Class Rank and Law Review’s Impact on Job Seekers’ Ability to Stand Out and Tennessee Law Review’s Role in Enhancing Equity by Breaking Their Historical Link

By: Joshua Lucas Rojas*

Choosing to attend law school is no small decision. Law school is an immense time commitment requiring dedication, perseverance, and unique creativity.[1] At the end of the three-year marathon, a plethora of opportunities and personal satisfaction await.[2] But often, these opportunities come with competition.[3]

A common belief among law students and law school career advisors is that the best way to compete for these opportunities is to earn a high-class rank and be extended an offer to join law review.[4] But are they actually? How do class rank and law review affect most law firms’ hiring decisions?[5]

By examining empirical and anecdotal evidence, I endeavor to understand the significance that these academic indicators continue to have in the legal profession and whether a well-rounded applicant can, without a law review membership or high-class rank, stand out amongst the rest. Furthermore, my investigation aims to discern the Tennessee Law Review’s specific role in shaping this dynamic.

Law review memberships are associated with superior “legal research, writing, and editing skills.”[6] Law reviews and class rank are often linked as many student-led law reviews “use first-year exam grades to select their new editors” in a process called “Grading-On.”[7] Specifically, “[a]s of 2012, ‘88% of law reviews reported using grades or class rank as factors in selecting students for law review membership.’”[8]

In the current legal hiring environment, legal recruiters state they are “looking for people who are excellent communicators, and who are very concise, clear written advocates.” Generally, “law review [membership] is [seen as] a good sign” that a job applicant will possess those qualities.[9] In fact, some consider the law review as “‘the most effective training presently offered in American law schools.’”[10] Moreover, it is a commonly held belief that “[w]riting for [a] law review demonstrates that you have honed your critical thinking, logic, and verbal skills,” all necessary skills for becoming a successful legal representative.[11] Additionally, a UCLA study found “that law review members had greater success in obtaining law firm callback interviews in comparison to their nonmember classmates.”[12] Unmistakably, law firms see law review as a prestigious achievement that showcases a job seeker’s intellectual abilities and dedication to legal scholarship that will allow them to begin a legal career with the necessary skills for success.[13]

Given that newly licensed attorneys often have limited real-world legal experience, it makes sense that law firms look to the class rank.[14] A New York hiring committee co-chair emphasizes the importance of grades, stating that “academic success is always critical” as they seek the best candidates.[15] Moreover, “[t]he literature on law school grades acknowledges [their] . . . importance . . . .”[16] Specifically, a “study by Professors Richard Sander and Jane Bambauer reported ‘that performance in law school—as measured by law school grades—is the most important predictor of career success.”[17] Accordingly, grades are universally regarded as the most critical and decisive factor in shaping the trajectory of legal careers, regardless of the specific field or context involved.[18]

Thus, law review membership and class rank are significant metrics in most law firms’ evaluation of candidates.[19] Specifically, law review membership and class rank are crucial factors in law firms’ hiring decisions, acting as key predictors of career success.[20] As such, job seekers with a high-class rank, law review membership, or both, stand out in the highly competitive legal job market.[21]

Standing Out Without the “Golden Stars”: Advice for Job Seekers

Although empirically and anecdotally, class rank and law review membership are important metrics for law firms and can make it easier for job seekers to stand out, it is not impossible to stand out without these “golden stars” on the résumé.[22] Many law firms are evolving how they hire and the qualities they look for in potential candidates.[23]

First, many firms are beginning to focus on candidates’ subjective or intrinsic attributes.[24] Particularly, firms are looking at qualities that, while connected to academic accomplishments and overall success in law school, can be demonstrated independently of a high-class rank or law review membership. These qualities include “leadership, entrepreneurship, teamwork, communication, self-motivation, maturity, problem-solving ability, creativity, collegiality, writing skills, and community involvement. . . .”[25]

Second, many law firms now heavily favor previous work experience when hiring recent law school graduates.[26] The effect of a prior career before law school is like “catnip [for] . . . legal employers.”[27] Moreover, legal recruiters consistently emphasize that the “‘work experience doesn’t [even] have to be law-related” or rise to the level of an established previous career.[28] Previous work experiences, including summer jobs, are valued as long as the candidate can demonstrate that they “exercised good judgment in a previous work environment.”[29]

