About the Journal of Law and Commerce

Founded in 1980, the Journal of Law & Commerce is a semi-annual law review published by second and third year law students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Focusing on material of a commercial nature, the Journal attempts to provide scholarly yet practical articles and book reviews, written by professionals and students, that are of immediate interest to both practitioners and academics. Staff members write scholarly commentaries on recent developments in commercial topics, and also evaluate and edit student written and non-student written works in preparation for publication. While faculty advice is available from highly respected commercial experts, the Journal is an independent student-run publication.

Invitations to join the Journal staff are extended during the summer following a student's first or second year of law school. To maintain the Journal's high standard of excellence, members are selected based on their superior legal research, reasoning, and writing abilities, through academic performance in the top 15% of their first or second year of study at the School of Law. Members are also selected through submission of a qualifying Note/Comment during the annual writing competition conducted in conjunction with the other law school publications. The School of Law awards one credit per semester to each Journal member, contingent upon successful completion of Journal responsibilities.

Journal of Law & Commerce and CISG

Since Volume 12, the Journal has devoted a portion of one of its issues to translation and scholarship focused upon the U.N.'s Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. In the past, because national courts in countries around the world decide CISG cases and these opinions are drafted in various languages, the Journal has published English-language translations of non-English cases in each of its CISG issues. Although the need for such translations has decreased in recent years, the Journal remains committed to publishing articles related to the vast area of CISG jurisprudence. We welcome submissions from international scholars and practitioners on all international trade and commercial issues.