VBA News Journal

VBA News Journal is the official publication of The Virginia Bar Association, a voluntary organization of Virginia lawyers and judges committed to serving the legal profession by promoting the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and excellence in the legal profession; working to improve the law and the administration of justice; and advancing collegial relations among lawyers.

VBA News Journal is published six times a year (beginning in 2005), as a service to our members. It appears in February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September, October/November, and December/January.

Articles
VBA News Journal articles are generally divided into two major categories. The first group is that of articles which relate to specific legal topics or issues, or to the actual practice of law. The second is news of VBA programs, projects, events and activities. Other types of articles, such as columns, legislative updates or personal profiles, are included on a seasonal or space-available basis.

When You're Writing
Contributors to the VBA News Journal should emphasize practical points in a concise, journalistic style. Keep in mind that the subject needs to be of general interest to attorneys in diverse practice areas. Make your article readable: avoid the writing style of law reviews, academic journals or legal briefs. Whenever possible, use gender-neutral language. Here's a tried-and-true formula: Open with an attention-getting lead paragraph, then state the thesis of your article in the second paragraph. Next comes the main text, in which you list facts and details in an orderly way. Finish with a summary. And give your article a working title.

Length Limits
Length limits for VBA News Journal articles vary with the type of article and are as follows:

Legal Focus: Articles dealing with particular points of law, or with issues affecting the legal profession in Virginia. Explanatory or analytical in nature. Limit: 1,500-2,000 words.

Practice Pointers: Articles on practicing law, such as tips to remember, practice management suggestions, using technology, "working smarter-not harder," and so forth. Limit: 1,000-1,500 words.

VBA/YLD News: Accounts of programs, projects and activities of the VBA Young Lawyers Division. Limit: 500-1,000 words. Photo submissions encouraged.

If a submission exceeds the specified length, it may be shortened to conform to available space. Authors are requested to edit themselves before submitting the final copy to the editor.

Format for Submissions
Submitted articles should be submitted on a 3.5" disk or by e-mail to kimkovac@vba.org, and must be accompanied by a hard copy (which may be faxed to the editor's attention at (804) 644-0052). NOTE FOR TYPISTS: Please do not key in extra spaces following periods or commas when typing articles, regardless of common clerical practice. These are not used in desktop publishing. The VBA News Journal uses the Associated Press style manual.

Footnotes
Footnotes should appear at the END of the article — not at the bottom of pages.

Biographical Information
The author should include a brief biographical statement, including his/her job title, employer, education (degrees and institutions), special honors or accomplishments, and any significant involvement with The Virginia Bar Association (section/committee membership, offices or chairs held, etc.) Please DO NOT include this item as a footnote!

Photographs/Illustrations
Authors may submit photographs or illustrations to accompany their articles. All photographs or illustrations should be labeled and identified clearly. Avoid writing in ink on the back of photographs, as it can smear onto other photographs and cannot be removed without damage. Instead, use a soft pencil or printed labels to identify photographs. Please indicate if photographs or artwork must be returned to you. Computer-generated illustrations should be submitted on a 3.5" disk or by e-mail along with a printed hard copy if possible.

Editing/Proofreading
All articles are subject to editing and will be edited to conform to VBA publications style (based on Associated Press style). Before an article is submitted, it should be proofread for errors and read for content by the author (and, preferably, another person with good writing skills and a fresh pair of eyes). Remember that computer spell-checkers don't always catch mistakes!

If an author wants to proofread an article before it is published, the editor will allow one proofreading only. The article must be returned with corrections and changes within five business days.

NOTE: Authors will receive five extra copies of issues in which their articles appear for their personal use.

Deadlines for Articles
January 15 (February/March)
March 15 (April/May)
May 15 (June/July)
July 15 (August/September)
September 15 (October/November)
November 15 (December/January)

For more information, contact Kim Kovac at (804) 644-0041 or kimkovac@vba.org.