Third, as law firms evolve, many have realized that a successful lawyer is not only smart but also excels with interpersonal relationship skills.[30] Legal recruiters go so far as to say that they are “‘not really concerned [with] whether [a candidate] . . . got the highest grade at law school”[31] but with how the candidate “interacts on a one-on-one level[,] . . . communicate[s], write[s,] and fit[s] in with others.’”[32] Thus, law firms are searching for candidates who carry themselves well and are personable, communicative,  and collaborative.[33]

Fourth, law firms (especially law firms that focus on transactional and corporate work) have focused on whether candidates “‘understand the commercial aspects of [the] . . . clients’ businesses.’”[34] Legal recruiters say, “‘you have to . . . indicate that you are interested in what the firm does.’”[35] Therefore, candidates seeking transactional or corporate work must actively showcase their interest and proficiency in these areas in an interview and on their resume.[36]

Finally, and most importantly, law firms are looking for preparedness.[37] Preparing for an interview is a must; even a candidate with a perfect resume can tank their interview if they are unprepared.[38] Legal recruiters have consistently said “that ‘you need to know about a firm’s practices, its history, its strengths and weaknesses. It is also increasingly important to be aware of a firm’s business ideas.’”[39] Thus, a well-prepared candidate, without a high-class rank or a law review membership, who knows the firm and the interviewers may very well have a better chance at landing their dream job than a candidate who may check all the boxes but fails to prepare.[40]

In all, law firms value high-class rank and law review memberships when hiring; however, contemporary trends are beginning to indicate that law firms are taking a broader perspective. Legal employers increasingly emphasize subjective qualities in their hiring decisions along with the traditional markers of potential career success. Ultimately, success in the modern legal profession now requires a holistic approach that extends beyond just academic achievements.

Tennessee Law Review’s Important Impact on the Changing Legal Landscape

Under the typical “Grade-on,” first-year students with high-class ranks are offered membership on law review based solely on grades—which ultimately may not correlate with their potential quality of work for law review.[41] As a result, individuals without a high-class rank have fewer opportunities to become members through the Write-on competition due to the availability of fewer positions.[42] This impact is significant, as lacking a law review membership can hinder legal job seekers’ ability to stand out.[43] Thus, an amalgamation of adverse outcomes occurs: Students with a high-class rank, who may have no specific interest or skills pertaining to law review, effectively shut out students without a high-class rank who possess interests or skills specific to law review.[44] Thus, the traditional “Grade-on” practice adversely affects those without a high-class rank and can potentially compromise the quality of scholarship that a law review publishes.[45]

The Tennessee Law Review has smartly recognized the lack of correlation between high-class rank and law review membership success, as well as the cascading negative consequences of the law review “Grade-on” practice, and has effectively done away with it.[46] Specifically, Tennessee Law Review firmly believes that “the first semester of law school is not indicative of future performance” and “is proud to utilize a . . . [grade-blind] [W]rite-[O]n process. . . . Thus, every . . . [first-year] student has the opportunity to become a staff editor.”[47]

Recognizing the profound impact of class rank and law review membership on a job seeker’s prospects, the Tennessee Law Review’s adoption of a grade-blind Write-on process represents a significant step towards fostering equity in the selection of law review members and, tangentially, job candidacy and career outcomes as more students are given the opportunity to earn a “golden star” on their resume.[48]

Conclusion

In sum, empirical and anecdotal evidence has unequivocally shown that a high-class rank and law review membership will make it easier to open doors for success post-law school graduation; however, candidates without these “golden stars” are not dead in the water as the narrative is shifting in the modern legal landscape. Legal job seekers should be optimistic, because the legal profession is beginning to recognize the multifaceted nature of success, and aspiring professionals should embrace the opportunity to showcase a comprehensive set of skills and experiences beyond the traditional markers of academic achievement.

Additionally, the Tennessee Law Review has become a leader amongst student-led law reviews, paving the way with the grade-blind Write-on process and vigorously advocating that class rank should not influence law review candidacy. By severing the traditional link between class rank and law review memberships, the Tennessee Law Review opens new avenues and provides students without a high-class rank the chance to secure a position on the editorial staff. The convergence of Tennessee Law Review’s grade-blind Write-on process, alongside the nascent holistic hiring approach adopted by law firms, forms a formidable synergy, markedly enhancing the capacity of job seekers to distinguish themselves within the rigorously competitive legal arena.

