Recruitment

Working for the McGill Law Journal is an invaluable complement to a student’s legal education. The experience permits law students exposure to legal scholarship of the highest caliber and provides the opportunity to interact with some of the keenest legal minds around the world. Members also obtain academic credit for their work.

The Journal is wholly student-run and independent of the Faculty of Law. Our members thus have significant responsibilities in upholding the quality of the scholarship published in the Journal. We seek to select disciplined students who have a marked interest in legal scholarship, who will involve themselves fully in the Journal, and who demonstrate a commitment to the Journal‘s values—including issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Students may join the Journal after their first or second year at the McGill Faculty of Law. The selection process is competitive and involves both an application package and an interview. The application package is completed during the spring, and interviews take place at the end of March.

Two types of positions are available to students seeking to join the Journal:

Editors are fully involved in the selection of articles and their preparation for publication, both of which are challenging exercises requiring a critical eye and attention to detail. Both French and English editors evaluate articles submitted to the Journal in order to determine whether they are acceptable for publication. Once articles are accepted, editors correct grammar, spelling, and syntax, and work with the author to improve the text’s structure and flow. They also check citations to ensure accuracy and edit footnotes to ensure compliance with the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation, 10th Edition (McGill Guide). Editors contribute to the life of the Journal by participating as members of internal committees that address ongoing issues or implement specific projects.

Managers become acquainted with the particular challenges of running a small business. They are responsible for all of the business affairs of the Journal and handle, among other matters, finances, marketing, solicitation of advertisers, and public relations. They are responsible for planning events, such as the Annual Lecture, the Conférence francophone, Coffeehouse, and various recruitment initiatives. They may also be involved in special projects depending on the needs of the Journal. The Journal managers hone their time- and project- management skills, in addition to their attention to detail. These assets are highly valuable for whatever career path they ultimately choose.

If you are interested in joining the McGill Law Journal team:

Recruitment takes place each year from January to March and consists of an application and interview process. Students request an application through a Google form, in which they specify the position they would like to apply for (French Editor, English Editor, or Manager), whether they wish to apply for more than one position, the week they would like to begin their application, and (in the case of the Editor positions) the type of application they wish to complete. Each applicant has fourteen (14) days to complete the application.

Applicant Criteria:

You must be able to commit to two (2) full consecutive academic years. This generally means the only students who are eligible are:

• 1Ls;
• 2Ls who are completing their degree in four years.

Members are not permitted to go on exchange during their tenure.

Weekly Time Commitment and Credit Allotment:

• Junior Editors: 8-10 hours per week, 3 credits per year.
• Junior Managers: Variable (generally, 5-8 hours per week), 2 credits per year.

To Apply:

During application season, you may request an application package by completing this form. You may apply for multiple positions, but you must complete an application for each position.

Application Windows:

This varies each year. Please check this page again during the 2026 recruitment season for more details.

Application Process:

1 – Request a recruitment package using this link.
2 – Specify which position(s) you are applying for. Specify the two-week period during which you would like to complete your package. If you are applying to one of the editor positions, specify the type of application package you wish to receive.
3 – On the first day of the two-week period, receive your instructions via email at 12:00 pm.
4 – During the selected two-week period, complete the package.

5 – Before 12:00 pm on the last day of the selected two-week period, submit your completed package through email to mlj.rdm.recruitment2024@gmail.com, including your full name, position(s) applied for, and (if you are applying to one of the editorial positions) the type of completed application package.
6 – Interview (if applicable).

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to contact us at mlj.rdm.recruitment2024@gmail.com.