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Seattle University School of Law, the Legal Writing Institute (LWI), and the Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD) are proud to sponsor a conference on The Pedagogy of Legal Writing for legal academics from Africa.
Because the ability to communicate clearly, effectively, and persuasively is one of an attorney’s greatest tools, law students must learn this skill. This conference will provide academics in Africa an opportunity to learn about the legal writings programs that have been developed in the United States. In addition, it will allow for academics from the United States to learn about how these skills are taught in African institutions.
The conference, which will take place at the Fairview Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 15-17, 2007, will be presented at no cost to the participants. In addition, depending on the number of participants, the sponsors may be able to help defray travel and/or accommodation costs for participants from Africa.
Who Should Attend: The conference is particularly appropriate for faculty who teach legal methods, advocacy, and legal drafting. Moreover, those faculty members who teach in clinical programs may benefit from the conference. Finally, law school deans and administrators are encouraged to attend.
Conference Format and Sessions: The conference will cover three main themes: (1) the emergence of legal writing as discipline; (2) the learning theory underpinning legal writing pedagogy; and (3) the “nuts and bolts” of teaching legal writing. Sessions will cover topics such as the following:
Many of the sessions will have a “hands-on” component, allowing the participants to try out the techniques and exercises explored in the sessions. In addition, the conference participants will have an opportunity to engage in “sharing sessions” to discuss the curriculum and methodology at their institutions with the other participants and conference presenters.
Conference Organizers: Professors Laurel Oates and Mimi Samuel, both of Seattle University School of Law, are the conference organizers. Professors Oates and Samuel teach in what the U.S. News and World Reports has ranked as the best legal writing program in the United States. Professor Oates is the Director of the program and has been teaching for 26 years; Professor Samuel has taught in the program for seven years and has eight years experience as a practicing attorney in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, California. In addition, Professors Oates and Samuel have traveled to Uganda on two occasions to work with attorneys, judges, and law students there and will be teaching in Uganda and South Africa during 2007.
For More Information: If you are interested in attending the conference or for more information, please contact Professor Mimi Samuel at msamuel@seattleu.edu or at +1 206-398-4066, or Professor Laurel Oates at loates@seattleu.edu or at +1 206-398-4014. The conference brochure is now available. If you have troubles viewing the brochure, download and remit the registration form in Word format. Additional information will be posted on this page as plans are finalized. Please feel free to share this page with colleagues who may be interested in attending the conference.
Seattle University School of Law educates lawyers who distinguish themselves through their outstanding professional skills and their dedication to law in the service of justice. The school’s commitment to academic distinction incorporates innovation, creativity, reflection and sophisticated technology to prepare lawyers for careers in law, business and public service. Seattle University’s Legal Writing Program has been ranked first in the United States by the U.S. News & World Report for the past two years. For more information, see www.law.seattleu.edu.
The Legal Writing Institute, with close to 2,000 members, promotes the exchange of ideas about legal writing and provides a forum for research and scholarship about legal writing and legal analysis. The Institute is currently housed at Mercer University School of Law in Macon, Georgia. Anyone who is interested in legal writing or the teaching of legal writing may join the Institute. For more information, see www.lwionline.org.
Association of Legal Writing Directors is a professional association of program directors for legal research, writing, analysis, and advocacy curricula from law schools throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. For more information, see www.alwd.org.
The American Society of International Law fosters the study of international law and promotes the establishment and maintenance of international relations n the basis of law and justice. The Society’s 4,000 members from nearly 100 nations include attorneys, academics, corporate counsel, judges, representatives of governments and nongovernmental organizations, international civil servants, students and others interested in international law. For more information, see www.asil.org.
Aspen Publishers, Inc. has published numerous legal writing textbooks and will provide complimentary copies of some of those texts at the conference. For more information, see http://lawschool.aspenpublishers.com.
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A complete list of sponsors will be included in the final conference materials.