A Seminar for Pre-Law
Students
Brochure with Registration Form
Structure
of the Course | Classes
Written Assignments | In
Summary
Course Overview
The Introduction to Legal Writing Seminar at Southwestern provides pre-law students with a head start in their legal education. Serving as a bridge between undergraduate education and law school, the program provides students with the opportunity to practice writing in an intellectually demanding, but pressure-free law school environment. The seminar provides an extensive introduction to legal writing and other skills necessary to succeed in law school.
In the Introduction to Legal Writing Seminar, students receive personal attention and regular feedback on individual assignments. In the course, students begin learning the fundamentals of legal reasoning and analysis. Classes will teach students how to write case briefs, legal memoranda, and law school exams, thereby reducing the anxiety many feel upon entering law school.
COMMENTS FROM PAST PARTICIPANTS
"The Intro to Legal Writing class has been in a word 'excellent!' I can't imagine how someone could start law school without the benefit of a course like this."
"I feel that I am better equipped to enter law school now that I have taken the Legal Writing class."
"I highly recommend this class to all pre-law students. Having been exposed to the intensity of the Legal Writing course has given me a taste of what law school will be like."
Structure of the Course
The Introduction to Legal Writing Seminar for day students is a two-week, non-credit course meeting Monday through Friday for three hours per session. Enrollment is limited to 20 students.
The Introduction to Legal Writing Seminar for evening students is also a two-week, non-credit course meeting Monday through Friday for three hours per session. Enrollment is limited to 20 students.
Classes
Classes provide an overview of legal writing, its characteristic features, and its importance to the legal profession. Classes will be comprised of lectures, written exercises, and group discussion. The lectures will cover the formal conventions of legal writing, analysis of judicial opinions, proper use of legal rules and facts, and their application to analysis of legal questions. The class will also discuss organization techniques, paragraphing, transitional devices, revision strategies, and questions of audience and point of view. The class will be interactive at times, and students will be introduced to the Socratic method.
Written Assignments
Written assignments will deal with legal issues; however, they will not require any prior legal knowledge. Each student will complete several assignments during the course, including case briefing, rule synthesis, and legal analysis. The written assignments will be based on hypothetical problems that attorneys face in practice, require the writing of legal memorandum, and will be similar to problems that first year law students are required to complete. All formal assignments will be read and evaluated by the instructor.
More detailed information about the written assignments will be included in a course syllabus distributed during the first class. Prior to the first class, students are required to purchase a package of course materials from Southwestern's Print Shop.
In Summary
The primary goal of the Introduction to Legal Writing Seminar is to prepare students to enter law school with the ability to articulate legal issues and principles, to understand the nature of judicial opinions, and to develop basic writing skills sufficient to begin legal analysis. The course provides pre-law students with the kind of preparation and confidence that leads to success in law school.
Based on Southwestern's innovative Legal Analysis, Writing and Skills (LAWS) program from the law school curriculum, Introduction to Legal Writing is taught by members of Southwestern's legal writing faculty and features:
- class limited to approximately 20 students
- 30 hours of instruction
- individualized attention to each student’s writing
- in-class writing practice
- extensive faculty evaluation of student compositions
- introduction to memorandum writing techniques
Students should expect to complete several in-class short assignments for the instructor's evaluation.
Early registration is advised due to limited enrollment. For course schedule, class meetings, fees, registration form and deadline, please see the printable brochure at the top of this page.