This transformation of many hiring practices and the unlinking of class rank and law review is critically important as it signifies a paradigm shift in the legal landscape and presents a unique opportunity for aspiring legal professionals. This evolving perspective is the first step in promoting inclusivity throughout the legal community by recognizing and valuing diverse skills beyond traditional markers, signifying an environment where individual capabilities and experiences are acknowledged, and offering a more equitable path to success.[49] Hopefully, more student-led law reviews will soon recognize the impact that class rank and law review membership have on job outcomes and will follow in the footsteps of the Tennessee Law Review in pursuit of greater equity in the legal landscape.

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* Candidate for Doctor of Jurisprudence, University of Tennessee College of Law, May 2025.

Disclosure of Potential Biases: In writing this article, I want to be transparent about my perspective on law review membership and class ranks impact on job outcomes. I potentially possess bias as a Staff Editor for the Tennessee Law Review. I want to acknowledge this potential bias and affirm that I have taken measures to minimize its impact. Although the research and arguments presented in this article have been conducted objectively, with efforts to ensure the validity and reliability of the findings, readers need to be aware of this bias as they engage with the following arguments. Overall, I intend to provide a thoughtful and well-supported analysis, and I encourage readers to evaluate the information critically and consider alternative viewpoints.

[1] See 20 Tips for Success in Law School, Chapman Univ. Fowler Sch. of L., https://www.chapman.edu/law/student-resources/achievement-program/20-tips-success.aspx (last visited Jan. 16, 2024); D. Macaulay, 5 Qualities that Make a Great Law Student, Barbri L. Preview (last updated Jan. 7, 2020), https://lawpreview.barbri.com/5-qualities-make-great-law-student/.

[2] David Merson, 10 Reasons to Go to Law School – Your Ultimate Guide, Juris Educ. (Oct. 24, 2023), https://www.juriseducation.com/blog/10-reasons-to-go-to-law-school.

[3] See Number of Law Graduates in the United States from 2013 to 2022, Statista Rsch. Department (Sep. 26, 2023) https://www.statista.com/statistics/428985/number-of-law-graduatesus; Karen Sloan, New Lawyer Hiring Was Up in 2022. Will 2023 Law Grads Be So Lucky?, Reuters (Apr. 25, 2023), https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/new-lawyer-hiring-was-up-2022-will-2023s-law-grads-be-so-lucky-2023-04-25/.

[4] See Joining the Law Review, Chambers Assoc., https://www.chambers-associate.com/where-to-start/joining-the-law-review, (last visited Jan. 16, 2024); How Good Grades in Law School Can Help Your Career Prospects, L. Crossing, https://www.lawcrossing.com/article/600/Law-School-Grades-and-Your-Career/, (last visited Jan. 16, 2024).

[5] The term “law firm” or “law firms” are being used in its general sense of “a group of lawyers who work together as a business.” See Law Firm, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/law%20firm (last visited Jan. 22, 2024). While, every law firm will vary in their culture, legal practices, administrative functions, hiring practices, and much more, this article uses these terms to speak in a general sense. As such, this article does not specifically focus on the influence of class rank and law review on “Big Law,” “Mid Law,” or any other type of law firm hiring practices. Instead, it aims to provide general information and guidance to inform readers about the average importance of law review membership and class rank in the hiring practices of most law firms, along with other qualities considered by most law firm in their hiring decisions to aid in their job search. To find more specific information, the reader should conduct further research or speak to the hiring manager of their target law firm.

[6] Why You Should Join a Law Review, New Eng. L. Bos., https://www.nesl.edu/blog/detail/why-you-should-join-a-law-review, (last visited Jan. 17, 2024).

[7] See Marcus Nemeth, To Join or Not to Join (Law Review): That Was the Question, BC Law: Impact (Feb. 20, 2018), https://bclawimpact.org/2018/02/20/to-join-or-not-to-join-that-was-the-question/; Paul Willison, Rethinking the Writing Competition: Developing Diversity Policies on Law Journals After Fasorp I And II, 71 Case W. Res. L. Rev. 351, 377 (2020) (citing Eugene Volokh, Academic Legal Writing: Law Review Articles, Student Notes, Seminar Papers, And Getting On Law Review 324–25 (Robert C. Clark et al. eds., 5th ed. 2016)).

