Call for Papers -- Junior Scholars Colloquium 2026
Faculty Division
Call for Papers -- 2026 Junior Scholars Colloquium
We are pleased to announce a call for papers for our eleventh annual Junior Scholars Colloquium, scheduled for May 29 - May 30, 2026, at the Westin Annapolis Hotel in Annapolis, Maryland. The Junior Scholars Colloquium provides eight junior faculty members (as defined in the submission criteria below) with the opportunity to present competitively selected unpublished papers, and receive comments from senior faculty members to help improve their scholarship.
The 2026 Junior Scholars Colloquium will take place over the course of two days in an environment conducive to both scholarly reflection and convivial discussion. The days will be divided into four two-hour sessions, during which each junior scholar will have ten minutes to present his or her paper, followed by eight minutes for comments from an assigned faculty commentator, and approximately thirty minutes of general group discussion. All participants and commentators will be expected to be present for the entire conference and to familiarize themselves with all papers being presented. Lodging and meals will be provided, and travel expenses (e.g., economy flight, ground transport) will be reimbursed.
A junior faculty member whose paper is selected for the colloquium will be expected to participate as a junior scholar and will receive a prize of $1,000.
Submission Criteria:
-Submissions are limited to unpublished papers by junior faculty. Junior faculty are tenure-track law professors who have been teaching for no more than 8 years. Aspiring scholars who have not yet obtained their first tenure-track appointments, including fellows and visiting assistant professors, are also welcome to submit papers for consideration.
-Submissions that have been accepted for publication by a journal may be submitted only if publication will take place after the May 2026 colloquium. The piece must remain substantively revisable (for purposes of incorporating changes resulting from colloquium feedback).
-There is a limit of one submission per person.
-Co-authored pieces will be accepted only if both authors are junior faculty members. Any honorarium awarded on the basis of a co-authored piece must be shared.
-There are no restrictions in terms of topic or theme; the core objective of this event is to help junior faculty improve their scholarship.
Submission Procedure & Deadline:
-Please follow the link below to submit your paper. The deadline for paper submissions is 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Sunday March 1, 2026.
Please reach out to rory.smist@fed-soc.org if you have any questions about the submission process or submission criteria.