History and BackgroundThe Fordham Journal of Corporate & Financial Law was originally established as a student organization in 1995 entitled the Fordham Finance, Securities & Tax Law Forum (the "Forum"). In 1996, with the support of Dean John D. Feerick, Dean Robert Reilly, the Fordham Corporate Counsel Association, the Student Bar Association, and the Fordham Law Alumni Association, the Forum held its Inaugural Symposium. The proceedings were published in the Forum's first volume, entitled "M&A: Survival of the Fittest in the 21st Century".By 2000, the Forum's student editors had produced and published a total of five annual symposium volumes on current topics of interest to the business and legal community. Some symposia were produced in partnership with other organizations, including the Securities Traders Association, the Fordham Institute on Law and Financial Services, and the Derivatives and Risk Management Institute. Contributors included a number of leading professionals, policymakers, and academics, such as Walter Weiner, CEO of Republic National Bank of New York, John Kambhu, Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and the Honorable Kevin T. Duffy, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York. Volume IV included the Forum's first Article, authored by Robert S. Clemente, Director of Arbitration, and Karen Kupersmith, Senior Arbitration Counsel at the New York Stock Exchange. In April 2000, the Forum was granted journal status by a unanimous vote of the Law School's faculty. The Forum was renamed and is currently titled the Fordham Journal of Corporate & Financial Law (the "Journal"). The Journal has adopted a publication structure and format in line with Fordham's small and well-regarded family of student-edited topical law journals. Its mission has expanded to include publication of Articles, Notes, Comment/Case Notes, Book Reviews, Essays, Symposia and Conference Proceedings on issues of business law, including financial law, securities law, banking law, bankruptcy and tax. The Journal also now partners with the Fordham Law School Center for Corporate, Financial and Securities Law to produce and publish an annual Symposium. In order to ensure the quality of the Journal and its staff, rigorous standards have been implemented. A majority of the staff is chosen from the Law School's Unified Writing Competition. In addition to the writing competition, the Journal has instituted a grade requirement to ensure that its staffers continue to be among Fordham's most accomplished and able students. The Journal also accepts a limited number of students through an application process in the fall. This provides an opportunity to night students, who may not have otherwise had time for the Unified Writing Competition, as well as students with a demonstrated interest in the Journal. |
