Editorial Board and Posts

The OUCLJ is edited and run by an Editorial Board and an Editorial Committee. The Board consists of the General Editor and up to four Editors, and is responsible for the production of the Journal. The Committee consists of the General Editor, the Editors, and up to 20 Associate Editors. All are Oxford postgraduate law students.

The General Editor takes overall responsibility for producing the Journal. The General Editor's duties include:

• Overseeing the production of at least two issues of the journal each year;
• Ensuring that the OUCLJ meets the highest academic and publishing standards;
• Ensuring that, prior to publication, every article, case note and book review is refereed by at least one member of the Editorial Committee, and by at least one other person who is not a member of the Editorial Committee and who is knowledgeable in the relevant subject area; and
• Liaising with the publisher.

The Editors' tasks include:

• Assisting the General Editor in producing the Journal;
• Supervising the Associate Editors and the Journal's financial affairs; and
• Organising meetings, social events and any seminars or conferences held under the auspices of the OUCLJ.

Associate Editors are divided into groups, each of which assists (and is supervised by) a member of the Editorial Board. Major decisions, as well as decisions concerning administrative issues relating to the production of the journal, are made by the full Editorial Committee.

Becoming an Associate Editor

Generally speaking, by the end of first week of Michaelmas Term each year (early October), advertisements are posted on Law Faculty noticeboards in the St Cross Building and sent by email (via the Law Postgraduate maillist) inviting Oxford postgraduate law students to apply to become Associate Editors. All Oxford postgraduate law students are warmly encouraged to apply, whether they are doing taught course degrees (including BCL and MJur) or research degrees. Prior editorial experience is helpful but not required.

Applicants will then be asked to complete a short editing exercise and submit it (along with a CV) electronically to the General Editor by a specified closing date. A shortlist is compiled and interviews conducted. Interviews will conducted by at least two members of the Editorial Board. Associate Editors are selected on the basis of the CV, written exercise and the interview. We look at applicants' academic backgrounds; applicants' editorial potential, including any legal publishing or general publishing experience as authors, editors or both; applicants' areas of legal interest and knowledge; diversity of background of applicants; and applicants' ability to co-operate with the existing Editorial Board.

Upon election, the General Editor notifies successful applicants as soon as possible of the offer of membership. Applicants become Associate Editors once these offers are accepted. Associate Editors can expect their first editing task mid-Michaelmas.

When and how Editors are appointed

In Trinity Term of each year the Editorial Committee elects from its members the General Editor and up to four Editors. These appointments take effect from the end of that term (when the tenure of all outgoing Editorial Board members also comes to an end). Any person standing for election must be registered as a postgraduate law student at Oxford for the following academic year, and must already have spent the current academic year (or longer) as an Associate Editor.

Candidates for election may be nominated by themselves or by other members of the Editorial Committee with the candidates' approval, and do not need to be seconded. When voting, the Editorial Committee considers only candidates' prior conduct on the Editorial Committee and their potential editorial ability.

Term of appointment

The tenure of an Associate Editor terminates after the results of the next election of Associate Editors are announced, or when the Associate Editor ceases to be a student at Oxford, whichever is the sooner. Any Editorial Committee member may be re-elected to his or her position for a second term.

Editorial Committee members may resign by giving written notice, or may be removed from office upon a vote of the Editorial Committee following a formal procedure set down in the OUCLJ Constitution.

Editorial Board Policies

31 January 2011

On the advice of the Faculty Liaison, the Editorial Board of the Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal has resolved to adopt the following policy.

Any Editor or Assistant Editor, or anyone else appointed to ad hoc positions such as Copy Editor, should not be listed in any issue to the production of which he or she has not contributed, for whatever reason, and whatever the mitigating circumstances might be. This is because it is unfair to that person’s colleagues who have had to take on his or her workload in addition to their own, to give that person credit for an issue in which he or she has not been involved.

This policy must be communicated to all applicants for positions on the Journal and should be listed on the Journal’s website.  It will also be communicated to all current members of the Editorial Committee. Should any future Editorial Board wish to depart from this policy, it would be advisable to consult the Faculty Liaison.

Current Board: 2012–13

General Editor

Paolo Ronchi (Italy)

Editors

Randall Stephenson (Canada)
Shreya Atrey (India)
Matt Watson (Canada)
Andrew McLeod (Australia)

Associate Editors

Avani Bansal (India)
Thomas Windsor (UK)
Michael Lok (Hong Kong)
Jenifer Varzaly ( Australia)
Jacopo Crivellaro (UK)
Henry Fraser ( Australia)
Alexander Vial (Australia)
Andelka Phillips (New Zealand)
Michael Fender (UK)
Breony Allen (Australia)
Chintan Chandrachud (India)
Zachary Vermeer (Australia)
Angela Pavao (Canada)
Robert Bellin (UK)
Ross Martin (USA)
Alberto Pino (Chile)

Faculty Liasion

Glen Loutzenhiser (St Hugh's)

Past Editorial Committees