On Becoming a Law Review Editor: Blessings and Burdens

One of the many delightful activities that I have had the pleasure to partake in as an editor of Dhaka Law Review is the Editor Development Program (EDP).  Although the prime object of the program is to  accomplish something serious and significant, that is, enhancing the reading, writing and editing skills of the editors, we have  a lot of fun doing it mainly because of the way it is designed.

It was in this context that I was reading ‘’A Year in the Life of a Law Review Editor’’ by Michael O’donnell, and it turned out to be a wonderful and valuable experience for me. Mr. O’donnell was the Editor-in-Chief of the Boston College “Third World Law Journal” in the year of 2003 and in this article he shared one year of his life as a law review editor.

While reading this article the first thing I felt was admiration. Lied beneath the humorous recollection of Michael O’donnell’s one year of life as a law review editor, the determination and aspiration of a successful and passionate editor. Despite his seemingly antipathy towards the monumental responsibilities shouldered by him in the course of his job and his expressed relief on being released from the enormous obligations, Mr. O’donnell could barely conceal the pride and joy he used to take and still does in his time spent as a law review editor. His witty, fluent and motivating words showed me the kind of editor I want to be, the kind we all should be.

The second thing I felt was connection. In his article, Mr. O’donnell narrated the insecurity and anxiety felt by him as a rookie editor as this“I had no editing experience. I had no managing experience. I was not an expert in third world legal issues—I wasn’t even a lawyer! How would I manage a staff of twenty-seven and edit an academic journal of the law?” He talked about the rude awakening and terror experienced by most of the editors of student edited law reviews. Similarly, when I joined DHLR, I had very little knowledge about law reviews. My ideas were vague and thoughts were confused. The more I came to learn about student edited law reviews, the more I lost my confidence. Like Mr. O’donnell, I felt inferior due to my lack of experience and expertise. The rundown and dreary state of Mr. O’donnell’s office also somehow resonates with our no-office-at-all situation.

The third thing I felt was inspiration. Mr. O’donnell described the various practical impediments he and his fellow editors had to confront in the course of their job and the way they overcame those with hard work and sincerity. Learning about his journey towards becoming a proficient editor was as much reassuring for me as it was encouraging.

The last but the most important thing I gained from reading his article was knowledge. This article amply informs us about the diverse responsibilities of a law review editor, the motivation and commitment required of him and the benefits and the burdens the job entails. The principal motivation behind the aspiration of becoming a law review editor for Mr. O’donnell and most of his colleagues was, in his words “the unparalleled résumé power that the experience provides”, or so he claimed.

As the culture of law review is yet to thrive in our country, we would probably not be enjoying the apparent privileges of a law review editor while stepping into the fierce competition for employment. We would, however, be bestowed with the most significant blessing that any efficient law review editor like Mr. O’donnell are- enlightening one’s ignorant selves. We will have the opportunity to hone our skills, explore vast legal knowledge, learn the art of research, socialize with scholars, build a network, expand our vision, satisfy our inquisitive mind and live our dream.

The path of a law review editor is certainly not a rosy one. It is a journey full of chances and challenges. But if one has the resolve, courage and tenacity to persist through thick and thin, at the end of this expedition, he will surely find himself in a world of countless possibilities.

Citations:

Farah Sonda, “On Becoming a Law Review Editor: Blessings and Burdens”  (DHLR Blog, 31 August 2014) http://www.dhakalawreview.org/blog/2014/08/on-becoming-a-law-review-editor-blessings-and-burdens-188

Farah Sonda Member since August 28, 2014

Loading + Follow Following

Farah Sonda is a law student and a passionate writer. She loves to watch anime and writes series reviews online regularly. The academic achievements of Farah are equally raving. She received a gold medal from the education minister while in high school and the prestigious Shamailla Rahman Scholarship while in university. Farah has completed LLB and LLM from University of Dhaka.

Contributor