In August, Adam Epstein was preparing for his new roles as department chair and faculty athletics representative at Central Michigan University, when he received a surprising piece of news.

He found out that he would also serve as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Legal Studies Education for August 2019 to August 2020.

The news came as a shock to Epstein for two reasons: It was his first year chair of the department of finance and law, and as a faculty athletics representative, and he was not expecting to serve as editor-in-chief until 2020.

"It all happened really fast," Epstein said. "Unfortunately, one of our senior articles editors is no longer involved with the journal so it bumped me up a year in advance as editor."

According to Epstein, the journal focuses on teaching, adding value to courses for students and teaching theory of legal studies.

In 1993, he graduated from law school and began working as a sports agent, primarily for athletes in swimming and triathlon. He began teaching at a community college on the side and then chose to continue his teaching career at CMU in 2003.

Soon after starting at CMU, Epstein became involved with the Journal of Legal Studies Education.

Central Michigan Life sat down with Epstein to discuss his involvement and new role with the journal.

CM Life: How long have you been involved with the Journal of Legal Studies Education?

Epstein: I've been involved with this journal as a reviewer since 2004, so I suppose this is 15 years now. It started when I came to CMU and joined our national law organization, called the Academy of Legal Studies in Business. The Journal of Legal Studies Education is one of two journals that the academy academy sponsors.

What are all the roles you have had with the publication?

I started as a reviewer, worked my way up to staff editor and then I became an articles editor. Now I am the editor-in-chief. In 2004, I started down at the bottom and worked my way up.

How did you become editor-in-chief?

Our staff works on a rotation, you work your way up and naturally become an articles editor, then even editor-in-chief. Our rotation got messed up when one of the senior editors was no longer a part of the journal. I would have actually been doing this next year rather than this year.

What is your role as editor-in-chief?

What I do is manage the whole process. I deal with our publisher, Wiley Corporation, to put out the journal twice a year, in February and August. My responsibility is not only to the people who put it together but also to the publisher.

How does it feel being from CMU and being the editor-in-chief?

We have people involved from very big schools and having someone for CMU as the editor-in-chief I think is good for the college, the university, for our department. It puts CMU on the map in terms of being involved at a national level with business law professors who teach in colleges of business throughout the United States and Canada. I think it's a big deal.

How does it work putting the journal together?

This is my first go around, but basically it is really simple. We are a peer-reviewed journal, a blind peer-reviewed journal, in other words we redact the names of submitters. The articles are submitted to the managing editor and once she farms them out to other editors and reviewers no one knows in order to eliminate bias.

What are your goals for the journal?

The managing editor is also new, brand new to the journal, so we are both new working together. That being said, the short term goal is to clean up a few odds and ends. Goal number one was to add another articles editor and we did, so we expanded from four to five. Another goal is to get more reviewers involved nationally. Just last week we sent out an email asking if anyone was interested in being a reviewer and we have already had four responses of people who want to from all over the country. I want to publish high quality blind peer-reviewed articles relating to teaching and pedagogy, but I would also like to add more "perspectives on the discipline," which are not what you'd call per reviewed but more like opinion pieces because I's like to have more article variety.

Have you ever written any articles for the journal?

I have written articles for the journal before. In fact, I have been published in this journal three times. One of my all time favorite articles that I have ever written, "Teaching Torts with Sports," was published in the Journal of Legal Studies Education in 2011. One of the reasons I like it is because it focuses on how to teach tort law with using sports examples. I have had many people around the country say that they have read my article and used the videos I recommended.

Why should people read the journal?

If you are someone who teaches business law and are truly interested in teaching or are truly interested in sharing how you teach with others, that's why you should read the journal. It's all about pedagogy, the focus is on how can you be a better teacher in the classroom or online. These are high quality academic articles that have a practical component to them.

How can potential readers access the Journal of Legal Studies Education?

You can read it online. Just search "Journal of Legal Studies Education" and click on the Wiley online library. Apparently, CMU libraries actually has a subscription to the journal. It can also be purchased by a subscription for online or hard copies.