Purely Dicta has a proud history as the Melbourne University Law Students’ Society’s official magazine, and welcomes submissions from all current and former students of the Melbourne Law School, as well as other special contributors on application. Purely Dicta aims to inform, inspire and platform members of our community through smart, timely writing.
The magazine has undergone a relaunch in 2023, and February was the most popular month for the magazine dating back to 2018. There has never been a better time to contribute to Purely Dicta.
Purely Dicta has two sections – Community, and Spotlight. Both sections accept submissions, including from first-year students.
Community
This section aims to explain and explore the complex and exciting community at the Melbourne Law School. What do MLS students need to know about the Law School? Have you met a student or faculty member who is doing something exciting and worth sharing? Is there a new club or society at the Law School which deserves a shout-out? MLS community aims to answer these questions and inform the broader MLS community in the process.
Purely Dicta is looking for pitches in this section that are punchy, highly-readable and within a word limit of 1,000 words.
Common articles in this section include:
- Interviews with notable students, professors, tutors or other faculty.
- Explainers which describe an MLS Club or Society which MLS students might be interested in joining.
- Update pieces on notable MLS initiatives, such as competitions, social sporting competitions, and more.
If you are interested in publishing in Purely Dicta’s Community section, submit the form at this link.
Spotlight
This section aims to feature the voices of MLS Students, undertaking analysis and commentary on issues that are uniquely suited to the attention of law students. In the past, students have written on topics ranging from human rights law and legislative history, to the legal issues surrounding video games and user-generated content.
If there is an area of law or a social or legal issue that you are interested in, this section welcomes your exploration of that interest in an analytical, well-researched piece of no more than 1,200-1,500 words.
Common articles in this section include:
- Argumentative pieces which tackle a timely and important issue in today’s legal landscape.
- Explainers which highlight an under-considered area of law which is currently influencing society.
- Case notes which discuss an important judgment that influences the way we live now.
Current topics and issues on which Purely Dicta would welcome submissions include:
- Vanderstock & Anor v State of Victoria – How should the High Court determine the constitutional validity of Victoria’s tax on the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs)?
- Moore v Harper (Supreme Court of the United States) – What is at stake in this monumental case and how might it influence the law of elections around the world?
- Robodebt Royal Commission – With the Royal Commission into the unlawful ‘Robodebt’ scheme underway, what lessons can we draw from ‘Robodebt’ about the society, the law, and the executive branch of government?
If you are interested in publishing in Purely Dicta’s Spotlight section, submit the form at this link.
How do I get involved?
For more information on how to make a pitch to Purely Dicta, see this page. If you have any questions or queries about the publication process, please contact the Editors at purelydicta@mulss.com. Even if your idea does not neatly fall into one of our sections, we encourage you to submit your idea and workshop it with us.
– The Editors
Purely Dicta 
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