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Submission Deadlines and Format

We aim to publish accepted articles between six to eight months after they are submitted to us. In some cases, we can publish articles more quickly. If your article is particularly time sensitive, please let the Production Manager know at the time of submission. Manuscripts should be submitted by e-mail to Diane Babal, Production Manager, at [email protected]. All submissions should be in Word format, double-spaced (including footnotes), accompanied by author contact information and resumes. All footnotes should be created using Word’s automatic-numbering function. Please do not use Word’s footnote cross-referencing function. Manuscripts, including footnotes, ordinarily should not exceed 100 pages in length. Please include a brief synopsis (4 to 5 sentences) of your article with your submission. For further information please see the website

Exclusive Consideration; First Publication

A manuscript will not be considered, and should not be submitted, if it is under consideration for publication elsewhere, nor should a manuscript under consideration for publication by The Business Lawyer be submitted for consideration with another publication. Absent highly unusual circumstances, The Business Lawyer will not publish articles that have been previously published, in whole or in part, or that are substantially similar to previously published work.

Peer Review

The Business Lawyer is a peer-reviewed journal, and no article will be finally accepted for publication until it has completed the peer review process, including rewriting by the author(s) to satisfy peer review comments, under the direction of the Editor-in-Chief.

Professional Objectivity

Except with the approval of the Editor-in-Chief and appropriate disclosure in text or footnote, an article will not be accepted for publication if (1) an author, or an author’s firm or employer, is currently involved in any matter or proceeding, whether as party, counsel, expert witness, or otherwise, involvement in which could reasonably raise questions as to the author’s objectivity with respect to the subject matter of the article, or (2) an author has received or expects to receive payment or other compensation of any type for the article.

Publication Agreement; Reprints

No article will be published in The Business Lawyer unless and until each author has signed the standard form of ABA Publication Agreement. The Production Manager will furnish the ABA Publication Agreement to authors. The ABA reserves the right to grant permission to reprint any article appearing in The Business Lawyer.

Citations and Style

In general, text and footnotes should follow the style and citation format prescribed in The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (21st Edition). The Editors of The Business Lawyer may, however, in their discretion deviate from the citation format prescribed in The Bluebook, and the decisions of the Editors as to issues of style and citation format shall be final. For questions of style not covered by The Bluebook, authors should consult The Chicago Manual of Style (17th Edition, University of Chicago Press). Authority from esoteric sources or otherwise not readily accessible need to be submitted upon request of the Production Manager.

Student Work

Manuscripts by student authors or with student co-authors will not be considered for publication in The Business Lawyer, except that the winning paper in the Section of Business Law's Mendes Hershman Student Writing Contest may be considered for publication. Contest information may be obtained from Gina Dickinson at the Section of Business Law, [email protected].