Recruitment


Recruitment efforts take place annually in the Spring. See below for information on the application process. For other enquiries, please contact Ece Yagci, CJEL Editor-in-Chief for 2021-22, at eic.cjel@law.columbia.edu.


Staffer Experience

Columbia students are entirely responsible for CJEL’s publication. Staffers are exposed to timely legal issues affecting Europe, the United States, and beyond. CJEL staffers are furnished with strong comparative perspective, and are better positioned to tackle the challenges and opportunities of a globalized world. The board of CJEL is committed to fostering an engaging collaborative work environment that is rich with opportunities for growth and leadership. CJEL is a one-year commitment with opportunities to continue as a board member for a second year.

Staffers are assigned to one article per issue and are responsible for gathering sources and editing citations. Staffers are also encouraged to make substantive edits to the article to which they are assigned. Please note:

  • Writing a note is not mandatory, but we encourage staffers to do so through our internal note competition. Those selected will be published in print. Those notes not selected for print may be chosen for publication online, on our Preliminary Reference blog.
  • Staffers will be asked to produce one short article (1000 words) for publication on our Preliminary Reference blog. Staffers will submit topics at the beginning of the semester and receive editing support as they draft the short essay. They will receive full credit for the article on our Preliminary Reference blog.
  • We host regular social events at local bars and restaurants, including trivia night and karaoke.
  • We are committed to a global vision of legal education. We therefore hold certain Board positions open to those who go abroad during their 3L year.
  • This year, we reserved positions on the board for the incoming class of CJEL staffers. This Managing Editor (ME) position constitutes a more substantial commitment to the journal than a staffer position. This is a supervisory role over staffers which involves below-the-line editing and coordination with Articles Editors and the Head Managing Editor. This honor in no way precludes the student from consideration for board positions in their final year.

 

Application to CJEL

Early Application. The early application process will commence on April 12, 2016.

Regular Application. The regular application process for 2016-17 will commence on May 13, 2016. We accept electronic applications during the regular application period from through the online application process. The regular application should include the same materials required for the early application. We consider all elements of your application with equal weight in making our decision.

  • Résumé.
  • Writing sample. This may be all or part of any class paper, essay, moot court brief, or similar piece of legal analysis or scholarship. In the regular application process, students have the option to submit the Law Review writing competition and bluebooking exercise. The latter item, in particular, can be a valuable addition to an application.
  • Transcripts, to be reviewed confidentially by the Editor-in-Chief.
  • Statement of interest in CJEL (maximum one page), including any relevant experience you have in European Law. Please indicate interest, if any, in the Managing Editor (ME) position held open for new applicants.

Please note that LL.M. students and transfer students have application windows later in the year. These windows will open in late July.