The Art of the Writing Conference: Letting Students Set the Agenda Without Ceding Control

Abstract

Student writing conferences are employed in a variety of contexts at the law school level. Though such conferences are typically most effective when students set the agenda, a professor need not cede control of the conference and become solely a passive listener. To the contrary, effective, efficient student conferencing is an art that requires forethought and active planning on the part of the professor. This article attempts to establish a "philosophy of conferencing." It explores theoretical basis for implementing student-driven writing conference as part of a legal writing curriculum, and then discusses ways in which law professors can adhere to these principles while also engaging in their own agenda-setting. Finally, it provides suggestions on how this concept can be executed in three law school settings: first-year legal research and writing courses; upper-level legal research and writing courses; and upper-level seminar courses in which a research paper is written.

Keywords: legal writing, legal education