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I'm sure there is something out there on this but I couldn't find it. I just got accepted to a secondary journal at a T20 based on a write on submission. As far as a making me more attractive as an SA next summer and legal employment beyond that is it a big hit that I am not on the main journal? How do employers view secondary journal participation? Also, does it really matter which secondary journal I am on or is it just the main journal is the best and every secondary journal is basically tied for second?

Thanks for you help.

It's not nearly as prestigious as Law Review. That said, it's better than not being on a journal.

I'm not sure about journal rankings at your school, but at GW there is some degree of hierarchy to the secondary journals.

LR > International >/= IP Journal > the rest.

Whether recruiters view the secondary journals any differently I'm not sure. But I know at least in the school culture there is a hierarchy associated with the practice areas the school is good at - GW's a good school for IP and International for example.

emciosn wrote:I'm sure there is something out there on this but I couldn't find it. I just got accepted to a secondary journal at a T20 based on a write on submission. As far as a making me more attractive as an SA next summer and legal employment beyond that is it a big hit that I am not on the main journal? How do employers view secondary journal participation? Also, does it really matter which secondary journal I am on or is it just the main journal is the best and every secondary journal is basically tied for second?

Thanks for you help.

1) It isn't a negative factor

2) They don't really view it as a big boost/negative. Obviously a journal is better than no journal. But it's not going to be determinative either way and some groups, like corporate, don't really care at all. Smaller employers, especially litigation, may care a bit more.

3) Yes, big firms don't really distinguish between secondary journals. If it is a journal focusing on a topic the interviewer is interested in it might spark conversation. If you are applying for public interest organizations it might also help.

Law Review is several cuts above any secondary journal; and, because you're at a T20 and not on Law Review, that means your position in the class probably puts you in peril.

Because you are in peril, it's probably important that you do everything you can to improve your application. Secondary journal participation is better than nothing. I am convinced that I would not have gotten my 2L SA without my journal membership.

With respect to differentiating between journals: Obviously, if there is a secondary journal that links up with your desired practice area (if, for example, you're at Emory and interested in bankruptcy, you'd be silly to not take the offer from the Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal, because that journal is probably more broadly read by bankruptcy practitioners than most Law Reviews) you should take that one. There are also a handful of secondaries that are relatively well-respected as far as secondary journals go, or better-known because of their somewhat unique format (i.e., Legal Forum at Chicago). Failing those things, though, you should probably just take whatever secondary you think will be most tolerable with respect to writing your Comment. From personal experience, trying to find and write about a topic for a secondary whose subject matter you don't generally care about is very, very difficult.

What do you mean by peril? Not finding a SA or not finding a legal job period? Is top third at a T20 really that perilous of a position as far as employment prospects go?

Otherwise yeah I understand that a secondary journal is not as good. But is it fair to say that it would at least be worth the effort to participate for the next couple of years? I guess this goes to the sentiment that some journal is better than no journal.

Also, what kind of boost is making it to some sort of senior editor position on a secondary journal? (obviously a bit presumptuous to say I would get there but just wondering)

As I said, I don't think I would have gotten my 2L SA position (out of Chicago as a transfer student) without having the journal resume line. Actually being on a journal is something of a miserable experience, but any boost to employment prospects is worth it, in my mind.

And yes, top third at a T20 is a perilous position to be in. Admittedly, being in the C/O 2011 I have something of a skewed perspective. By "peril" I don't mean that you're more likely to not find anything than you are to find something; I just mean that you're at risk, and should proceed accordingly.

edit: As for having an editorial board position: you don't want to be in a situation where that matters, because that means you're still looking for a job as a 3L. I wouldn't call it a significant boost, but, again, it can't hurt.

1/3 at a T20 - you should have some success at OCI, even without LR.

They may not be OMGWTFBBQPWNZ Look at all my interviews! type successes. But you shouldn't strike out. Just target your bids.

Curious what people think about being Managing Editor on a top business secondary journal for transactional law outlook.