Red Book FAQ

Harvard Law School Reunions
Pound Hall
1563 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
 

617-384-9523

Register for Reunion

Spring Reunion 2026
  • What happens if I don’t submit anything? I’ll still at least have an address in there, right?

    Not anymore! The Red Book is now “opt-in” only. This is a major change that was made in response to new legal conventions being adopted worldwide to protect privacy in the digital age. Now, if you don’t submit any information your entry in the book will consist of just your name and the year of your Harvard Law School degree. In order for anything more to appear in print, you must submit it intentionally.

  • What is the Red Book deadline?

    The deadline to submit and approve your final version is Thursday, February 26.

  • What’s the “terms of use disclosure” we have to agree to? Am I giving up my privacy?

    Not at all! We are now required to obtain your acceptance of those terms of use in order to publish your information. However, rest assured, the Red Book itself is unchanged. The books still have the same noncommercial purpose they have always had and the same very restricted exposure to eyes outside your own Class.

  • Is there a word limit?

    The instructions suggest one to three paragraphs, and most of the narratives are in the 200– 1000-word range.

  • I am trying to update my essay, but I keep getting an error message.

    This happens rarely, but it is why we recommend that you first write your narrative in a word-processing program, such as Microsoft Word, and then copy and paste it into the essay field. Then, should you receive a timeout issue, or your internet connection fails, or some other error occurs, you will have your essay in a safe spot and will not lose your work. If you get an error message, we suggest that you either wait awhile and try again later to paste the essay into your online form, or email it to reunions@law.harvard.edu.

  • Will an HLS staff member edit my entry?

    We do light copyediting, correcting for house style, misspellings, and grammatical errors. We normally don’t make substantive changes without consulting the author.

  • Can I send a photo for my book?

    Only the 25th and 50th Reports have the option to submit a photo.

  • Will there be a digital copy?

    A password-protected PDF version of the Red Book will be available on the post-Reunion website.

  • Where should I go with a technical problem?

    We are here to help! If you are having difficulty using the Class Report website, please contact Harvard Law School Alumni Relations at 617-384-9523 or reunions@law.harvard.edu. If your problem is with the HarvardKey, please contact the HLS HarvardKey support line at 617-495-5631 or HLS Alumni Records at alumrec@law.harvard.edu.

  • Is there a preferred browser for the Red Book tool?

    Yes, the preferred browser is Google Chrome! If you are having issues with the website, please make sure you are using the correct browser.

  • Can I make edits to my essay?

    Yes, you can make as many edits as you need up until the deadline of Thursday, February 26. Once you hit submit, you are not able to edit your entry. If an edit is required, please contact Harvard Law School Alumni Relations at reunions@law.harvard.edu.

  • Do I need to submit an essay? Can I just include my contact information?

    Yes, you may include your contact information only. The narrative (nor photo for the 25th Reunion) is not required.

  • I cannot figure out the HarvardKey. Now what?

    Please contact the HLS HarvardKey support line at 617-495-5631 or HLS Alumni Records at alumrec@law.harvard.edu.

  • Do other schools publish reunion books like these?

    Other schools, including Yale, Princeton, and Stanford, have reunion books, but they’re not like Harvard’s. Harvard has been publishing its Red Books for well over a century. Initially they were collections of classmate obituaries written by the class secretaries, but before long they grew into something much more.