General Information on Submissions
The Harvard Environmental Law Review seeks to publish innovative, original scholarship that makes a significant contribution to the field of environmental law. We accept submissions for a variety of print opportunities. The opportunities to be published in our journal are detailed below.
General submissions are now CLOSED. Submissions for Volume 50, Issue 1 will open in February 2025. Articles are accepted on a rolling basis, and authors are strongly encouraged to submit as early as possible. Submit an article via Scholastica below:
Submissions for Student Writing (only for Harvard Law School students) remain OPEN. HLS students should contact hlselr@gmail.com with any questions and email submissions to hlselrsubmit@gmail.com
Full-Length Academic Articles
- HELR accepts manuscripts and makes offers for publication during two 6-week periods each year. We close submissions once we have filled an issue, and reopen when we are ready to start reviewing articles for the next issue. For our Fall issue, we typically start reviewing submissions for publication in the preceding February and fill the issue by April. For our Spring issue, we typically start reviewing submissions in the preceding August and fill the issue by October.
- HELR gives preference to articles under 25,000 words in length, including text and footnotes. HELR does not publish articles exceeding 35,000 words except in extraordinary circumstances.
Student Notes
- Notes are full-length academic articles (10,000–15,000 words) discussing an aspect of environmental law. Past student Notes have been based on final papers from seminars, memos from clinical work, and from independent research projects.
- We accept Note submissions every August.
Case Comments
- Case comments discuss a recent important case in environmental law—typically a new Supreme Court decision or high-profile circuit court decision. Comments should be 5000–7000 words.
- We accept case comment proposals in January and July.
- Proposals should, in two paragraphs, (1) describe the case and its significance and (2) explain the student’s thesis.
How to submit an article:
If you would like HELR to consider your article for publication, please submit the article, your CV, and a cover letter to HELR via Scholastica. If your institution does not support Scholastica submissions, you may submit your materials to our email account (hlselrsubmit@gmail.com).
HELR does not review submissions from current J.D. or L.L.M. students at other law schools; however, we will review submissions from current S.J.D. candidates. Citations should conform to the 20th edition of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation.