Frequently Asked Questions*

What is Nova Law Review ?
Nova Law Review is an academic honors organization that publishes three legal scholastic books each year. The Nova Law Review publishes articles written by judges, legal practitioners, law professors, and select students. Nova Law Review edits articles submitted for consideration and prepares them for publication. Lawyers and other legal practitioners refer to our articles to update and expand their legal knowledge.

How do I become eligible to join Nova Law Review ?
To become a member of Nova Law Review one must successfully complete the Summer Candidacy Program.
To be eligible for the Nova Law Review Summer Candidacy Program, a candidate must either:
1. Grade On: (open to first year students who are entering into their second year, day or evening division).
To grade on, you must achieve at least a 3.3 G.P.A. in either semester of your first year and finish your first year with a 3.1 cumulative G.P.A. If these requirements are met, you will be eligible to participate in the Summer Candidacy Program as a Junior Candidate.
2. Write On: (open to any day or evening student who has at least one full year of school remaining)
To write on, you must have a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.5 at the end of Winter Semester 2006. The write-on competition consists of a closed memo-style article on a topic to be determined by the Nova Law Review executive board. You will be given a set amount of time (usually 5–7 days) to write an article (typically at least 8–10 pages). The write on competition is usually held during the first or second full week following Winter finals. Once your anonymous article is submitted, the Board will vote on which article writers will be eligible to participate in the Summer Candidacy Program.
NOTE: There is no set number of students that Nova Law Review can accept into the Summer Candidacy Program.

Will I know if I graded on prior to the write-on competition?
Probably not. Typically, the write-on competition takes place towards the end of May, therefore, you may not have all of your grades back before the write-on competition period. The reason the write-on competition is not held later is because the Summer Candidacy Program will require the majority of summer, and that process cannot be delayed. Usually, enough grades are posted to allow you to make a reasonable determination as to whether you have graded on to Law Review. If you are unsure, you should probably participate in the write-on competition.
If you started the write-on competition and you learn that you have graded on, you are not required to complete the write-on competition, you need only attend the first required meeting of the Summer Candidacy Program. If you begin the write-on competition and you discover that you are not eligible for the program, you need not notify the write-on editor, you may stop working on the write-on without any penalty.

Can I be a member of Nova Law Review and Moot Court?
Dual membership between Nova Law Review and Moot Court is allowed.

Can I be a member of Nova Law Review and another law journal?
You cannot be a member of both Nova Law Review and ILSA Journal of International and Comparative Law or another law journal at any time during your academic career at the Shepard Broad Law Center. Please note that if you have been published in a law journal outside of the Nova Law School, you can still be a member of Nova Law Review.

What is the Summer Candidacy Program?
Each individual who successfully grades on or writes on must complete the Summer Candidacy Program if they seek acceptance into the Nova Law Review as a Junior Staff Member. The program consists of the following:
1. Writing an article of publishable quality based on a topic selected by the candidate and approved by the Nova Law Review Board of Editors [Note: This article is due to the editors for consideration for publication in early August and typically requires many hours during the summer weeks to complete.];
2. Attending mandatory Bluebook classes; and
3. Successfully completing and passing in-class, and take-home exams, in addition to Bluebook exams.

Does completing the Summer Candidacy Program mean that I am automatically a Nova Law Review Junior Staff Member?
Participation in the Summer Candidacy Program does NOT guarantee your acceptance into Nova Law Review.

What are the summer time commitments?
The Summer Candidacy Program requires a lengthy time commitment, generally equivalent to a regularly scheduled summer class. The Summer Candidacy Program typically starts in the beginning of June and ends in August.
Bluebook classes are held on Saturdays and are mandatory. The purpose of the Bluebook class is to familiarize students with academic writing, scholarly citations, and general principles of editing. These classes prepare the summer candidate to become a junior staff member who can quickly and accurately pull sources, cite to sources, and edit an article. Since these classes are important to the preparation of a summer candidate for his/her duties as a junior staff member, the classes are mandatory.
For example, the 2005 summer candidacy program had four class days which were mandatory for the summer candidates to attend. The classes usually lasted four to seven hours. There were also two due days which were mandatory for the summer candidates to turn in their bluebook exams and papers. The due dates usually had two hour windows to turn in the assignments. These six dates are typically all on Saturdays. Additionally, the summer candidates had other assignments that were due electronically throughout the summer. Please note that the summer candidacy schedule varies from year to year. However, you should expect a significant time commitment and plan your summer accordingly.*

Once on Nova Law Review, what are my duties?
Nova Law Review is a working honor society. Once a Junior Staff Member, your duties are as follows: attend meetings, complete weekly edits, attend final-edit weekends, and complete office hours. As such, there is an extensive time commitment required to be a Nova Law Review Junior Staff Member. If you are unsure whether you can meet the time commitment, please speak to some current Nova Law Review Members for guidance.

What are the benefits of being a Nova Law Review Junior Staff Member?
There are numerous benefits as a Nova Law Review Member:
* You will gain additional research and Bluebooking skills.
* You will receive credits for your participation on Nova Law Review.
* You have the opportunity to be published in one of the Nova Law Review’s three books. Publication is a significant honor to the individual and widely recognized by employers.
* Once a Junior Staff Member, you may turn in your Summer Candidacy article to a professor to satisfy your writing requirement (in place of a seminar). Please visit the NSU website for more information about the Writing Requirement, a prerequisite for graduation, at http://www.nsulaw.nova.edu/students/curriculum_2Lday.cfm.
* You will meet many people and make invaluable contacts for the future.
* Arguably, the greatest benefit that most Nova Law Review Members emphasize is employer recognition.
*The information stated is subject to modifications by the Board of Editors without advance notice.