Legal Article Submissions

The Georgia Bar Journal welcomes the submission of unsolicited legal manuscripts on topics of interest to Bar members. Submissions should be 10 to 12 pages, double-spaced (including endnotes) and on letter-size paper. (3,500-5,000 words is a typical word count.) Citations should conform to “A Uniform System of Citation” (21st ed., 2020).

Authors will be notified of the Editorial Board’s decision regarding publication. Members of the State Bar of Georgia can earn up to 6 in-house CLE credit hours per year for authoring legal articles and having them published in the Georgia Bar Journal.

You may wish to view the following resources for more information:
Manuscript Format and Citation Guidelines
Georgia Bar Journal Style Sheet

Memorandum and Agreement for Authors

1. Purpose: The Georgia Bar Journal (the Journal) seeks to publish scholarly articles evincing timely and practical legal research, and also “how to” articles on relevant subjects.
2. Style: Case citations should include parallel citations to the Southeastern Reporter and should follow the rules of “A Uniform System of Citation” (21st ed., 2020), with certain exceptions set forth in the Georgia Bar Journal Manuscript Format and Citation Guidelines.
3. Credits: The authors of published articles will be listed by name and firm, and credentials that indicate knowledge in the subject matter may be included. If available, a picture of each author will be printed. The picture should preferably be a portrait, or bust, 5x7 with good contrast.
4. Disclosures: Each author should make a full disclosure to the Journal as to any relationship with products, services or litigation mentioned in the article. Disclosure of a relationship should be made to the Journal even if the connection is remote, to allow the Journal to determine objectivity, conflicts of interest and the need for public disclosure.
5. Multiple Authors: For articles submitted by more than one author, one person should be designated to be contacted with respect to any editorial changes.
6. Copyright: In accordance with U.S. Copyright Law (17 U.S.C. § 201(c) (1994)), the author or authors will retain the copyright on all articles submitted; but, on acceptance of the article for publication, the author or authors agree to the following:
   1. The Journal will have first publication rights; and the Journal must be notified immediately if the article is accepted by another publication;
   2. The Journal will have the nonexclusive right to authorize the publication, reproduction and distribution of the article in electronic media, computerized.
   3. The Journal shall have the right to make single or multiple reprints of the article for distribution to its members and for use in other publications of the State Bar of Georgia.
   4. All copies of the article, whether produced by photocopying or other technique, will carry an appropriate copyright notice.
   5. Reprints of the article will give credit to the Journal, in general form “reprinted from the Georgia Bar Journal.”
7. Warranty and Representation: In accepting an offer of publication from the Journal, the author warrants that the article is the original work of the author and does not incorporate any copyrighted material for which the author has not received written permission or license and, additionally, that the author will forward all permissions or licenses to the State Bar of Georgia when the manuscript is delivered, together with a statement identifying the location of the material in the manuscript where the copyrighted material appears. The author also warrants that the article contains no libelous or otherwise unlawful material and that the author shall hold harmless and indemnify the State Bar of Georgia against any and all suits, claims, demands or recoveries, including damages, costs, expenses and attorney’s fees, that may be awarded or incurred at any time against the State Bar of Georgia and that are based on either violation of copyright law or the inclusion of libelous or otherwise injurious matter.
8. Editing: The Journal reserves the right to edit all articles, and to use or change the title and/or subtitle of all articles; however, when possible, copies of the edited article will be sent to the author for final review. The Journal reserves the right to submit articles for review by persons who are not members of the Editorial Board by who are experts on the subject matter of the article.
9. Author’s Agreement: By permitting publication of an article in the Journal, the author agrees to all of the terms stated in this memorandum. This document does not create or constitute a contract or agreement by the Journal to publish the author’s article.

Please address unsolicited articles to:

Jennifer R. Mason, Director of Communications
State Bar of Georgia
104 Marietta St. NW, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-527-8761
jenniferm@gabar.org