[8] Willison, supra note 7(citing Stephanie Chichetti, Emily J. Freeborn & Lilia Volynkova, The N.Y. L. Sch. L. Rev., 2011–2012 Law Review Diversity Report (2012)).

[9] See What Recruiters Are Looking For?, Chambers Assoc., https://www.chambers-associate.com/where-to-start/getting-hired/what-recruiters-are-looking-for (last visited Jan. 17, 2023).

[10] Willison, supra note 7, at 369 (citing Mark A. Godsey, Educational Inequalities, the Myth of Meritocracy, and the Silencing of Minority Voices: The Need for Diversity on America’s Law Reviews, 12 Harv. Blackletter L.J. 59, 59-60 (1995)).

[11] Law Review, LawyerEdu.org, https://www.lawyeredu.org/law-review/ (last visited Jan. 17, 2024).

[12] Dexter Samida, The Value of Law Review Membership, 71 U. Chi. L. Rev. 1721, 1722 (2004) (citing David Eaves & J. Mark Ramseyer, Gender, Ethnicity and Grades: Empirical Evidence of Discrimination in Law-Firm Interviews, 7 L. & Inequality J. 189, 197–99 (1989)) (finding that “The average UCLA Law Review member received a callback interview after 42.5[%] . . . of [their] . . . interviews, while nonmembers enjoyed a 23.7[%] . . . callback rate.” And that this “positive effect of law review was independent of GPA, although the magnitude of its impact declined as GPA increased.”).

[13] Cf. Willison, supra note 7, at 369–377; Samida, supra note 12 (This section of the Willison passage underscores that law firms consider participation in law review as a prestigious accomplishment, signaling a job seeker’s intellectual abilities and commitment to legal scholarship. Moreover, it emphasizes that the skills developed through law review, including legal writing, editing, and critical thinking, position individuals for success in their legal careers. While the Samida passage highlights an empirical study demonstrating that individuals with law review experience on their resumes received more callbacks compared to those without such experience. Therefore, legal employers view law review as a valuable asset on a job seeker’s resume, showcasing both prestige and essential skills).

[14] See What Recruiters Are Looking For?, supra note 9.

[15] Id.; see also Douglas A. Henderson, Uncivil Procedure: Ranking Law Students Among Their Peers, 27 U. Mich. J.L. Reform 399, 405 (1994) (citing Emily Campbell & Alan J. Tomkins, Gender, Race, Grades, and Law Review Membership as Factors in Law Firm Hiring Decisions: An Empirical Study, 18 J. Contemp. L. 211, 235 (1992) (“Empirical research confirms that employers . . . use class rank to select students.”).

[16] Jessica L. Clark, Grades Matter; Legal Writing Grades Matter Most, 31 Miss. C. L. Rev. 375, 376 (2014) (citing Richard Sander & Jane Bambauer, The Secret of My Success: How Status, Eliteness and School Performance Shape Legal Careers, 9 J. Empirical Legal Studies 893, 895, 914 (2012).

[17] Id.

[18] See Henderson, supra note 15, at 405–06 (“[Grades] will purchase more than the expected individual pride in accomplishment which reinforces confidence and initiative. Grades will buy a spot on the dean’s list, membership in honor fraternities, enrollment in specialized classes and programs, and a place on the law journal staff. Upon graduation these prizes can be exchanged for associations with the better law firms, clerkships with prestigious courts, or acceptance by the elite graduate schools.”).

[19] Cf. Willison, supra note 7; Samida, supra note 12; Henderson, supra note 15, at 405–406; What Recruiters Are Looking For?, supra note 9 (These passages together discuss the effectiveness of law review training, highlights a UCLA study indicating greater success for law review members in obtaining callback interviews, emphasizes the relevance of class rank for newly licensed attorneys, and quotes a hiring committee co-chair highlighting the importance of academic success and grades in candidate selection. Together, these points suggest that law firms indeed consider law review membership and class rank as crucial factors when evaluating potential candidates).

[20] See What Recruiters Are Looking For?, supra note 9.

