Membership Types and Benefits

Full Members

Membership is for the calendar year, and there are four categories of full membership:

Regular member. Regular membership is open to any legal professional who has written a book on a legal subject, published two articles on legal subjects, served as editor of a legal publication in any capacity, or (as a judge) published more than one opinion. $65 per year.

Sustaining member. Sustaining members show their commitment to Scribes’ goals by paying higher annual dues. $100 per year.

Life member. A life member shows the highest commitment to Scribes’ goals. $1000 total donation or four annual installments of $250.

Institutional member. Any ABA-approved law school, federal or state appellate court, or law firm may become an institutional member. Institutional membership entitles each faculty member, judge, or attorney at the respective organizations to all the benefits of membership, including receiving the Scribes Journal, The Scrivener, and bi-monthly email tips on legal research, writing, and grammar. Additionally, law schools may induct students into the National Order of Scribes. It is an honorary organization to recognize graduating law students who excel in legal writing. Law schools who are members may annually nominate up to five students to be inducted into the National Order of Scribes. $650 per year or $350 per year for institutions with fewer than 10 members of its own.

Associate Members

Associate member. An associate membership is for a member of the legal profession who has not published but shares Scribes’ goals. An associate membership is also for someone outside the legal profession who is qualified to join Scribes by having published. An associate member has no right to vote or to be elected to the Board, but has all the other rights of membership. Associate members must be approved on the Executive Director’s recommendation. $65 per year.

Student-Editor Members

Student-editor member. A student-editor member is any student member of a law journal. A student-editor has no right to vote or to be elected to the Board but has all the other rights of membership. $15 per year.

Become a Member

Benefits of Membership

Members are entitled to:

  • receive The Scribes Journal of Legal Writing, the first scholarly journal devoted to legal writing;

  • receive four annual issues of The Scrivener, the newsletter of Scribes (currently on hiatus);

  • receive bi-monthly email tips on legal writing, research, and grammar;

  • publish in The Scrivener individual news about their professional moves and accomplishments, including publications;

  • seek membership on any of the nine Scribes committees, including those that select: (a) the best book on a legal topic published each year, (b) the best student-written article published each year, and (c) the best brief of those chosen as winners of student moot-court competitions each year;

  • seek opportunities to speak at Scribes-sponsored seminars, workshops, meetings, and institutes at law schools and conventions;

  • submit pieces for possible inclusion in Scribes’ publications, including The Scribes Journal and The Scrivener; and

  • attend Scribes-sponsored events.