Editors are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the top legal scholars from around the world. However, dealing with authors can sometimes be difficult. Some authors submit articles in less-than-stellar or incomplete form and expect student editors to do their work for them. Other authors rankle at student editing of their work.
All journals are required to have all authors sign a copy of an author contract (see a copy of the contract in Appendix B) detailing the rights and responsibilities of both the journals and the authors.
Once you accept an article from an author, you must send this contract to her/him immediately and get a signed copy before proceeding further. This contract will save you from problems down the road. Should an author wish to alter the contract in any way, please check these edits with Sheena before officially signing off on them. You should also make a copy of all contracts and bring them to Sheena to keep on file in the Student Journals Office.
Despite the contract and your best efforts at maintaining cordial and smooth relationships with your authors, problems can and do arise. If you need help in working with an author, please don’t hesitate to contact the Student Journals Administrator for guidance and/or further assistance.