University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law

The urban public law school with a small liberal arts feel

Scholarly Publications Law Review The Law Review is a scholarly legal publication that is managed, edited and produced by UMKC students. It is one of the primary tools for carrying the reputation of UMKC throughout the legal community. Each issue of the Law Review contains one or more articles by leading authorities in the law, several extensive comments on various legal topics written by third-year staff members, and several notes analyzing recent court opinions or statutory developments written by second-year staff members. First- and second-year students are invited to join the Law review based on a combination of academic achievement and performance in a writing competition held just before Spring Break. All first-year students who join Law review staff must research and write a note of publishable quality and make contributions to the editorial process of the journal while in their second year. During a staff member’s third year, a comment of publishable quality must be written and contributions to the editorial process must be made. Law Review membership is one of the highest honors of the law school. Besides receiving academic credit for participation, students receive unique opportunities to improve research and writing skills and contribute to the body of legal scholarship. Urban Lawyer The Urban Lawyer is the official national journal of the American Bar Association’s Section of Urban, State and Local Government Law and is the largest circulating urban law journal in the world. Under the supervision of Professor Emeritus Robert H. Freilich, student editors and junior staff members prepare articles, comments, case notes and book reviews for publication in the quarterly journal. The Urban Lawyer offers the law student a chance to gain knowledge and experience in a wide spectrum of topics by editing articles written by law professors and legal practitioners throughout the county and internationally. The articles range from land use, transportation, housing, environment and individual rights to public governance and finance. It also offers an opportunity for students to increase analytical and writing skills through contributions that may be selected for publication in the journal, thus attributing to the establishment of an attorney’s professional reputation and employment prospects. Competition for membership on the junior staff is held in the spring of the first year. Selection is based on the student’s proficiency in editorial skills and initiative. Editors’ positions are selected in the late fall of the second year. Up to four hours of credit are available for working on the Urban Lawyer. Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers has chosen the School to assume editorial responsibility for its twice-yearly publication, the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. A faculty member edits the Journal, which combines original material on family-law themes with summaries of significant articles related to those themes, with student editorial assistance. Under the faculty member’s supervision, students research and write papers on a topic designated for an upcoming issue, write summaries of major articles in the field and edit submitted lead articles. Papers submitted by students are considered for publication in the journal.