They haven't even taken the bar exam yet. Despite their lack of experience, Lafond, Goldstein and Leiter wield a lot of power. They head their schools' law reviews. We are an odd profession in that way. In hundreds of law schools across the country, student editors as young as 23 or 24 are receiving bulky packages containing long, elaborately footnoted articles from learned judges, seasoned litigators or respected academics two or three times their age.
Students also get the opportunity to publish their own articles.
They may have lost the big picture to some extent. A lot of academics travel in a small circle of people they meet in symposia and colloquia. They may lose perspective. Students can bring fresh eyes to the process. Most of the students on law review are excellent writers who can recognize good writing.