Letter From the Editor
June 2023 | Vanessa Aponte (Former Editor-in-Chief)
Dear Esteemed Reader,
My name is Vanessa Aponte, and I’ve had the pleasure of serving as the Editor-in-Chief of UNLV’s Undergraduate Law Review for the past 2½ years. As graduation approaches, I have been reflecting on this organization and my time leading it. I remember when I first found ULR in the Involvement Center, searching for any clubs that had the word “law” in it. Amidst a pandemic and a severe bout of imposter syndrome, the newly-founded Undergraduate Law Review spoke to me. I applied for a leadership position and, even after underestimating my ability, I was given the opportunity to serve as an inaugural Associate Editor. After months of editing articles and helping writers through the process, my dedication was rewarded with the position of Editor-in-Chief. The rest is history.
During my tenure, ULR has successfully published over 30 articles, educating the public on everything from defamation to tax law to labor rights to intellectual property. We’ve covered countless Supreme Court cases and pieces of legislation, carefully analyzing the constitutional legitimacy of every topic. Some of the articles have focused solely on local Nevada laws, while others have discussed laws in various other states. We’ve even had the pleasure of receiving submissions from undergraduate students in Illinois. Now, after all this time, I’m so grateful that my curiosity led me to this organization. I’m even more grateful for the opportunity to oversee it and watch ULR blossom into a respectable law review.
I’d like to thank all my executive board members across these past 2½ years who have helped me run ULR. There has always been a dedicated team behind this organization, and that teamwork truly made the dream work. Any time I felt overwhelmed or made mistakes, I could always count on them to find solutions and take responsibilities off my plate. I’d also like to thank everyone who has been a part of ULR while I have served in this leadership role. The writers never ceased to amaze me with their passion, and the editors always gave wonderful feedback during meetings. This organization’s success is not mine to claim—it is the collective work of each ULR member that poured their heart and soul into every article. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for always giving it your all, and I cannot wait to see how future publications progress beyond my wildest imagination. Finally, none of this would have been possible without ULR’s founder and first Editor-in-Chief, Kyle Catarata, as well as our faculty advisor from Boyd School of Law, Joseph Regalia. You both have my infinite gratitude.
To my successor, Annie Vong: I am so proud of you. Like many ULR members, you joined the club with so much enthusiasm. I watched your writing improve tremendously, and I was overjoyed when you applied for Associate Editor and then Editor-in-Chief. You are the embodiment of success within ULR, and I have no doubt that you will lead this organization into greatness. I’m so excited to see how ULR thrives under your leadership, and please know that I’m always here to support you and the club at large (albeit as a Boyd Law student now instead of an undergrad). If you ever need anything, I’m only a short walk away!
If you’ve made it this far into the letter, please continue keeping up with our publications. Not only will you learn the law in a digestable manner, but you will also be supporting the work of undergraduate pre-law students with no other avenue to hone their legal writing skills. We write for you, so please read for us. I promise you won’t regret it.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Aponte
Associate Editor (2020-2021)
Editor-in-Chief (2021-2023)