The foundation of solid writing skills is laid in the first year Legal Analysis and Writing course. Upper division students have a variety of writing opportunities including seminars, moot court, law review, and specialized courses that include drafting and other types of writing. Minimum Writing Requirements for JD Degree 1. Goals of Legal Analysis and Writing Ultimately, the goal of the Law School's writing program is to graduate competent lawyers, prepared to meet the writing demands of the practice of law. Virtually all of our students enter law school with competent writing skills.
Few students enter law school with sophisticated critical thinking skills.
Thus, while we certainly work to polish your writing skills, our primary emphasis is on using writing assignments to develop your ability to critically reason, judge, and communicate. In essence, we are guided by the belief that clear thinking produces clear writing. It is always easier to hit a target when you know what that target is. Evaluate, synthesize, and apply principles derived from case law. Interpret and apply statutes through the use of various tools of statutory analysis, including the plain meaning, canons of construction, legislative history, judicial interpretations, and administrative interpretations.