All years are welcome to apply!
We are looking for students to join the editorial team for Volume 25 of Ultra Vires. Positions are available in writing, editing, visuals, and social media. No journalism experience is required.
Ultra Vires has a broad readership in the Canadian legal community, with thousands of lawyers, law students, and prospective law students reading UV each month. UV publishes issues six times throughout the academic year, every month except for December and April. It is an excellent way to engage with the broader legal community and ensure that the U of T Law community is both informed and entertained. Whether your interests are in serious journalism or telling good jokes, we have a place for you. When you join UV, you are joining an institution that has weathered many trials and that will be an incredibly fun and rewarding part of your law school journey. If you still aren’t convinced, take it from some of our former Editor-in-Chiefs here and here.
Applications are due Sunday, September 17, 2023 at 11:59pm. We encourage all interested students to attend our first pitch meeting on Monday, September 11, 2023 at 12:30-1:30pm. Zoom details will be posted on our Facebook group, along with lots of other details. If you have any questions about the available positions, get in touch with co-Editors-in-Chief Amy Kwong and Alyssa Wong at [email protected].
Please email your resume and statement of interest (maximum 250 words) to [email protected] with the subject line “Volume 25 Application.” Please include which position you are applying for. If you are applying for more than one position, please indicate your preferences in your email and submit a separate statement of interest for each position.
Decisions about Associate Editors will be made by Monday, September 18, 2023 and a training session will be held on Tuesday or Wednesday. The first round of edits will run from Thursday, September 21, 2023 at 12pm to Friday, September 22, 2023 at 12pm. Decisions about other positions will be communicated throughout the week.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Associate Editors (9)
Join our associate editorial board! No journalism experience is necessary, but past editing and writing experience is an asset. We will go over our style guide with you and brief you on how we usually edit the paper. You will be working under the senior Section Editors and will be responsible for completing the first, and most important, round of article edits. Associate Editors are expected to attend our monthly lunchtime pitch meeting and to edit articles on the last Thursday of every month except exam months. Editing can take up to six hours throughout the day and involves all editors working together to finalize the upcoming issue. Associate Editors typically transition into senior editorial positions in the following school year. However, all years are welcome to apply.
In your statement of interest, please include the section(s) you are interested in being an Associate Editor for.
- The News Editors ensure UV is covering timely news and events within the Faculty and the legal profession. This may include LSO shenanigans, proposed 1L curriculum changes, and Faculty Council meetings.
- The Features Editors have a broad portfolio which may span law school pets, wine reviews, and advice to 1Ls . You are also responsible for reviews of the Faculty’s major events, including the Promise Auction, Follies, Law Ball, and the Grand Moot.
- The Opinions Editors are responsible for canvassing and soliciting op-eds on subjects of topical interest to the student body and broader legal community.
- The Diversions Editors ensure that the satirical section of UV is at least somewhat funny. You are responsible for writing “Intra Vires” and for collecting Law Follies’ discarded jokes.
- The Puzzles Editor is responsible for making sure our popular puzzles section is original, entertaining, and free of errors.
Online Editor (1)
Are you tech-savvy? The Online Editor is responsible for maintaining and updating the Ultra Vires website. This includes the monthly uploading of our articles using WordPress. The time commitment of up to 6 hours a month to upload all the articles during UV launch week, though it is typically 3-4. Knowledge of WordPress and mySQL is an asset, but not required. Depending on interest, the Online Editor may also create training materials (ideally short screencasts) on how to upload articles and maintain the website. We are also in the process of making improvements to our website, including cleaning up and updating website features. Ideally, the Online Editor may help contribute to this revamp.
Social Media Coordinators (2)
Do you love to spill the tea? Social media coordinators are responsible for writing, editing, scheduling, and posting consistently across our social media platforms: X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. We will work together to create a consistent schedule for posting UV content with the goal of increasing our online presence. You will also work with section editors to review drafts of social media copies. The social media coordinator may also assist in sharing any surveys we produce internally (within U of T Law Facebook groups).
Associate Visual Coordinator (1)
Do you have an eye for design? The Associate Visual Coordinators will work directly with our Visual Coordinator, section editors, and photographers to brainstorm and create graphics and visual content for the paper. You may also be responsible for conceptualizing and creating appealing cover art for new issues of UV. In addition to your statement of interest, please include samples of your work.
Staff Photographers (3)
Do you have more fun behind the camera than in front of it? Staff photographers work directly with section editors and visual coordinators to brainstorm and take photos for the paper. You will also be responsible for taking the cover photo for new issues of UV. In addition to your statement of interest, please include samples of your work. A professional camera is not required – smartphone photos are fine! The time commitment is up to 5 hours a month, but typically is less than that.
Associate Business Manager (1)
The Associate Business Manager will assist the Business Manager with ensuring that UV has a stable revenue stream and managing our budget. You will help ensure that ads are received by publication deadlines and for exploring alternate revenue streams. This is an excellent opportunity to create relationships with law firms and exercise your business acumen!
Staff Writers (2)
Do you have your finger on the pulse? Staff Writers are responsible for contributing articles to the newspaper on a regular basis. The Staff Writer team will be responsible for covering recurring articles, such as Faculty Council. Staff writers may pitch their own ideas or pick up an article that someone else has suggested. Staff Writers are expected to contribute a minimum of two articles per issue.
Contributors
Anyone can write for us when they have an exciting idea, no monthly commitment required! We highly recommend attending our monthly pitch meetings (typically the first Monday of every month), where you will be able to pitch your ideas or pick up an article that someone else has suggested. Alternately, reach out whenever inspiration strikes, or when you come across some spicy information. We also invite non-article submissions like original photos, comics or puzzles.
No need to send in an application for this; we’re looking forward to reading your work! We only ask that you tell us that you intend to submit to UV ahead of the publication deadline so we can make sure that there’s space for your submission. Make sure to join our Facebook group to know when the deadlines are. See more information about contributing to UV here.
