March 24, 2025

Arizona State Law Journal names first Native editor-in-chief

Crispin South, a second-year JD student at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, was named this year’s newest editor-in-chief for the Arizona State Law Journal. This makes South the first Native to hold this position in the history of the law journal.

 

“After I found out I had been elected, I couldn’t help but think of my great-grandmother, Ellalyn Monroe,” South said. “She was a survivor of Indian boarding schools in Oklahoma and grew up only a few generations after our Tribe was forcibly removed through the Trail of Tears. She used to tell a story of a time at the boarding school when someone was kind to her and told her she was a good writer. Presumably one of only a few bright spots at the boarding school, this small piece of encouragement meant the world to her. She carried it with her for the rest of her life and passed the love for writing and learning down through the generations. Unquestionably, I would not have gotten to this point without her intergenerational influence.”

 

The editor-in-chief of ASLJ oversees the staff writer selection and training process, article selection, citation checking and editing of articles selected for publication. Each spring, a new editor-in-chief is elected, transitioning officially into the role every May.

 

“Serving as editor-in-chief of a school’s flagship law review is both an immense responsibility and a prestigious honor,” said current editor-in-chief and third-year JD student, Isabella Santos. “The editor-in-chief oversees every aspect of the journal, from article selection and editing to managing operations and leading the editorial board. Beyond ensuring the Journal’s quality and reputation, the role requires strategic decision-making, advocacy and fostering a strong team. It is a meaningful position that offers the opportunity to shape legal scholarship, invest in your peers and leave a lasting impact on the journal’s legacy.”

 

“One of the main things I want to do is help ASLJ achieve even greater recognition for our work,” South explained. “We’re already a well-respected legal journal, and I want to show the broader legal community that we can compete with the very best. We have some truly incredible folks on our team, and I want to help everyone be successful, both as individuals and as a journal team.”

 

Holding this position overall is a great way for students to broaden networks, demonstrate leadership and show a commitment to excellent legal writing. 

 

Before being named editor-in-chief, Crispin started with ASLJ as the staff writer and articles committee chair, where he has been able to help with the article selection process. 

 

“Through this role, I’ve gained a deep appreciation for the legal scholarship process, and it helped me get invested in the success of ASLJ,” South said.

Written by Crystal Jimenez