Foreword by Brandon M. Sprague
As Issue 1 of Volume 95 goes to press, the world looks a lot different than it did a year ago. The COVID-19 pandemic has rocked—and continues to rock—nearly every facet of society. In the face of these uncertain and trying times, the Tulane Law Review has remained dedicated to publishing legal scholarship of the same quality and quantity, and we are only able to present Issue 1 today due to the tireless efforts of the Review’s editors. I cannot thank them enough.
Editing a volume for publication is an outstanding accomplishment in normal years; in the circumstances of this semester, it is a herculean feat. COVID-19 has forced the Review to adapt in many ways, from the way we welcome new members, to how we gather sources, to how we edit articles. For example, just under a third of the Review’s editors have elected to work remotely this semester, either partially or fully, requiring new ways of communication among teams of editors. Additionally, as part of its plan to return to in-person classes, Tulane Law School cancelled all holidays, except Labor Day, so that the fall semester could conclude before Thanksgiving. In light of this condensed semester, the Review’s editors have completed the same amount of work with much less time to do so—all on top of a condensed schedule of law school classes; multiple hurricane threats; a difficult political climate; and, of course, a global pandemic.
Despite these challenges, the Review’s editors have worked tirelessly and without complaint, and they deserve recognition. As with all change, we have made mistakes and learned along the way, and I thank the editors of the Review for their patience and dedication. I am especially thankful for the Review’s Junior Members, who often bear the brunt of the editing work. Because of COVID-19, we have not had the chance to properly celebrate them, yet they have been dedicated to their work on the Review. I am also thankful for the Review’s Managing Editors, who not only have performed their usual editing duties and provided extensive help to the Junior Members during this unusual semester, but several of whom have also accepted additional editing responsibilities to ensure timely publication. Additionally, I have to give special thanks to our Senior Managing Editor, Audrey Martin, who has kept this whole ship on course with her excellent communication and attention to our production schedule.
Countless others have helped this volume reach publication, for whom I am thankful, but a few deserve special mention. Kansas Guidry and Jordan Ollestad, the Editor in Chief and Senior Managing Editor respectively of Volume 94, provided outstanding models during the early months of the pandemic for how to lead the Review remotely. Our Media Manager, Nicole Manganaro, and our Project Assistant, Julian Tricamo-Palmer, have graciously worked with our tight deadlines to format the volume’s articles for publication. Professor Ron Scalise, the Review’s Faculty Advisor, and Vice Dean Sally Richardson of Tulane Law School have supported us at an institutional level and kept us informed of the university’s changing plans for this semi-remote semester. Finally, of course, I have to thank all the remaining members of the Review for their hard work and contributions to this publication.
After many trials and much determination, we are proud to present Issue 1 of Volume 95 of the Tulane Law Review.
About the Author
Editor in Chief, Volume 95.
Citation
95 Tul. L. Rev. i (2020)