Women Lawyers Journal Editorial Board Member Expectations

The Women Lawyers Journal depends upon our editors, editorial board, and NAWL staff for its success. The members of the WLJ editorial board may have various objectives and responsibilities, including but not limited to:

  • Be a team of writers, editors, and readers with an active interest in the legacy and future success of the WLJ
  • Review submitted articles.
  • Advise on journal policy and scope.
  • Identify topics for issues, write articles on relevant topics, and select reprinted articles from the WLJ Archive.
  • Attract new authors and submissions.
  • Promote the journal to their colleagues and peers.
  • Advise the editor(s) and NAWL staff in decision making over the overall health and future of the WLJ.
  • Judge and select the winning essays for the Annual Selma Moidel Smith Law Student Writing Contest.

Based on these objectives and responsibilities, the criteria for selection of members to join the WLJ Editorial Board include but are not limited to:

  • Board members’ expertise and background should represent the journal’s diverse scope and audience.
  • Must be a member of NAWL.
  • Strong copy-editing, reading, and writing skills.
  • Must be able to provide a recent writing sample (brief, article, essay, memo, etc.) that is solely the work of the member.
  • Must be able to commit to at least 20 hours of work on the Editorial Board a year.
  • Must be able to provide a general resume demonstrating professional background and career.

Editorial Board Members are expected to:

  • Play an active role in each issue of the WLJ by:
  • Authoring an article;
  • Editing an article; and/or
  • Soliciting an author to write a piece for the WLJ.
  • Alert the leadership committee within the first month of each six-month editing cycle allotted for each issue of the WLJ if they are unable to perform one of these tasks.
  • Actively promote each issue of the WLJ on social media, including individual articles featured in the WLJ.
  • Notify leadership in writing as soon as possible if an EB member realizes that they will be unable to fulfill their duties on the EB.
  • Serve a minimum of two years on the Board. Following their term's conclusion, they may exercise their discretion whether to remain as a member of the Editorial Board on an annual basis.

What to Expect:

  • Meetings:
  • Approximately two meetings per quarter tied to the publication schedule. For each issue, one meeting will consist of brainstorming themes and articles, and one meeting will review and edit the design layout before publication.
  • EB members are expected to attend all meetings to the best of their ability.
  • Publications:
  • Two journal issue publications per year.
  • Multiple rounds of editing over a series of months.
  • Provide feedback on designed version of journal issue.
  • Promotion:
  • Promote new journal issues by:
  • Creating your own post and/or
  • Reposting NAWL’s social media posts.
  • Invite others to join NAWL/apply for WLJ EB membership.

  • WLJ EB Member Agreement

    Dear Editorial Board Member:


    This letter will set forth National Association of Women Lawyer’s (NAWL) agreement with you as an editorial board member and contributor to Women Lawyers Journal® published by NAWL.


    1. The terms of this agreement are applicable to each article you write under an assignment by NAWL. At the time of each assignment, we will agree upon a delivery date for the Article.
    2. NAWL reserves the right to edit all article submissions.
    3. You will not be paid for the Article.
    4. You represent and warrant to NAWL that the Article will be original to you and that the Article will contain no material that infringes or violates any personal property rights of others or that constitutes defamation, invasion of privacy, an infringement of the intellectual property right of any third person, or is otherwise unlawful. If the Article is submitted or accepted for publication elsewhere before acceptance by Women Lawyers Journal®, you agree to notify the Co-Executive Editors immediately. You agree to disclose to NAWL if and when the Article has been published elsewhere. If requested by NAWL, you agree to provide NAWL with pertinent source materials for the purpose of pre-publication review for accuracy and libel or in the event of any legal action arising from the Article's publication. It is understood that NAWL shall have no obligation to publish the Article. If we do publish the Article, it will carry your byline. In the event we do not publish the Article within three months of final submission to us, all rights to the Article granted under this letter shall revert to you.
    5. In consideration for any publication of your Article and the anticipated publicity resulting therefrom, whether or not published, you grant to NAWL the following rights: A) all worldwide rights, title, and interest in the Article, including but not limited to: (i) all copyrights and other intellectual property rights, for all purposes, in all languages and in any form or media, whether now known or hereafter developed; (ii) the right to republish the Article in the Publications; and (iii) the right to license the rights granted hereunder to third parties, including the right to license the Article for publication or distribution in any form or media, whether now known or hereafter developed; and B) the right to use your name, likeness, photograph, and biographical material in connection with the advertising, publicity, or promotion of your Article as it relates to the Publications.
    6. In any republication of the Article, you agree to include the following: "This article is reprinted with permission from the [ISSUE DATE] issue of Women Lawyers Journal® a publication of the National Association of Women Lawyers. Further duplication without permission is prohibited. All rights reserved."
    7. This letter contains the entire and complete understanding of the parties and shall be governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, without reference to conflicts of laws and without regard to its location of execution or performance. Any equitable, civil, or criminal action arising under this letter shall be heard in the federal or state courts of the State of Illinois and each party consents to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

    By submitting your committee application, you acknowledge and accept the terms and conditions listed above.