnote every substantive assertion” requirement is significantly relaxed.

Traditional Book Reviews
(5,000-10,000 words)

Book reviews provide opportunities to advance ongoing legal conversations by anchoring essays and commentaries in a substantial work by a different author. Our preferred practice involves selecting books for review in December and soliciting reviewers in January. However, we also welcome reviews of legal books published within six months of submission.

Commentaries
(2,000-5,000 words)

Commentaries are concise but well-reasoned scholarly pieces on current topics, statutes, regulations, and decisions prepared by members of the legal academy, bench, and bar. Their short length allows for very rapid publication.

Multi-Author Discussions
(2,000 word opening statements, 1,000 word rebuttals, and 500 word closing statements)

We organize brief discussions between scholars on timely issues. Opening statements and rebuttals are published to the PLR website on consecutive Mondays. Closing statements are published Friday of the second week.

Questions and requests should be emailed to our Digital Media and Essays, Comments, and Reviews Editor, Aislinn McManus, at aislinn.mcmanus@pepperdine.edu under the subject heading “PLR Essays and Reviews.”