Student Spotlight: Kendall Hannon '09
2008-09 Editor-in-chief
Notre Dame Law Review
One morning at the breakfast table, after yet another sleep-deprived night, my wife, referring to the Notre Dame Law Review, asked: “Is it REALLY worth it?” Without hesitating, or looking up from my coffee, I answered: “Absolutely.” While it is true that I now know how to cite British statutes from the Interregnum (Table 2 of the Bluebook, in case you were wondering) and can recognize with a passing glance whether a period is italicized, Law Review goes far beyond the mundane, but critical, editing tasks for which it is known.
Our ultimate goal at the Notre Dame Law Review is to publish a journal that contributes to legal scholarship and discussion. In the legal field, unlike other disciplines, students have the sole responsibility for publishing the profession’s journals. Thus, our Law Review’s role is an absolutely vital one. Over this past year, my colleagues and I debated the relative merits of thousands of pieces, ultimately selecting 27 for publication. The opportunity to review such high-quality legal scholarship has undoubtedly enhanced my appreciation for the law.
The Law Review’s commitment to legal scholarship does not merely focus on professors’ scholarship; it also focuses on student scholarship. During the second year of law school, every member of the Law Review writes a student note. This year, I had the pleasure of reading notes on topics ranging from raids on museums, to judicial recusal, to Somali pirates. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Law Review provides a starting point for the next generation of brilliant legal minds.
The production process, which includes selecting articles and notes, editing them, and publishing them, is perhaps best described as organized chaos. At any given time, there are up to three issues of 400 pages each. It’s an undertaking that requires the dedication of all 50 members. The editors and staff of Volume 84 of the Notre Dame Law Review have shown remarkable commitment and the quality of our issues reflects this dedication; they are truly miracle workers. A few (hundred) hours of lost sleep is a small price to pay to be part of such an amazing group of people.
