We believe effective legal writing forms the foundation of a successful legal career. Our nationally-recognized program will teach you the legal writing and analysis that you will do on a regular basis as a practicing attorney.
Real-world training
Real Clients in the First Year is an innovative element of the Legal Writing curriculum where all 1L students work on a social justice-focused case with our legal clinic or with local nonprofits.
- We prepare students for "the real world" by focusing on the process that lawyers use to research and analyze legal issues.
- Students can then use that process to solve the legal issues encountered in upper-division experiential classes, in summer internships and externships, and in post-graduate jobs and clerkships.
- Students research and analyze an issue for the clinic or nonprofit and then present their results.
- Students have worked on a range of issues, including immigration law, language access in the courts, wage theft, treatment of incarcerated pregnant women, and many others.
- Our clinic and nonprofit partners have used students’ work to successfully challenge certain actions, support changes to administrative regulations, and assist with lobbying for legislative changes.
Innovative teaching
- Carefully sequenced assignments allow students to practice and master critical research and writing skills while new concepts are introduced to build on previous lessons.
- Students have multiple opportunities to practice the skills that they learn, and assignments become increasingly complex throughout the program.
- Readings and exercises are coordinated so you apply your legal writing training to your clinics and externships later in law school.
Expert faculty
- Our professors, the program’s cornerstone, are excellent teachers who continually work to make classes interesting, engaging, and relevant to today's practice of law.
- Professors deliver extensive feedback on assignments and work closely with students, both in class and individually, to help them analyze and revise their own work.
- Students have the opportunity to apply that feedback to revise drafts to create even better final products.
- Not only do our professors work with students one-on-one, but we employ a writing advisor to provide additional assistance.
- They are also prolific scholars and recognized experts who have literally written the book on legal writing through textbooks and influential articles.