[21] See id.; Willison, supra note 7, at 371 (citing Mark A. Godsey, Educational Inequalities, the Myth of Meritocracy, and the Silencing of Minority Voices: The Need for Diversity on America’s Law Reviews, 12 Harv. BlackLetter L.J. 59, 61 (1995) (“After all, law journals ‘place [their] members on a fast track to the most lucrative and powerful careers.’”).

[22] See Willison, supra note 7; Samida, supra note 12.

[23] See Joining the Law Review, supra note 4.

[24] See What Recruiters Are Looking For?, supra note 9.

[25] Id.

[26] Id.

[27] Id.

[28] Id.

[29] Id.

[30] Id.

[31] Id.

[32] Id.

[33] Id.

[34] Id.

[35] Id.

[36] See id.

[37] Id.

[38] See Christina Wells, Six Ways to Stand Out at Your Law Firm Interview, Vault (Oct. 29, 2020), https://vault.com/blogs/vaults-law-blog-legal-careers-and-industry-news/six-ways-to-stand-out-at-your-law-firm-interview#; 8 Ways to Prepare For a Legal Job Interview, Robert Walters Grp., https://www.robertwaltersgroup.com/news/expert-insight/careers-blog/eight-ways-to-prepare-for-a-legal-job-interview.html (last visited Jan. 18, 2024); Interview Tips From the Interviewers, BCG Att’y Search, https://law.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/BCG-Interview-Tips.pdf (last visited Jan. 18, 2024).

[39] See What Recruiters Are Looking For?, supra note 9.

[40] See id.; Natalia Autenrieth, How to Be a Great Candidate Even If You’re Under-Qualified for the Job, TopResume (June 15, 2022), https://www.topresume.com/career-advice/be-a-great-candidate-even-if-youre-under-qualified-for-the-job.

[41] Willison, supra note 7,at 377–80. “A law school exam typically does not assess these technical editing skills and some professors do not even account for grammar or punctuation during exam review at all. Thus, another core set of skills necessary to succeed as a law journal editor are not captured by law school exams—highlighting yet another shortcoming of the traditional selection method.” Id. at 378. “However, despite the tradition and prevalence, law school grades are an inadequate singular basis to select law review editors because the skills necessary to succeed in law school exams¾such as memorization, writing quickly, organizing outlines, issue-spotting, and psychoanalyzing professors¾are inconsistent with the skills necessary to perform well on law review.” Id. at 377.

[42] Cf. id. at 377–80 (supporting the statement that individuals without a high-class rank may have fewer opportunities to become members through the Write-on competitions that individuals lacking a high-class rank may encounter limited opportunities to secure membership through the Write-on competitions that factor include Grading On. The competition for coveted law review spots, influenced by the selection based on first-year grades, diminishes the available positions for students who, despite not having a high-class rank, could potentially compensate with an excellent Write-on score).

[43] See discussion supra Section IV and accompanying notes.

[44] See id.; cf. Willison, supra note 7, at 377–80.

[45] See discussion supra Section IV and accompanying notes; Willison, supra note 7, at 377–80.

[46] See Membership Selection–A Look into the 1L Candidacy Process, Tenn. L. Rev., https://tennesseelawreview.org/candidacy/ (last visited Jan. 31, 2024) (The Tennessee Law Review proudly supports the “position that all law students should . . . [have] an equal opportunity to become a staff editor, as the first semester of law school is not indicative of future performance.”).

[47] The specific Tennessee Law Review Application process includes: “(1) a signed Candidacy Commitment Form; (2) a Uniform Bluebook Exam (UBE); and (3) a Write-On Submission. . . . The Uniform Bluebook Exam is a comprehensive test that covers the white pages of The Bluebook. Candidates are required to complete the exam, which aims to test every rule that a student may see in a law review article. To pass the UBE, candidates must receive a satisfactory score, which may vary each cycle but is typically 80% or above. . . . Students also must submit a Write-On that is of publishable quality. Write-On topics may vary from year to year, but typically address current events or unsettled legal authority. In past candidacy cycles, students have been asked to write a mini law review article, a judicial opinion, or an essay on a current legal issue.” See id.

[48] See discussion supra Section IV and accompanying notes; Willison, supra note 7, at 377–80.

[49] See Willison, supra note 7, at 390–92; Id. at 376 (“Generally, law journal membership has been based on grades which historically cut along racial lines.”).