About Us
The Berkeley Journal of International Law is edited and produced by students at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. We publish twice a year across public and private international law, and we convene the annual Stefan A. Riesenfeld Symposium.
What we publish
Two issues a year, in December and May. Each carries roughly four full-length articles and one student note. We take work across the range of the field: doctrinal and theoretical, public and private, comparative and transnational. Articles vary from broad policy pieces to narrow and practical ones. We also publish book reviews, and Travaux, our online blog, runs shorter commentary on a rolling basis.
How we review
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Submissions. We accept through Scholastica twice a year (February – March & July – September).
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Selection. Submissions are first read by our Senior Submissions Team, with at least three rounds of review before an offer.
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Timeline. We aim to respond within 3 months.
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Editing. Accepted pieces go through at least three rounds of substantive and technical edit with an assigned Senior Articles Editor.
Our Mission
We publish scholarship that treats international law as a working body of rules rather than a set of abstractions, and we give new scholars a serious venue alongside established ones. As the center of Berkeley Law's international law community, we bring students, academics, and practitioners into the same room.
History
BJIL was founded in 1982 by students and faculty at Berkeley Law as the International Tax & Business Lawyer. The first volume appeared in 1983. The journal took its current name with Volume 14 in 1996 and has published continuously since.
Beyond the journal
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Stefan A. Riesenfeld Symposium. Each spring we convene scholars and practitioners on a pressing question in international law. The Symposium theme alternates between public and private international law.
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Travaux. Our blog publishes short-form commentary from students, scholars, and practitioners on a rolling basis.
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Travaux Podcast. Conversations with contributors and guests.
Join BJIL!
BJIL is open to first-year students at Berkeley Law. General membership meetings are held at the start of each semester, and board elections are held each spring.
Members prepare articles for publication, write book reviews, review submissions, plan the Riesenfeld Symposium, contribute to Travaux, and take part in journal social and professional events.
Questions about joining go to the Editors-in-Chief at bjil@berkeley.edu