NYU Law Students Demand Pay for Law Review Work

Students at New York University’s School of Law are demanding hourly pay or academic credit for their law review journal work. If approved, NYU would become the first law school in the country where journal editors are paid, Bloomberg Law reports.

Nearly 300 students have signed a petition and eight on-campus publications have signed a letter to the administration demanding compensation in hourly wages or credit hours of their journal work. Currently, according to Washington Square News, only third-year students are eligible for compensation through credit hours, and no students receive hourly pay.

“We love our work, but prestige is not adequate compensation for the value we provide,” the letter reads. “Our journals have been cited in courts throughout the country, up to the Supreme Court. NYU reaps the benefits of robust journal publication in admissions and institutional prestige.”

THE INEQUALITY BEHIND FREE WORK

One of the main benefits of working for the law review is the recognition and prestige receive.

“Having law review as a stamp of prestige and an excellent training ground really propels people’s careers and helps them stand out,” Legal recruiter Jackie Bokser LeFebvre says.

Pay, however, isn’t currently one of those benefits.

“There’s an inherent assumption that you don’t need to be compensated for this work because the compensation that you’re receiving is being able to put law review or whatever journal you’re on on your resume,” said Malina Gulino, a second-year NYU law student and member of the law review.

Students argue that the benefits of the law review now only go to those who can afford to work for free.

“There should be other people who look like me or come from more impoverished backgrounds than me who should be able to be part of this institution,” Devin McCowan, a third-year on NYU’s law review, says. “That’s really important, especially if we want to create a broader legal system where people go out into a work force that’s more equitable.”

NO DECISION MADE AS OF YET

NYU’s administrators met with students late last week to discuss the letter and petition, but as of today no official decisions have been made.

“Student participation on law journals is an important part of the academic and intellectual life of the law school,” Michael Orey, a spokesperson for NYU’s law school, says. “It offers students valuable additional legal training outside the classroom that can enhance their professional opportunities.”

Students argue that the costs of paying for journal work are reasonable for the law school, where tuition costs $73,216 a year. According to Gulino, a $15 hourly wage would probably cost NYU less than $1 million a year.

Sources: Bloomberg Law, Washington Square News