About This Journal
The Villanova University School of Law was founded in 1953, and the Villanova Law Review was founded shortly thereafter in 1956. During the first two years of the Law School’s existence, plans were laid for the creation of a law review. Volume 0 appeared during the second school year, and Volume 1 appeared during the third year. Founding Dean Harold Gill Reuschlein, in the Dean’s Letter in Volume 1 of the Villanova Law Review, summed up his vision for the newly inaugurated journal:
The Villanova Law Review represents a growth in the depth and intensity of our program. Its primary objective is to serve as a worthwhile tool for the better training of the students in the skills of legal research and writing. It must serve to stimulate productive thinking in the purposeful study of problems, particularly current problems in new and expanding fields . . . we predict for it a bright future.
His vision still drives the Law Review.
The Villanova Law Review is a student-run and student-edited journal devoted to the advancement of legal scholarship. To this end, the Law Review publishes analytical and critical articles written by law professors, judges, scholars, and students on a wide variety of legal topics as well as endowed lectures presented by professors and practitioners. All articles are subjected to a rigorous editorial process designed to improve the article’s substance, tone, and readability. One volume is published annually, and each volume contains five issues.
In 2012, the Law Review introduced Tolle Lege (link), a dedicated online journal which will showcase articles by members of the bench, bar, and academia on timely legal issues.
The Law Review has several purposes. First, it serves as an academic forum for noteworthy legal scholarship. Second, it acts as an important research tool for scholars, practitioners, and students of law. Third, it provides an opportunity for its members to hone their editing, research, and writing skills.
The Law Review staff is comprised of second- and third-year students, who are selected on the basis of their academic standing or through a writing competition. Each student serves two years as a Law Review member. The Law Review functions autonomously, and all operations are overseen by the Editorial Board, which is composed of third-year students. The Editorial Board is led by the Editor-in-Chief, Executive Editor, Managing Editor of Production, Managing Editor of Research & Writing, Managing Editor of Operations, and the Managing Editor of Tolle Lege. It is further composed of the Outside Articles Editors, Student Works Editors, Online Editors, and Associate Editors.
If you have any comments or questions, please email review@law.villanova.edu.