Print Submissions

General Information

Timing

The Harvard International Law Journal is no longer reviewing article submissions for Volume 61, Issue 1. We will resume reviewing manuscripts in early September for Volume 61, Issue 2.

Because we strive to publish excellent and original work, submissions to the Journal are subject to several levels of review by members of our Submissions Committee and Executive Board in advance of a vote. The comprehensive process typically takes roughly three weeks once articles are submitted. We encourage authors to file expedite requests if they have competing publication offers, as we will do our best to accommodate deadlines.

We review articles twice yearly, at the start of each semester. Generally, the Submissions Committee meets for its first session in late January through March, and its second session in September and October. While we do accept submissions via BePress ExpressO throughout the year, articles submitted in spring, summer, and late fall will be reserved for consideration during one of our two submissions sessions unless we have granted a request for expedited review.

Requirements

While we may accept articles of up to 30,000 words, we prefer submissions of between 15,000 and 25,000 words, including footnotes. All articles should be typed in English with text double-spaced, and footnotes should conform with The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (20th Ed.). Manuscripts must be submitted online via BePress ExpressO; articles submitted by email for print publication will not be considered. Shorter, feature-length pieces may be considered for publication in the Harvard International Law Journal‘s online edition, which has a different submissions process.

In addition to the article manuscript, submissions should include:

• a short abstract of no more than 250 words
• a CV with a list of recent publications
• up-to-date contact information

Selection Process

Articles will be reviewed by a Submissions Committee comprised of J.D. and LL.M./S.J.D candidates, and may also be reviewed by our faculty advisors and/or scholars in our peer network. If short-listed, the article will be sent to the ILJ Executive Board for a final decision. We endeavor to respond to authors within a month of receiving a submission, but we are unfortunately unable to provide feedback for articles that are not selected.

Once an article has been selected, the Editors-in-Chief will contact the author with a contract and further information on the publication process. The ILJ editorial process is a rigorous one, and authors should expect to work closely with Journal staff on substantial substantive and technical revisions prior to the article’s final publication.

Expedited Reviews

In limited cases, we can expedite the review of a submitted article if the author is facing strict response deadlines by other journals that have already accepted the article. To request an expedited review, please e-mail the Managing Editors. (Please include “Request for Expedited Review: TITLE OF ARTICLE” in the subject heading.)

Please provide the following information in your correspondence:

1) Author name and contact information, including telephone number and e-mail;

2) Article title;

3) Journals that have accepted the article;

4) Deadlines those journals have given the author; and

5) The latest possible date that the author can be given a decision.

Authors may also submit a request for expedited review through the ExpressO system.

We will do our best to accommodate authors’ requests for expedition of their submissions, but may request that authors seek extensions to ensure that their manuscripts receive full and appropriate consideration.