Practice Writing: Responding to the Needs of the Bench and Bar in First Year Writing Programs

Phoenix Law Review, Fall 2008

41 Pages Posted: 18 Aug 2008

See all articles by Amy Vorenberg

Amy Vorenberg

University of New Hampsire School of Law

Margaret Sova McCabe

University of Arkansas - School of Law

Date Written: April 23, 2008

Abstract

Do first year legal writing programs really prepare law students for the rigors of practice writing? This article begins to answer this question based on attorney and judge survey results, as well as interviews with judges who had also read student work in preparation for their interview. We found that while legal writing programs do provide a good foundation for legal writing skills, improvement can be made. Important changes that we have made at Pierce Law include shorter, more frequent assignments, variation/flexibility in choice of organizational paradigm, understanding the difference between settled and unsettled areas of law, and increased emphasis on grammar, punctuation, and style.

Keywords: legal writing, legal analysis, legal eduction

JEL Classification: K10, K30

Suggested Citation

Vorenberg, Amy and Sova McCabe, Margaret, Practice Writing: Responding to the Needs of the Bench and Bar in First Year Writing Programs (April 23, 2008). Phoenix Law Review, Fall 2008, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1231302

Amy Vorenberg (Contact Author)

University of New Hampsire School of Law ( email )

Two White Street
Concord, NH 03301
United States

Margaret Sova McCabe

University of Arkansas - School of Law ( email )

1 University
ADMN 305
Fayetteville, AR 72701
United States

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