Dear Readers,
Welcome to the seventh print edition of the Claremont Journal of Law and Public Policy (CJLPP). After reviewing a record number of submissions, the editorial team is delighted to feature five thought-provoking papers in addition to selected parts of our interview with Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Halim Dhanidina (PO ’94), whom the CJLPP hosted in February for a full day of events on campus. For articles from our blog as well as submissions from across the U.S. and overseas, please be sure to visit our website at www.5clpp.com.
First of all, I would like to share some exciting recent developments from us at the journal. We are particularly thrilled to announce that the CJLPP, working side by side with the Penn Undergraduate Law Journal, is currently spearheading collaboration projects with other undergraduate law journals from different parts of the country. We expect to launch an intercollegiate undergraduate law journal website in the coming months. This website will provide a fantastic platform for readers interested in law and public policy to readily access a wide variety of featured articles from all of our partner journals and join our mailing list to receive periodical updates. By forming this nationwide alliance, each individual group also seeks to actively communicate ideas and suggestions for each other and is eager to brainstorm creative ideas to do projects together.
Meanwhile, all three of the journal’s former Editors-in-Chief—Byron Cohen (our founder), Henry Appel, and Martin Sicilian—and I have come together to create an EiC reflections booklet in which we will share our thoughts on the growth and evolution of the CJLPP in its first few years, as well as advice for future members. While the booklet is still a work in progress, we aim to release it in celebration of the journal’s fifth birthday in the coming year: certainly something to look forward to for everyone who has been supporting our journal. Also a work in progress is our new alumni network, through which we hope to connect current CJLPP members with our alumni, many of whom have graciously offered to provide mentorship and guidance.
After we released Vol. 4, No. 2 in early February, the journal’s ambitious staff set new goals for ourselves and accomplished them by working closely with each other and our partners. Congratulations and many thanks go to our diligent writers, who have chosen to embark on a journey of collaborative learning and met all the rigorous expectations successfully. Here, a huge thank-you, of course, goes to our extraordinarily dedicated editors for guiding our writers through the process along the way, often challenging their peers to realize their full potential and consider their work from different perspectives. It is always incredibly rewarding to read through outlines and multiple drafts filled with edits and comments, and to see how intelligent ideas turn into meticulously-crafted final “products” that incorporate thoughts from multiple students. Through in-person editing sessions, editorial meetings, and email chains, our editors and writers constantly engage in conversations that, I believe, have served as a valuable learning experience for everyone involved.
This semester, our two blog teams, led by editors Kyla Eastling and Kate Dolgenos, have consistently produced high-quality content on a range of fascinating topics in law and public policy. Updated almost on a daily basis, the CJLPP blog features timely analysis and commentaries on relevant law and public policy issues—domestic and international alike. Staff writers, in addition to writing original, research-based pieces for the journal, also interview legal and policy experts, contribute articles on relevant campus events or timely issues for our website, and brainstorm other projects that they would like to pursue. I am extremely grateful that our tireless and brilliant senior editors—Calla Cameron, Emily Zheng, Greer Levin, Jerry Yan, and Kate Dolgenos—consistently provide insightful feedback on our writers’ work. Our proactive interview editor, Caroline Skinner, has obtained many wonderful interview opportunities with experts on diverse fields for our writers, who work with her to produce stimulating interview articles such as the one featured in this print edition.
My sincere gratitude also extends to the journal’s business staff. Henry Head, our amazing Chief Operating Officer who heads the business team, and our energetic business directors Ali Kapadia, Franco Liu, and Kim Tran, have been very active in contributing to this action-packed semester with their thoughtful events agenda. In addition to playing a crucial role in facilitating all of our collaboration projects, the business team is excited to introduce our first ever staff writer panel event, where our talented writers share their insights on their chosen topics as well as their experience writing for the CJLPP. Additionally, we are looking forward to launching community outreach projects, for which the journal plans to organize law and public policy workshops at local community colleges and high schools. Alice Zhang and Jessica Azerad, our publisher and webmaster, have introduced new design elements to our products and revamped our website. I adore their creativity and cannot thank them enough for all their input.
Spring is a perfect time to celebrate all we have accomplished during another eventful semester together, but it is also that time of the year: yes, we must bid farewells to our graduating seniors from the Class of 2017. To our friends Martin Sicilian (our Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, who continues to serve as an inspiring mentor to our group), Henry Head, Calla Cameron, Kate Dolgenos, Caroline Skinner, Jessica Azerad, and Lindsey Mattila: we will miss you dearly here in Claremont; it is difficult to imagine a CJLPP without you. Meanwhile, we are also overjoyed to see that you will continue pursuing your dreams and aspirations wherever you go. Thank you so much for all the fond memories, joy, laughter, and inspiration, and for the strong legacy you have left with us. We will carry on your work with great energy.
Finally, I would like to thank our faculty advisor, Prof. Amanda Hollis-Brusky, for all her generous guidance and helpful recommendations. Our journal is certainly also indebted to all of our readers, partners, and supporters. If you enjoy reading our articles and would like to submit your own work, keep in mind that the CJLPP always welcomes submissions to our blog and future print editions. Please refer to the “Submissions” page on our website for details. In addition, for our Claremont readers, if you feel that you could be a valuable addition to our team, I invite you to visit our “Hiring” page for potential openings or email us at info.5clpp@gmail.com.
Happy Reading!
With Warm Regards,
April Xiaoyi Xu
Editor-in-Chief
