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VAULR is a bi-annual publication, publishing one edition per semester. It also features an online Journal with short-form pieces.
Each article evaluates a substantive legal question. VAULR differs from most law reviews by having an in-house Staff Writers, rather than soliciting article submissions. Members serve in the below roles:
Staff Writers publish one article per semester, either in long-form (approximately 10 pages, double-spaced) or short-form (op-ed length). Each writer receives extensive, personalized guidance in exploring their topic of choice; as such, legal writing experience is not required.
Editors enhance the quality of Staff Writers’ pieces by evaluating them on multiple levels, including strength of argument, clarity, and grammar. Editors also produce law school-style Bluebook citations—a rare opportunity for undergraduates. Editors hold an invaluable role in assuring that articles’ quality and scope are aligned with the mission and standards of a law review.
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Several spaces on Grounds facilitate indirect, but valuable, engagement with law through interdisciplinary inquiry. VAULR is a supplement: a publication for Hoos who want to engage directly with law as undergraduates.
As UVA’s first and only legal publication, VAULR is an uncommon venue for students to develop valuable legal writing skills—including Bluebooking—and explore their interests.
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While an interest in attending law school is by no means a requirement to join, VAULR prides itself on providing a holistic experience for students interested in a legal career. It does so by:
Hosting distinguished law students and attorneys as guest speakers. This includes robust engagement with professors and law students at the School of Law.
Connecting students to a network of driven, supportive, and welcoming Hoos pursuing legal careers.
Facilitating leadership opportunities with uncommon responsibility for those interested.
Allowing members to gain uncommon legal writing experience and signal well-considered legal interests, distinguishing them in future endeavors.
In less than three years, VAULR alumni have received admission to Harvard Law School, University of Chicago Law School, University of Virginia School of Law, Duke University School of Law, Georgetown University Law Center, and UCLA School of Law, among other well-regarded programs.
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No. Most new members do not have direct experience with legal writing; for many, VAULR is their first law-related involvement. VAULR invites applicants from a range of backgrounds. Most important is evidence of an applicant’s ability to contribute, in a holistic sense, to VAULR.
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Our application for the 2024–2025 academic year will open here on August 20. To receive important updates, subscribe to our interest list and follow our Instagram.
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No. Reflecting its commitment to equity and accessibility, VAULR is proud to provide entirely free membership now and into the future. This includes dues-free access to the Bluebook and social events.
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Acknowledging the pitfalls of admissions-based student organizations, as well as the legal profession’s unrepresentative historical demographics, VAULR is committed to an intentioned pursuit of diversity.
As such, VAULR is proud to:
Be majority-female, both in its general membership and in its Executive Board, reflecting broader changes in the legal profession.
Employ a Director of Membership & Inclusion who exercises integral input in all major decisions.
Provide entirely free membership, reflecting its commitment to equity and accessibility.
Admit members from a wide variety of academic and personal backgrounds.
VAULR is committed to applying continuous and earnest scrutiny to its practices. Please direct relevant inquiries to vaulr@virginia.edu.
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Please direct all other inquiries to VAULR's Director of Operations, Katherine Hu, at upb6wr@virginia.edu.
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Enough questions!
Get to know our staff member of the month, Nathan Snow!
It’s hard to find a student who is more passionate about the law than VAULR’s own Nathan Snow. Nathan is a Fourth Year double majoring in Political Philosophy, Policy, & Law and Economics and minoring in Spanish. He wrote his first article for VAULR in Spring 2023, and since then has left a profound impact on this publication and its members.
Nathan’s favorite article that he’s worked on explores the failures of the Hague Convention on intercountry adoption. The article is titled “Children Abandoned and Abused?: Intercountry Adoption and the Hague Process.” When asked about his experience with VAULR, Nathan shared that his involvement with the Review “has defined my undergraduate experience. Each semester, it has allowed me to fuel my passions for studying law through topics about which I am passionate.” Nathan also shared how the VAULR community has opened doors for him to collaborate with like-minded peers, and he has appreciated the opportunity “to hear other perspectives on a given issue and learn about niche areas of law through other papers!”
Nathan’s hard work has been deeply appreciated by his supervisors across semesters. Nathan’s Managing Editor this semester, Jess Drennan, shared how Nathan “gives 110% to everything he does, whether it’s researching his topic, writing his article, or refining his work.” Jess also lauded Nathan’s ability to collaborate with others, and his ability to be a team player. He is “communicative, creative, and dedicated” in his efforts to meet deadlines and collaborate with his editor.
Lauren Watts, Executive Editor at VAULR, shared how Nathan commits himself to each and every topic he researches, with such depth and attention to detail that he becomes a true expert on each subject. Lauren noted how Nathan “carefully curates his sources in a way that informs his reader, but also gives them an opportunity to learn even more on their own if they wish through his footnotes filled with extra information and additional sources.”
When asked about Nathan, Will Mayer, Nathan’s current Executive Editor, noted his appreciation for Nathan’s “accessible style when discussing complicated and sometimes charged topics—it always comes out as a coherent and compelling narrative.” When reading Nathan’s work, Will finds that there is a clear sense of integrity and empathy. What shines through in Nathan’s work, according to Will, is “his dedication to making the world a better place throughout everything he writes.”
We encourage you guys to check out Nathan’s publications, which are listed below. His new article for our Fall 2024 publication, “Defending or Endangering: The Interpretation of State Stand Your Ground Laws,” is a fascinating piece on legal frameworks surrounding self defense and property rights. We deeply appreciate all that Nathan has done and continues to do for VAULR, and we can’t wait to see where his passion for the law takes him.