Hardship Petition

The Editor-in-Chief may invite 1 or 2 students pursuant to the Petition process.  Any transfer student, or any student who is unable to take part in the Write-On Competition because of hardship, may petition for membership.   It is up to the sole discretion of the Editor-in-Chief to determine if the circumstances support hardship and to determine whether an applicant who petitions for membership is invited to join the Journal. 

Hardship is an excusable event that precludes completing the write-on problem during the time allotted for the competition (33 hours).  Hardship includes, but is not limited to:

• A handicap that puts an applicant at a competitive disadvantage
• An unforeseeable emergency, illness, or injury. 

Students who seek to petition for membership based on hardship must e-mail the Petition to the current Editor-in-Chief as soon as practical after learning of the hardship, and in no case, later than two days after the end of the Write-On Competition.  Transfer students may petition for membership no later than August 1.  Petitions must include:

• Resume that includes GPA and rank.  No name or identifying information.
• Writing sample of 6 to 12 pages.
• Grade Release
• Statement of interest detailing the nature of the hardship (if applicable), the reasons for desiring Journal membership, and any other factors the student feels are relevant to the selection process (e.g., diversity, unique skills).

Important: Your Petition must not include any identifying information or it will not be considered.  Instead of your name please use your alphanumeric WestLaw password (1234567ABCD).  You can find your password by logging on to your WestLaw account and clicking the Update link.

Necessary Documents

Grade Release
Authorization to release grades to the Journal.