Deadlines & Themes for The Bencher

The Bencher magazine is the flagship publication of the American Inns of Court and published six times per year. Submissions are welcome and membership is not require to contribute an article. If you are interested in writing, please be sure to review our Editorial Policy and Submission Guidelines. Please contact our editor with any questions.

Important note: We are in the process of converting The Bencher, to a new dedicated online-only website launching in summer 2025. We are working to implement new schedules and update our submission guidelines. We will post updates as soon as they are available. Thank you for your patience while we work to create a new and enriched publication for our members. If you have any questions, please send an email to Rita Zimmerman.

Article Topics

The following are suggested topics for articles. At this time deadlines are subject to change as we convert to a new publishing format. More topics will be posted soon, but you may also write on a topic of your choosing. Please be sure to reference our current submission guidelines.

Theme: Advice for Young Attorneys (January 2026)—Article submissions due October 1, 2025
Young attorneys want to succeed and often seek to benefit from the mentorship of more experienced attorneys and judges. What is the best advice you ever received in your legal career, and how did that affect you? What advice do you wish you had as a new law school graduate? What advice have you given young attorneys that enabled them to overcome challenges and succeed in the practice of law? Please share your best advice for young attorneys.

Theme: The Law on the Big Screen (March 2026)—Article submissions due December 1, 2025
Hundreds of movies in cinematic history have portrayed courtroom or other legal scenes, and for many of those the law was the central focus. What are the best classic or contemporary legal movies—the most entertaining, educational, or gripping? Which films can lawyers learn things to do or not do? What are must-see movies for law students—and lawyers? What lessons about ethical and professional behavior can we learn? Share your thoughts and recommendations—or dig deeper into a classic or favorite movie.

Theme: Program Planning/Development for Inns (May 2026)—Article submissions due February 1, 2026
The success of an Inn usually depends greatly upon the quality of its program throughout the Inn year. Program presentations vary greatly, from a lecture format to skits to everything in between. What programs and formats have been effective for your Inn? How does your Inn plan its programs? Does your Inn incorporate annual themes and, if so, how do you decide for a given year? Please share your best planning advice for other Inns.

Theme: Declaration of Independence Semiquincentennial (July 2026)—Article submissions due April 1, 2026
America will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in July 2026. How do you think attorneys and judges have shaped the evolution of our nation over the past two and a half centuries? Does the Declaration of Independence still guide your practice and, if so, how? Does the document still serve as a useful guidepost for the future of the Rule of Law? Please share your insights so that others might benefit.

Theme: Good Reads About Lawyering (September 2026)—Article submissions due June 1, 2026
There are many books—both fictional and non-fictional—that detail the life and work of law students, lawyers, and judges. Have any of these had a profound influence on you or your practice and, if so, which ones and why? Can you summarize one of these books and explain what parts of the book you found particularly impactful? Please explain how you or others could benefit from reading this book.

Theme: Trial Skills/Jury Selection Tips for Young Lawyers (November 2026)—Article submissions due August 1, 2026
The number of jury trials has been declining for decades, so attorneys today do not have the same opportunity to practice trial skills as their predecessors. When you are about to represent a client at trial, how do you prepare? What written resources and CLEs have been most beneficial to you? What advice do you have for those preparing for their first trial, including how they should prepare for jury selection? Please share your tips with young lawyers.

Article submissions should be e-mailed to Rita Zimmerman. We look forward to having you contribute to The Bencher.