Diversity and Inclusion

The Northwestern University Law Review is fundamentally committed to an inclusive environment that fosters diversity in both its membership and its scholarship, so that it may produce the highest quality content representing the full range of groundbreaking scholarship being written today.

We believe that fostering a diverse membership is integral to our tradition of excellence. The Law Review does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic background, disability, nationality, sexual orientation, gender orientation and identity, or ideological perspective. The Law Review recognizes that diversity of backgrounds and perspectives in its membership creates a richer exchange of ideas to recognize and produce outstanding and innovative scholarship, and seeks members whose unique experiences will contribute to the quality and scope of the journal. A range of viewpoints, backgrounds, and leadership talents also strengthens the community within the Law Review and generates unique learning and mentorship opportunities. Finally, because law review membership is a stepping stone in the legal profession, a commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity in its many forms ensures that institutions like the Law Review and the opportunities it offers remain accessible. We expect our members to uphold our values of diversity and inclusion; we do not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or disrespect.

The Law Review is also committed to publishing a diverse range of scholarship. Articles focusing on a wide variety of legal issues promote diverse perspectives throughout the legal community. Varied perspectives also provide scholars and members the opportunity to delve into new and exciting areas of study, broadening their legal knowledge. The Law Review therefore encourages submissions of scholarly works that communicate diverse perspectives often underrepresented in legal scholarship.

In order to implement these values, the Law Review has undertaken numerous diversity initiatives, including:

• Elevating the Diversity & Inclusion Editor to the Law Review’s Senior Board as the Senior Equity & Inclusion Editor;
• Establishing an Equity and Inclusion Committee to create and shape our diversity-related policies and programs;
• Modifying the Write-On competition for membership to include more comprehensive assessments, such as statements of perspective and editing packets;
• Integrating implicit bias training into our team orientation sessions;
• Partnering with other Northwestern Law student organizations to cosponsor events that promote diversity within our membership.

The Northwestern University Law Review continues to examine its efforts to promote underrepresented viewpoints, and we hope to implement effective future initiatives to make our membership and scholarship more diverse.