1. Author Certification
The Legal Design Journal’s
AI Usage & Disclosure Policy
The Legal Design Journal promotes the responsible, ethical, and transparent use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including considering the environmental impact of the use of AI systems. We seek to provide an accessible place where people can share their authentic work and research. To that end, authors utilizing AI tools in the preparation of their manuscripts must adhere to the following usage, certification, and disclosure requirements:
2. Disclosure Requirements
Disclosure is required for any AI usage that substantially impacts the substance, originality, or analytical reliability of the submission.
- What to Disclose: Authors must identify the specific tool(s), version numbers, and the functional purpose of the AI (e.g., data synthesis, literature mapping, or drafting assistance).
- Method of Disclosure: This must be provided in a “Declaration of AI Usage” statement located at the end of the manuscript, immediately preceding the references.
- Note: Standard assistive tools for basic grammar, spelling, or reference formatting do not require formal disclosure.
3. Non-Compliance
Adherence to these standards is a condition of publication. Failure to disclose significant AI assistance, or the discovery of non-factual AI-generated content, or any other breach of academic integrity, may result in the immediate rejection of the submission or the retraction of published material.
The Legal Design Journal editorial team will review this policy on a regular basis as tools, uses, and policies evolve.

