The Review Process (for Articles/Shorter Articles)

After submission, manuscripts will go through the following stages:

• Formal examination to ensure the identity of the author is not on the manuscript and to check length, as well as situations where the submission is self-evidently unsuitable. This stage is normally complete within two weeks of submission.
• A substantive appraisal by one of the General Editors to assess whether the manuscript is prima facie suitable and ready to be sent for anonymous review. If the manuscript is not thought suitable or ready it will be rejected at this point. This normally occurs within two weeks, so at the latest one month after submission.
• If the manuscript is suitable and ready for review, normally two anonymous reviewers will then be sought to offer independent and expert advice. This stage can take up to a month as it can be difficult to locate suitable reviewers who are willing to act.
• If a submission is to be sent out for review, we seek out reviewers, primarily from academia (but occasionally from legal practise), who in our opinion have relevant expertise in the subject of the manuscript and are thus able to assess the rigour of the research and analysis and offer an opinion on whether the manuscript reaches the high standards the Journal expects. We take into account information provided by submitting authors as to persons who have already commented on the work, and therefore to whom a manuscript will not be anonymous. We would consider any other objections carefully, but the selection of reviewers is a matter of editorial judgment.
• The Journal operates a double-blind peer review process: the reviewers are not known to the author and the identity of the author is not known to the reviewers. Although we ask all contributing authors to remove identifying information, in exceptional circumstances the identity of an author will, despite all efforts, be evident to anyone with appropriate expertise: in such circumstances we seek assurances from any prospective reviewer that they feel able to fairly review the manuscript objectively (despite their knowledge or suspicions as to the identity of the author) and we subject the reasoning of the reviewer to particularly intense scrutiny.
• If the manuscript is sent for review, the reviewers are given a standard period of four weeks (though this may be extended if the reviewer needs more time).
• Once the external reviews have been received, the General Editor will make an assessment based on those reviews and their own assessment of the paper. A decision will be made whether to reject, to accept or to seek revisions.
• If revisions are sought, the author will be asked to resubmit the revised paper explaining how they have responded to the criticisms of the Reviewers/General Editors. The revised version, once submitted will probably again be sent out for review (often to the initial reviewers, if available). In order to maintain anonymity, responses to reviewer comments should not contain identifiable information.
• If accepted, the author will once again be asked to check all references to ensure they are correct and to ensure the manuscript complies with the style-guide.

The Review Process (Case-Notes)

Most case-notes are commissioned by the team of Case-Note Editors following a meeting to identify the most important cases (usually in early December for the March edition, March for the July edition and August for the November edition).

However, the Senior Case-Note Editor welcomes proposals for case-notes. It is recommended that you contact the Senior Case-Note Editor before writing your case-note for guidance on (i) whether the case is one that the Editors think is of such significance to warrant a case-note (ii) whether someone is already writing a note on that case (iii) whether you are likely to be regarded as a suitable person to write on the case (in some circumstances, the Note-Editors may prefer a note from an acknowledged expert or senior person in the field).

Case-notes are reviewed by the team of Case-Noted Editors (in January for the March Edition, in April for the July edition and in September for the November issue). Changes are commonly requested and necessarily have to be carried out within days.