Stop Wasting Months on Law Review Articles That Go Nowhere
The Blueprint I Wish Someone Had Given Me 10 Years Ago
I still remember the frustration.
Draft after draft of what I thought would be my breakthrough law review article, only to realize—sometimes months into the process, sometimes even years—that my structure was fundamentally flawed.
The introduction didn’t connect to the conclusion.
My arguments circled back on themselves.
You have two article in one, I was told. Maybe three!
What started as a promising idea had become an incoherent mess of legal analysis, and workshopping at conferences and at law schools around the country became exercises in how well I could stomach sharp criticism of my rambling ideas.
Sound familiar?
Read on.
I think I can help.
The Hard Truth About Legal Scholarship
Here’s what nobody tells you when you start writing law review articles:
Most scholars waste 60-80% of their writing time on drafts that never see the light of day.
Not because their ideas are bad.
Not because they lack legal insight.
But because they’re building without a blueprint.
I learned this the hard way.
I went through years of false starts, abandoned projects, and the soul-crushing experience of realizing that months of work needed to be scrapped because the foundational structure was wrong.
And, I still have a folder on my desktop full of half-baked article ideas, in case anyone is looking for something to work on.
What Changed Everything
The breakthrough came when I finally understood what Kimberlé Crenshaw likely knew intuitively when she developed intersectionality theory:
Great legal scholarship starts with a great question, but it succeeds with a great structure.
A comprehensive outline doesn’t just organize your thoughts.
It also:
Saves months of revision time by catching structural problems before you write
Sharpens your legal analysis by forcing clarity of argument
Accelerates the writing process by providing a clear roadmap
Increases acceptance rates by ensuring coherent, compelling narratives
Why This System Works (And Why I’m Qualified to Teach It)
I share this approach with humility, but also with confidence in the potential results.
Over the past several years, this systematic method has helped me publish over 20 legal articles and essays in top law reviews, including the Columbia Law Review, California Law Review, Virginia Law Review, Georgetown Law Journal, UCLA Law Review, and Harvard Environmental Law Review, among others.
My work has been competitively selected for presentations at premier academic venues like the Harvard/Stanford/Yale Junior Faculty Forum and has helped me earned recognition including the National Bar Association’s 40 Under 40 Award, election as a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and recipient of the Junior Great Teacher Award from the Society of American Law Teachers.
But here’s what matters most.
This system works because it’s been tested in the trenches of actual legal scholarship.
Every technique I share comes from real projects, real deadlines, and real publication pressures.
I learned this the hard way.
In fact, I’m so confident in this approach that I am also sharing something that I am confident no other legal scholarship guide will:
A complete case study of an article I’m currently outlining.
You’ll see my actual thought process, my real research notes, and my genuine struggles with developing arguments, giving you an authentic behind-the-scenes look at how professional legal scholarship actually gets made.
(Fair warning: you could theoretically run with my idea if I don’t write fast enough. That’s how real and current this example is!)
Introducing Law Review Launchpad
After years of trial and error, I’ve distilled my hard-won insights into a comprehensive 100 page workbook that is easy to follow:
Law Review Launchpad: Transform Your Legal Scholarship from Idea to Detailed Outline in 6 Steps.
This isn’t theory.
This is the exact process I use for every law review article I write, the system that transformed my scholarly practice from frustrating trial-and-error to systematic success.
And it works.
I’ve had 10 article/essays published or accepted and forthcoming in the past 3 years.
What You’ll Get
Six Comprehensive Modules That Will Transform Your Writing Process
Topic Ideation and Research - Find your scholarly voice and identify compelling questions
Developing a Compelling Thesis - Craft arguments that advance legal understanding
Framing the Problem - Situate your work within existing scholarship
Building Robust Arguments - Construct persuasive, evidence-based reasoning
Crafting Practical Solutions - Translate insights into actionable recommendations
Thematic Integration - Ensure coherence and lasting scholarly impact
Plus: Real examples from current projects—including a complete case study of an article outline I’m actively developing (yes, I’m literally sharing my own work-in-progress as a teaching tool)—practical assignments for each step, and the exact templates I use to structure successful law review articles.
The Concrete Benefits You’ll Master
You will:
✓ Develop comprehensive law review article outlines with clear thesis statements, compelling arguments, and well-reasoned counterarguments—all organized within a proven three-act structure that ensures logical flow from introduction to conclusion
✓ Craft research-backed problem statements that identify gaps in legal scholarship, establish relevance, and position your work as a meaningful contribution to academic discourse
✓ Use argument mapping techniques to create multi-layered legal arguments that integrate doctrinal, theoretical, and policy elements—enhancing your analytical skills and strengthening your ability to craft compelling, well-supported arguments
✓ Develop actionable legal solutions through stakeholder analysis and implementation frameworks, bolstered by real-world examples that demonstrate effectiveness and applicability in actual legal contexts
✓ Cultivate sustainable writing habits through time-blocking, peer accountability, and well-being practices tailored specifically for legal scholarship—boosting productivity while prioritizing your mental and emotional health
Who This Is For
This workbook is specifically designed for legal scholars who recognize themselves in these situations:
Law students and early-career lawyers struggling to transform research ideas into cohesive, publication-ready legal articles
Practitioners transitioning to academia through teaching fellowships or VAPs who need a systematic approach to legal scholarship
Anyone feeling overwhelmed by the writing process and lacking the structure and support needed to develop comprehensive article outlines
Scholars tired of spinning their wheels who want a clear, actionable roadmap to guide them from initial idea to fully developed outline
Experienced academics looking to streamline their writing process and eliminate wasted drafts
The Cost of Not Having a System
Every month you spend on a poorly structured article is a month not spent on scholarship that could advance your career and contribute to legal thought.
Every abandoned draft represents not just lost time, but lost confidence in your ability to contribute meaningfully to legal scholarship.
I can’t give you back the years I spent learning this the hard way.
But I can give you the blueprint I wish someone had shared with me.
Your Investment
I believe this system should be accessible to every legal scholar who needs it.
For paid subscribers of this newsletter: Law Review Launchpad is completely free, which is my way of thanking you for supporting this ongoing labor of love.
For everyone else: Just $15 gets you immediate access to the complete 100-page workbook.
This introductory pricing won’t last forever.
As I continue refining this approach and adding new content, the price will increase to reflect the true value of what you’re getting.
Plus, your one-time purchase includes lifetime access to all future updates.
As I workshop this system with more scholars and discover new insights, you’ll automatically receive the enhanced versions at no additional cost, ever.
Paid Subscribers: Get Your Free Copy Here
Everyone Else: Get It Now for $14.99
Ready to Transform Your Legal Scholarship?
Stop letting great ideas die in poorly structured drafts.
Get the blueprint that turns curiosity into compelling legal scholarship, and secure lifetime access to all future refinements as I continue developing this system.
Transform your legal scholarship.
Start with a better outline.
Becoming Full,
P.S. As always, thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Tenure Track. If you found this article helpful, share it with a friend. If it moved you, consider supporting with a paid subscription or buying me a coffee. Together, let’s continue to build a supportive and creative academic community.
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just dropped this in the group chat i have with my best friends from law school ... if i had this when i was in law school, i prolly would've been a more confident student and when i graduated, i may have actually considered practicing law. but i didn't because i lacked the confidence. thanks for sharing this. much needed.