Collaborative Review Writing Guidelines and Publication Process

With a circulation of more than 3,500, the journal reaches Collaborative practitioners around the world. It also reaches law libraries, law schools, trainees, and other professionals with an interest in Collaborative Practice. Every IACP member receives a copy of the Collaborative Review as a membership benefit.

The Collaborative Review provides IACP members with information that directly aids and improves their Collaborative practice and the delivery of Collaborative services to clients. The Review publishes articles on practice issues, theoretical matters, philosophical and exploratory issues and the procedural and practice matters related to Collaborative Practice. The Review also looks to research and evidence-based surveys to inform Collaborative practice.

Articles that relate to the concerns, ideas and formulation of Collaborative Practice and enhance the profession are appreciated. No compensation is paid for submissions. Articles should be the original work of the author(s). Statements or expressions of opinion appearing in the Review are those of the authors, and not necessarily those of the IACP, the Collaborative Review or the Executive Committee.

The Board of Directors of IACP has delegated editorial supervision of the Collaborative Review to its Editor. The Editor reserves the right to require rewriting or editing as a condition of publication. The Editor reserves the right to edit all material. The editorial goal of the Collaborative Review is to provide IACP members with a forum for the discussion of all viewpoints; however, the Editor reserves the right to reject any manuscript at its discretion.

Manuscript Preparation

Writing style – Manuscripts should be written in a clear, straightforward, expository style. Avoid professional jargon. Articles should be written in a narrative, not outline, form.

Appropriate attribution/copyright clearance – If material is quoted from another publication, quote exactly. Material taken from another publication must be credited to the original author, whether quoted or abstracted. Contributors are responsible for obtaining copyright clearance for such material. Authors also warrant that the article is his or her original work and does not infringe on the rights of any person or organization. In addition, authors must inform the Editor if the proposed article has been published or is being considered for publication elsewhere. The Collaborative Review does not review or publish articles submitted to other publications but will, on occasion, consider reprinting an article of exceptional content.

Length – Feature articles should not exceed 3,500 words, excluding endnotes and author's biography. Use a standard, serif font (such as Times New Roman) in 12-point type. Take only enough space to adequately cover the subject. Number all pages. Manuscripts are accepted in electronic format only.

Endnotes – Because the Collaborative Review is a professional journal, not a scientific, law review or court document, lengthy citations are not required. Thus, endnotes should be used sparingly and limited to citations only. If it needs to be said, it should be included in the article's text. Place endnotes at the end of the article not at the foot of each page. Use Arabic, not Roman, numerals as cite signals. Check your citations carefully, as you are responsible for their accuracy. Neither the IACP staff nor the Executive Committee members will verify citations. You are responsible for substantive and technical accuracy.

Titles – The author should suggest a concise title for the submitted manuscript. It is suggested that titles be six words or less. The title may be reworded by the Editor for design or clarity considerations.

Author's biography/photo – Include a brief biography (in narrative form) at the end of the manuscript. Professionally taken photos are optional and should be submitted electronically after the manuscript has been accepted for publication. (Photo tip: A solid background, such as an empty wall, reproduces better than a busy background, such as a bookcase.) We prefer photos be a resolution of 300 dpi, 3" x 5" in size. Do not provide photos taken directly from the Web because they do not reproduce adequately in a print publication.

Graphics – Tables, charts, graphs, and illustrations must be pertinent to the understanding of the article. When citing graphics in the text, refer to them as figures and number them consecutively. The chart, graph, or table should include an exhibit designation and title (for example: Figure 1: Sample Fee Agreement).

Letter of Inquiry

A contributor wishing to explore the Editor's possible interest in a specific topic should submit a letter of inquiry for advance input. This may prevent someone from writing an article that the Editor believes is too esoteric or is not of broad interest to readers. However, the Editor makes no commitment to publishing an article until they have the opportunity to review the work. A letter of inquiry (one typewritten page) should briefly describe the topic, discuss why it is of broad interest to Collaborative professionals, and highlight the author's experience with the issue. Acceptance of an article for publication does not commit the Collaborative Review or the IACP to a publication schedule. Publication scheduling is dependent upon the commitments of the Collaborative Review with regards to issues of content and publication schedules.

Book reviews

Writers may review new books, electronic media or other legal resources. Reviews can be on practical, scholarly, theoretical or entertaining subjects. The goal is to include a variety of subjects. Reviews must include title, author, date of publication, how to obtain the book, number of pages and price. Reviews should discuss accuracy and completeness of the content of the book; readability and organization; usefulness to practitioners; and personal thoughts/opinions. Reviews should not exceed 500 words.

Article Selection Process

Articles for consideration should be submitted electronically to info@collaborativepractice.com. Receipt will be acknowledged via e-mail. All articles submitted will be reviewed by the Executive Committee and Executive Director. Authors will be notified of the acceptance of the article for future publication pending editorial requirements for re-writing or re-formulation of the article. With completion of the requirements of the Editor, an article will be accepted for publication at a future date, with the publication being in as timely a manner as possible, in relationship to the publication commitments of the Collaborative Review.

Criteria used in evaluating articles

The Editor reviews articles for timeliness, usefulness to readers, scholarly analysis, accuracy, and writing style. Reviewers will consider the following criteria when reviewing manuscripts:

• Will the information help Collaborative professionals in their practices?
• Is the topic timely?
• Will it be of broad interest to IACP members?
• Is the subject matter new, not already covered in the Collaborative Review within the last 12 months?
• Does the author present ideas in a balanced manner, rather than presenting one side of the issue?
• If not, is an opposing viewpoint appropriate?
• Is the article easy to understand? Does it avoid professional jargon?
• Does the author assume a level of understanding that may not be shared by the majority of readers?
• Is the article self-promoting, including commercial services, products, or organizations?

Copyright/Reprinting

The International Academy of Collaborative Professionals holds the copyright on articles published in the Collaborative Review. Authors are asked to sign a copyright assignment allowing the IACP to publish the article in the Collaborative Review and to distribute the work by other electronic means. The copyright assignment form must be signed before the article is published. Permission is required before an article can be copied or reproduced in another publication. The IACP generally grants reprint permission to nonprofit organizations and those requesting reprint permission for noncommercial, educational use. Reprints will credit the IACP in the general form "Reprinted with permission of the (month/date) Collaborative Review, official publication of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, and the author."