Format your manuscript to the Journal of Law and Economics requirements — abstract, Chicago author-date references, and required declarations — and submit through Editorial Manager without a formatting rejection.
4.4
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 19 August, 2026
A strong study can still bounce at Journal of Law and Economics before review if the manuscript ignores the journal’s formatting requirements. This template is built around JLE’s actual requirements — its abstract rules, Chicago author-date references, and the required declarations — so your submission clears screening on the first pass. Everything below tracks the JLE author guidelines; check it directly if anything looks out of date by the time you submit.
It’s a manuscript shell set up to JLE’s specifications for the economic analysis of law, regulation, and legal institutions. Journal of Law and Economics is published by University of Chicago Press. The shell covers the title page, the abstract, a body in Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD) order, and a reference list in Chicago author-date style.
Start with the title page (authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs). The abstract is a short abstract of about 100–150 words. The body follows Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD), and the reference list uses Chicago author-date. Close with the declarations block: conflict of interest, funding, and data and code availability.
Beyond that, match your article type’s specific limits rather than assuming the defaults apply, keep Chicago author-date formatting consistent from the first draft, and submit only through Editorial Manager — email submissions aren’t processed.
The shell mirrors what JLE’s editorial staff check first: abstract format and length, Chicago author-date reference formatting, and a complete declarations block. For the journal’s full aims and scope, see the JLE journal home page. JLE offers an open-access option; check the current article-processing charge and any waiver before you commit. Manuscripts go in through Editorial Manager, which also tracks your paper through peer review.
| Element | JLE requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | a short abstract of about 100–150 words |
| Main text | Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD) |
| Declarations | Conflict of interest, funding, and data and code availability |
| Figures / tables | Captioned, cited in order; check format and resolution rules in the guide |
| Supplemental | Large datasets, extra tables, code — uploaded separately and cited in text |
| Submission | Editorial Manager |
Read the JLE author guidelines once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after your results are stable so it matches the paper. Set Chicago author-date as your reference style before adding a single citation — retrofitting it later is where errors creep in.
Skim two or three recent JLE papers to calibrate depth, structure, and figure style. State your contribution in the first two paragraphs, not on page ten. Write a data-availability statement that names a real repository rather than a placeholder, and disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in your cover letter. Confirm current open-access pricing and any institutional agreement before committing to a fee.
Do one focused pass against the JLE author guidelines: scope fit, abstract format, length, Chicago author-date references, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through Editorial Manager.