Lawfare: Submission Guidelines

About Lawfare

The publication covers national security and law: security law, cyber policy, and related legal debates.

Topics they accept

External contributions on security law and cyber policy get consideration. If your piece sits at the edge of these areas, frame the pitch around the overlap with an existing coverage line. Editors commission what they can place.

Formats

Analysis is the main format. Match the format to the argument: a single sharp claim belongs in the shortest format the outlet runs, while an argument that needs evidence laid out in sequence belongs in the longer one.

Length requirements

Typical length: 1,500-2,500 words. Editors expect to edit within that range. If your draft runs long, cut background before you cut evidence.

Response time

Turnaround varies, so check the outlet's guidelines page. Contributors report these windows as typical ranges, and the outlet does not guarantee them. One short follow-up note after the window passes is professional; more than one is pushy.

What editors look for

• Legal precision is the bar: cite the statute, case, or executive action you are analyzing.
• The longer format rewards structured argument. Use subheadings and build the legal reasoning step by step.
• Timeliness helps. Pieces pegged to a live case, ruling, or regulation move faster than evergreen explainers.

How to submit

The route for sending a pitch changes from time to time, so start from the outlet's own website: look for a "Submissions", "Write for us", or "Guidelines" page and follow the current instructions there. Read three or four recent pieces in your topic area before you draft, so tone, depth, and paragraph style match the house.