Penn State Law Review

Penn State Law Review
Title	Penn State Law Review
Discipline	Law
Language	English
Publisher	Penn State University Press
Country	United States
History	1890–present
Frequency	Quarterly

Penn State Law Review is a student-edited legal journal affiliated with Pennsylvania State University, publishing scholarship on domestic and international law of the United States, comparative law of the United Kingdom, and interdisciplinary legal topics. Founded to provide a forum for practitioner and academic discourse, the Review has featured contributions from judges, scholars, and policymakers connected to institutions such as the United States Supreme Court, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and federal agencies in Washington, D.C. The journal operates within the ecosystem of American legal periodicals alongside titles like the Harvard Law Review, the Yale Law Journal, and the Columbia Law Review.

History

The Review traces roots to early 20th-century legal publishing movements at land-grant institutions and grew during the post‑World War II expansion of legal education alongside schools like Harvard Law School, Columbia Law School, and Yale Law School. Influential milestones include editorial contributions during eras shaped by decisions from the United States Supreme Court such as Brown v. Board of Education and regulatory shifts from agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Review evolved with developments in statutory regimes like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, landmark litigation exemplified by Marbury v. Madison, and academic trends reflected in symposia on topics from the Affordable Care Act to international instruments like the United Nations Charter.

Organization and Membership

Governance mirrors structures used at many law reviews, with an editorial board drawing students from Pennsylvania State University, recruited via performance in courses and a writing competition judged by faculty and practitioners with experience at firms such as Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and agencies like the Department of Justice. Leadership roles often include Editor‑in‑Chief, Managing Editor, and Articles Editors, with oversight by faculty advisors who may hold appointments connected to centers like the Penn State Law Center for Agricultural Law Research and Policy or collaborate with scholars affiliated with Harvard Law School, Stanford Law School, University of Pennsylvania Law School, and international institutions such as Oxford University and Cambridge University. Membership historically includes students who've clerked for judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and alumni who joined organizations like American Civil Liberties Union, Federal Trade Commission, and multinational firms like Latham & Watkins.

Publication and Content

The Review publishes quarterly issues comprising lead articles, essays, notes, and book reviews engaging authorities like treaties including the Treaty of Versailles, statutes such as the Antitrust Laws, and judicial opinions from courts including the Supreme Court of the United States and state high courts like the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Topics have ranged from constitutional analysis of cases such as Roe v. Wade to comparative pieces involving the European Court of Human Rights and legislative examinations of acts like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The journal hosts symposia featuring speakers from institutions like the American Bar Association, the Federal Reserve Board, and international organizations including the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization.

Notable Articles and Contributors

Contributors include judges, professors, and scholars associated with names such as former United States Supreme Court justices, appellate judges from the Third Circuit, faculty from Yale Law School, Harvard Law School, Columbia Law School, New York University School of Law, and practitioners from firms like DLA Piper and Jones Day. Articles have addressed jurisprudence linked to landmark rulings like Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, statutory interpretation debates tied to the Affordable Care Act, and regulatory frameworks influenced by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contributors have included scholars whose work intersects with influential texts such as the Federalist Papers and engagements with international instruments like the Geneva Conventions.

Competitions and Events

The Review organizes and hosts writing competitions, moot court events, and symposia similar to national contests run by organizations like the National Moot Court Competition and the American Bar Association section competitions. Events have welcomed participants from law schools including University of Pennsylvania Law School, Rutgers Law School, Temple University Beasley School of Law, Cornell Law School, and international delegations from faculties such as University of Toronto Faculty of Law and University College London Faculty of Laws. Programming often partners with entities like the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the American Constitution Society.

Impact and Reception

The journal has influenced academic debate and practice through citations in court opinions, law review literature, and policy memos produced for bodies like the United States Congress and federal agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services. Its articles have been referenced in scholarship that dialogues with comparative rulings from courts like the European Court of Human Rights and policy analyses circulated among think tanks including the Brookings Institution, the Heritage Foundation, and the Cato Institute. Reception among legal academics and practitioners places the Review within the broader network of influential student‑run journals contributing to discussions involving entities like the American Bar Association, the Federal Trade Commission, and the United States Department of Justice.

Category:Law journals of the United States Category:Pennsylvania State University