The Editor of the Utah Bar Journal wants to hear about the topics and issues readers think should be covered in the magazine. If you have an article idea or would be interested in writing on a particular topic, please contact us by calling (801) 297-7022 or by e-mail at barjournal@utahbar.org. The Utah Bar Journal encourages the submission of articles of practical interest to Utah attorneys and members of the bench for potential publication. Preference will be given to submissions by Utah legal professionals. Submissions that have previously been presented or published are disfavored, but will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The following are a few guidelines for preparing submissions:
ARTICLE LENGTH: The Utah Bar Journal prefers articles of 5,000 words or less. Longer articles may be considered for publication, but if accepted such articles may be divided into parts and published in successive issues.
SUBMISSION FORMAT: Articles must be submitted via email to barjournal@utahbar.org, with the article attached in Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. The subject line of the email must include the title of the submission and the author’s last name.
CITATION FORMAT: All citations must follow The Bluebook format, and must be included in the body of the article. Authors may choose to use the “cleaned up” or “quotation simplified” device with citations that are otherwise Bluebook compliant. Any such use must be consistent with the guidance offered in State v. Patton, 2023 UT App 33, ¶10 n.3.
NO FOOTNOTES: Articles may not have footnotes. Endnotes will be permitted on a very limited basis, but the editorial board strongly discourages their use and may reject any submission containing more than five endnotes. The Utah Bar Journal is not a law review, and articles that require substantial endnotes to convey the author’s intended message may be more suitable for another publication.
ARTICLE CONTENT: Articles should address the Utah Bar Journal audience – primarily licensed members of the Utah Bar. Submissions of broad appeal and application are favored. Nevertheless, the editorial board sometimes considers timely articles on narrower topics. If in doubt about the suitability of an article, an author is invited to submit it for consideration.
NEUTRAL LANGUAGE: Modern legal writing has embraced neutral language for many years. Utah Bar Journal authors should consider using neutral language where possible, such as plural nouns or articles “they,” “them,” “lawyers,” “clients,” “judges,” etc. The following is an example of neutral language: “A non-prevailing party who is not satisfied with the court’s decision can appeal.” Neutral language is not about a particular group or topic. Rather, neutral language acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunity in age, disability, economic status, ethnicity, gender, geographic region, national origin, sexual orientation, practice setting and area, race, or religion. The language and content of a Utah Bar Journal article should make no assumptions about the beliefs or commitments of any reader.
EDITING: Any article submitted to the Utah Bar Journal may be edited for citation style, length, grammar, and punctuation. While content is the author’s responsibility, the editorial board reserves the right to make minor substantive edits to promote clarity, conciseness, and readability. If substantive edits are necessary, the editorial board will strive to consult the author to ensure the integrity of the author’s message.
AUTHOR(S): Author(s) must include with all submissions a sentence identifying their place of employment. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the views expressed are understood to be those of the author(s) only. Author(s) are encouraged to submit a headshot to be printed next to their bio. These photographs must be sent via email, must be 300 dpi or greater, and must be submitted in .jpg, .eps, or .tif format.
PUBLICATION: Author(s) will be required to sign a standard publication agreement prior to, and as a condition of, publication of any submission.
Cover Photo Submission Guidelines
Members of the Utah State Bar or Paralegal Division of the Bar who are interested in having photographs they have taken of Utah scenes published on the cover of the Utah Bar Journal should send their photographs (compact disk or print), along with a description of where the photographs were taken, to Utah Bar Journal, 645 South 200 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111, or by e-mail .jpg attachment to barjournal@utahbar.org. Only the highest quality resolution and clarity (in focus) will be acceptable for the cover. Photos must be a minimum of 300 dpi at the full 8.5″ x 11″ size, or in other words 2600 pixels wide by 3400 pixels tall. If non-digital photographs are sent, please include a pre-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like the photo returned, and write your name and address on the back of the photo.
Letter Submission Guidelines
1. Letters shall be typewritten, double spaced, signed by the author, and shall not exceed 300 words in length.
2. No one person shall have more than one letter to the editor published every six months.
3. All letters submitted for publication shall be addressed to Editor, Utah Bar Journal, and shall be delivered to the office of the Utah State Bar or emailed to barjournal@utahbar.org at least six weeks prior to publication.
4. Letters shall be published in the order in which they are received for each publication period, except that priority shall be given to the publication of letters that reflect contrasting or opposing viewpoints on the same subject.
5. No letter shall be published that (a) contains defamatory or obscene material, (b) violates the Rules of Professional Conduct, or (c) otherwise may subject the Utah State Bar, the Board of Bar Commissioners or any employee of the Utah State Bar to civil or criminal liability.
6. No letter shall be published that advocates or opposes a particular candidacy for a political or judicial office or that contains a solicitation or advertisement for a commercial or business purpose.
7. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, the acceptance for publication of letters to the Editor shall be made without regard to the identity of the author. Letters accepted for publication shall not be edited or condensed by the Utah State Bar, other than as may be necessary to meet these guidelines. 8. The Editor, or his or her designee, shall promptly notify the author of each letter if and when a letter is rejected.