Are you interested in contributing to The Army Lawyer? We welcome submissions from both military personnel and civilian authors. If you have an article that aligns with the purpose of our publication and demonstrates insightful analysis, thorough research, and a clear writing style, we encourage you to submit it for consideration.
Article Submission Process for Army Lawyer Magazine
The Army Lawyer exclusively considers original articles that have not been previously published elsewhere. Our editorial board carefully reviews each submission to ensure it meets our publication’s objectives and upholds standards of relevance, quality, research integrity, and appropriate style.
Please note that The Army Lawyer reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and conciseness without prior author consent. Authors are solely responsible for the accuracy of their work, including all citations and endnotes.
To submit your article for consideration, please send it as a Word document to the TAL inbox at: usarmy.charlottesville.hqda-tjaglcs.mbx.the-army-lawyer-mailbox@army.mil.
Formatting and Style Guidelines for Army Lawyer Articles
To ensure your submission is well-presented and aligns with our house style, please adhere to the following formatting guidelines:
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Font and Spacing: Use 12-point Times New Roman font throughout your article, with double-spaced paragraphs for readability.
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Style Authority: For matters of style (excluding footnotes), The Army Lawyer follows a hierarchy of style manuals as recommended by Department of Defense Manual 51104.14, Manual for Written Material: Correspondence Management:
- U.S. Government Publishing Office Style Manual
- Chicago Manual of Style
- Army Regulations 25-50 and 220-5
- Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary
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Citation Style: All citations must conform to the latest edition of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation and The Military Citation Guide. Footnotes should be formatted in 10-point Times New Roman font. Further details on citation requirements for specific sections of TAL are available upon request.
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Author Blurb: Please include a brief author biography at the end of your submission. This should state your current assignment and location. For example:
LTC Zeller is the Chair of the Administrative and Civil Law Department at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Types of Articles and Length Recommendations for Army Lawyers
While The Army Lawyer does not impose strict word count limits, we offer the following guidelines based on typical article types:
Practice Note for Army Legal Professionals
- Purpose: Practice Notes are designed to offer practical, step-by-step guidance and expert tips for Judge Advocate Legal Services personnel on topics relevant to their field. These articles should provide actionable advice and enhance the practical skills of Army Lawyers.
- Typical Length: 2,400-3,600 words
- Citation: Every factual statement must be supported by a citation, whether directly quoted or paraphrased. This ensures the credibility and authority of the practical guidance provided.
Feature Articles for Army Legal Experts
- Purpose: Feature articles delve into significant issues and challenges encountered by Judge Advocate Legal Services personnel. These pieces offer in-depth analysis, explore complex legal topics, and provide comprehensive insights for army lawyers and related professionals.
- Typical Length: 3,900-7,500 words
- Citation: Similar to Practice Notes, feature articles require citations for every factual assertion to maintain rigorous academic and professional standards.
Upon acceptance of an article, The Army Lawyer will request all source materials used in your work. Once these materials are received, we will proceed with the editing process and schedule your article for publication.
Image Submission Guidelines for The Army Lawyer
Visual content greatly enhances The Army Lawyer, and we encourage the submission of images that showcase the diverse work of Judge Advocate Legal Services members. To submit images for publication consideration, please email them to the TAL inbox at usarmy.charlottesville.hqda-tjaglcs.mbx.the-army-lawyer-mailbox@army.mil, including the following information:
- High-Resolution Image: Attach a high-resolution version of the image in JPEG, JPG, PNG, TIFF, or RAW format.
- Image Description: Provide a detailed description of the image content, including a draft caption and, if possible, the names, ranks, and positions of any individuals pictured.
- Photographer Credit: Include the name, rank, and position of the photographer for proper image credit attribution.
Requirements for Cover and Full-Page Images
Images intended for cover or full-page display must meet specific technical requirements:
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Orientation: Vertical (portrait) orientation is required.
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Resolution: Images must be high-resolution, at least 2550 x 3300 pixels at 300 dpi. Modern smartphone cameras are often capable of capturing images meeting these specifications.
- Tip for Smartphone Photography: To optimize your smartphone camera for high-quality images, ensure your settings are adjusted accordingly. For instance, on newer iPhones, navigate to Settings→Camera→Formats and enable “Apple ProRAW,” while also selecting “most compatible” to ensure file compatibility.
Citing Articles from The Army Lawyer
To cite an article published in The Army Lawyer, please use the following format:
[Author’s name], [Article Title in Italics], Army Law., no. [issue number], [year], at [first page article appears on], [pincite if any].
Copyright Information for Army Lawyer Content
Unless explicitly stated otherwise within an article, all content published in The Army Lawyer is considered a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection within the United States. When copyright is specifically indicated, all rights are reserved to the author. Please be aware that The Army Lawyer is unable to provide compensation for submitted articles.
