Gerald Uelmen, professor at Santa Clara Law, has written an article for California Lawyer on the declining value of law review articles in the judiciary. Although this trend has been written on frequently over the last 20 years, Uelmen's article presents a scathing critique of the current focus on law review journals and how they are addressed to a largely academic audience.

He ends his article with this blunt assessment:

Of course, there are still a few law professors who would rather publish for practicing lawyers and judges than just for other professors. But given the way the academic game is played these days, they do so at their peril—particularly if they are seeking tenure. Still, law reviews are in no danger of disappearing anytime soon. After all, big law firms and elitist judges continue to demand "law review experience" as a prerequisite for hiring. The publication of student notes also provides a vehicle to enhance badly needed writing skills for barely literate law students. But in terms of contributing to the profession, most law reviews are simply a waste of trees.

The Wit, Wisdom, and Worthlessness of Law Reviews -- California Lawyer