Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! This episode features a conversation with Professor Dawn Young from Loyola University Chicago School of Law about legal writing, bluebooking, and law review write-on competitions. Professor Young explains how the write-on competition works and what 1L students need to focus on if they decide to participate.

Note: We would like to thank Themis Bar Review for sponsoring this episode. Only until this Friday (April 3rd, 2026), you can save up to $1,100 on your 2027 or 2028 bar review course with just $25 down. Simply visit ThemisBar.com and select "Pay Partially" when opting for a 2027 or 2028 bar review course. The $1,100 discount will automatically apply at checkout.

In this episode we discuss:

An introduction to our guest and her path from legal practice to academia
Why legal writing matters and how it's different from writing in undergrad
Tips for preparing for the write-on competition
How important is being on a law journal to potential employers?

Resources:

Tutoring for Law School Success (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/tutoring-for-law-school-success/)
Themis Bar Review (https://www.themisbar.com/)
ThemisBarSocial.com/lawschooltoolbox (https://www.themisbarsocial.com/lawschooltoolbox)
Loyola University: Dawn Young (https://www.luc.edu/law/faculty/facultyandadministrationprofiles/young-dawn.shtml)
SSRN: Dawn Young (https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=6836378)
LinkedIn: Dawn Young (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnkyoung/)
Instagram: Dawn Young (https://www.instagram.com/dawnyoung000/)
Podcast Episode 42: Acing the Law Review Write-on Competition (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-42-acing-law-review-write-competition/)
Podcast Episode 379: Quick Tips – Bluebooking Like a Pro (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-379-quick-tips-bluebooking-like-a-pro/)
The Question I've Never Been Asked About the Bar Exam (https://barexamtoolbox.com/question-ive-never-asked-bar-exam/)
Use Upperclass Law Students as Resources: A List of Questions You Can Ask (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/use-upperclass-law-students-as-resources-a-list-of-questions-you-can-ask/)

Download the Transcript
(https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-549-acing-the-law-review-write-on-competition-w-professor-dawn-young/)

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Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

549: Acing the Law Review Write-on Competition (w/Professor Dawn Young)

The Law School Toolbox Podcast: Tools for Law Students from 1L to the Bar Exam, and Beyond