Via the American Society for Legal History, we have the following announcement:
The biennial Wallace Johnson Program for First Book Authors provides advice and support to scholars working toward the publication of first books in legal history, broadly defined. In conversation with peers and with the advice of senior scholars, participants develop and revise book proposals and sample chapters, as well as meeting with guest editors to learn about approaching and working with publishers.
The Johnson Program is open to early career, pre-tenure scholars, publishing in English, who have completed PhDs, JDs, or equivalent degrees. Scholars with expertise in all chronological periods and geographical fields are encouraged to apply, as are applicants who may not (yet) identify as legal historians. The Program provides substantial travel and accommodation funding to support attendance at Program meetings.
Admission to the Wallace Johnson program is biennial. The next cohort will be selected in summer 2025, and the call for applications for the program can be found below.
The program includes the following elements:
- Fall 2025 (November 13, 2025): in-person, one-day, pre-conference workshop at the ASLH Annual Meeting (Detroit, MI), introduction to book publishing and proposal writing;
- Spring 2026 (date TBD): remote meeting, feedback from program leader and peers on draft book proposal;
- Summer 2026 (date TBD): in-person, two-day workshop on draft chapters at the American Bar Foundation (Chicago, IL); and
- Fall 2026 (date TBD): in-person, half-day, pre-conference workshop at the ASLH Annual Meeting (Location TBD).
The 2025-26 Johnson Program will be led by Professor Christopher Schmidt, with the participation of other senior legal historians.
Up to 5 Fellows will be selected. Fellows must commit to participation in all elements of the program. Each will receive substantial funding for travel and accommodation related to the program, with a small supplement to participants who do not have institutional support for travel and research.
The application deadline is June 27, 2025. Applicants should submit items 1-3 as a single pdf document, Times New Roman, 12-point font, with your full name in a header on each page. All materials should be submitted to Sam Erman (samerman@umich.edu) by June 27, 2025.
Read on here.
-- Karen Tani
