Good morning,
Welcome to the 23rd year of Chapman Law Review. I hope you and your loved ones are doing well and staying safe during these unprecedented times.
My name is Sirine Maria Yared. I am an international law student from Beirut, Lebanon. I want to start by sending prayers and well-wishes to those affected by the massive explosion that recently ravaged Beirut. I am deeply saddened by the pain and destruction caused by this tragic event. I feel powerless being far from those I love and the place I call home. I owe much of my successes to my country and its people. I grew up surrounded by a strong, resilient, and kind-hearted community, who encouraged and allowed me to pursue and achieve my goals, including becoming the Editor-in-Chief of Chapman Law Review.
I became a member of Chapman Law Review in the fall of 2019 as a Staff Editor, and my involvement with the journal is the accomplishment I am most proud of so far in law school. When I applied for and assumed the position of Editor-in-Chief, the social, political, and academic climate looked rather different than they currently do. In the ensuing months, COVID-19 spread rampantly—forcing the State of California to shut down—and George Floyd was senselessly murdered by law enforcement, leading to calls for justice reform and an increase of support for Black lives. While no one could have anticipated the events that unfolded this past year, I feel it is essential to let these events influence and dictate my decisions as Editor-in-Chief moving forward.
With the seemingly uncontrollable spread of COVID-19, the safety of the Law Review’s members and our community became my top priority. The incredible Executive Board I am privileged to work with has spent the entire summer ensuring that all Law Review operations can be conducted remotely this upcoming year. Our team redesigned both the source collection and editing process, and restructured our new member orientation so it could be conducted over Zoom. I am positive these changes will benefit the journal this year and improve the performance and efficiency of the publication even after it is safe to return to campus.
The murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests in support of Black lives urged me to examine the role of diversity in academia. More specifically, it made me consider the responsibility of Chapman Law Review in ensuring we publish scholarship that promotes diverse voices and highlights an array of issues. The Executive Board and I made it our objective to investigate and address challenges in diversity and inclusivity throughout various areas of the publication. Recognizing our limitation in achieving this goal, I reached out to outside resources. Those I spoke with helped us devise plans to increase inclusivity in our membership and author selection process, and ensure we publish scholarship that addresses diverse social justice issues. The Vice President of the Black Law Student Association at our school has attended our first Executive Board meeting and the new member orientation to discuss this crucial topic and help members consider diversity and inclusion in all Law Review-related matters. I am confident we can launch a trend of inclusivity that will ensure that our current and future membership focuses on mindfulness of diversity in all decisions and actions related to our publication.
Despite the difficult circumstances of this year, members of Chapman Law Review will continue to foster and promote engaging legal dialogue through the publication of relevant, insightful, and compelling scholarly content. I am optimistic that this year’s members will also make a positive lasting change on the journal and the academic landscape by elevating critical voices often overlooked by the legal and academic community.
Sincerely,
Sirine Maria Yared
Editor-in-Chief | Volume 24
Chapman Law Review