The Cumberland Law Review published its first issue in 1970. Subscribers include members of the practicing bar and government, academicians and law libraries. In addition, the Cumberland Law Review appears in electronic databases, including Westlaw and Lexis.
The continuing objective of the Cumberland Law Review’s membership is to publish a professional periodical devoted to legal issues that can be of use to judges, practitioners, teachers, legislators, students and others interested in the law. Only in the legal profession do students have the responsibility for publishing a majority of the contributions to the professional literature.
One of its primary goals is accuracy in all respects—in propositions of law, points of grammar and usage, forms of citations, and well-reasoned analysis. To continue its contribution to the legal community, the Cumberland Law Review must include pieces that cover a broad range of legal topics; that are timely, universal, or both; and that provide helpful, analytical tools for dealing with legal problems. Most importantly, the pieces printed should be analytically creative. Rather than simply discussing legal developments, Cumberland Law Review pieces should criticize, challenge and attempt to influence the law. And occasionally, part or all of an entire issue is devoted to a single legal problem or to a series of related legal issues.
Cumberland Law Review publishes two issues a year, with individual issues averaging between 250 and 350 pages. As may be seen from a quick look through any of its volumes, each issue consists of tributes, articles, essays, notes and comments.
Subscriptions
The Cumberland Law Review is published twice each academic year by students at Cumberland School of Law. The annual subscription price is $25 ($15 per number if ordered separately).
Order a new subscription or make a renewal payment.
If you prefer to mail a check, send to: Cumberland Law Review, Cumberland School of Law of Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive, Birmingham, AL 35229.
Back issues of the Law Review published prior to this year may be purchased from:
William S. Hein & Co.
2350 North Forest Road
Getzville, NY 14068
800-828-7571
www.heinonline.org
For more information, please contact us: lawrev@samford.edu or 205-726-2757.
Membership Criteria
Student Membership
Students who have completed at least 30 academic credits within their first year may become eligible for Review membership after meeting several requirements. First, the student must be ranked in the top fifteen percent of the freshman class as determined at the end of the spring semester. Students in this category will be invited to participate in the Review's Candidates Program. In addition, the student must satisfactorily complete the Candidates Program in order to be offered membership on the Review.
The Candidates Program takes place during the summer after the first year and consists of three phases. In the first phase, the candidate must achieve an acceptable score on the Bluebook examination. Upon passage of the bluebook exam, the candidate may then enter the Candidates Writing Competition. The Writing Competition requires the candidate to research and compose a casenote on a topic assigned by the Review's Student Materials Editor. The candidate's completed paper is anonymously judged by the Review's editorial board. The paper's overall quality, legal analysis, research, organization, and conformance with the Bluebook will be considered by the Board. The third phase of the Candidates Program is a brief interview with the Editorial Board. The Review will extend invitations for membership to students who successfully complete all phases of the Candidates Program.
A student transferring to Cumberland from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association is eligible to participate in the Cumberland Law Review Candidates Program provided the student is in the top fifteen percent of his or her class at the conclusion of the first year at the former school. A student transferring from another law school who is a member of that school's law review may be invited into membership in Cumberland Law Review at the discretion of the editorial board.
Flex students enrolled part-time at Cumberland will become eligible after completion of 26 credit hours and a top 15 percent ranking.
Members are required to participate in the activities of the Review. Specifically, members are to attend all regularly scheduled and specially called meetings. Further, members are required to complete--in a competent and timely fashion--all tasks assigned by the Editor in Chief. Failure to comply with the requirements of membership may result in disciplinary action in accordance with the Review's Bylaws. In addition to the duties and responsibilities mentioned above, members must successfully complete the Review's writing requirement.
Please direct all membership inquiries to lawrev@samford.edu.
