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7 Best Legal Writing Books Of All Time

January 6, 2024 By JD

1. Point Made: How To Write Like The Nation’s Top Advocates

Ross Guberman’s legal writing masterpiece, Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation’s Top Advocates , is first on the list of the 7 best legal writing books of all time for good reason – it will make you a better legal writer.

You’ll love Point Made because it provides immediate, actionable tips and techniques to greatly improve your legal writing on day one. Guberman refers to these tips and techniques as the “Fifty Techniques.”

Point Made is divided into five, easy to read sections: (1) the Theme; (2) the Tale; (3) the Meat; (4) the Words; and (5) the Close.

In each section of Point Made , Guberman shows you how to apply the Fifty Techniques by providing countless examples of how these techniques are used by some of today’s top legal writers, like Ted Olson, John Roberts, and Frank Easterbrook, to name just a few.

To help take your legal writing skills to the next level, Point Made concludes with 50 legal writing exercises corresponding with each of the Fifty Techniques.

Simply put, Point Made more than deserves its spot as one of the best legal writing books on the market today.

2. Legal Writing In Plain English: A Text With Exercises

Legal Writing in Plain English , written by legal writing guru Bryan Garner, is a must-own for any law student or attorney who is serious about improving his or her legal writing.

That’s because Legal Writing in Plain English teaches you the nuts and bolts of crafting excellent briefs and legal memoranda by laying out a step-by-step process for organizing your ideas, creating and refining your voice, and improving your editing skills.

Legal Writing in Plain English is divided into five masterful sections: (1) principles for all legal writing; (2) principles mainly for analytical and persuasive writing; (3) principles mainly for legal drafting; (4) principles of document design; and (5) methods for continued improvement. Garner then walks you through these five principles and methods by reviewing dozens of real-world writing samples.

In brief, Garner’s common-sense approach in Legal Writing in Plain English will help you crystallize the skills that all great legal writers possess.

3. The Art Of Advocacy: Briefs, Motions, And Writing Strategies Of America’s Best Lawyers

Next up on our list of the best legal writing books of all time is The Art of Advocacy: Briefs, Motions, and Writing Strategies of America’s Best Lawyers , by Noah Messing, Yale Law School’s Lecturer in the Practice of Law and Legal Writing.

The Art of Advocacy is unlike other legal writing books because it focuses less on issues of style, and more on the strategic and substantive choices that confront today’s litigators.

Over the course of seven easy-to-read chapters, The Art of Advocacy helps you learn to build and rebut different types of legal arguments by exploring and evaluating nearly 150 examples of great legal writing. Most of these examples come from controversial cases, like Facebook’s battle with the Winklevoss twins, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and Apple’s patent battle with Samsung.

Although reading the examples alone will help you become a better legal writer, Messing’s copious annotations are guaranteed to take your learning to the next level. In fact, you may be surprised at how many subtle yet powerful arguments you would otherwise overlook without the help of Messing’s annotations.

Related:  Best Law School Supplements To Ace Your Exams

4. Plain English For Lawyers

Now in its Sixth Edition, Plain English for Lawyers , written by Professors Richard Wydick and Amy Sloan, has been a favorite of law students, legal writing professors, attorneys, and judges for nearly 40 years.

Plain English for Lawyers takes the cake by providing easily digestible tips and exercises to present your legal arguments in an straightforward and compelling way. For example, you’ll learn how to: (1) eliminate unnecessary words; (2) choose common, everyday words; (3) arrange words for clarity; (4) write with active voice; (5) stop using overly long sentences; and (6) design your writing so that it’s easy to read.

The Legal Writing Institute sums it up best: “ Plain English for Lawyers . . . has become a classic. Perhaps no single work has done more to improve the writing of lawyers and law students and to promote the modern trend toward a clear, plain style of legal writing.”

5. The Winning Brief: 100 Tips For Persuasive Briefing In Trial And Appellate Courts

The Winning Brief is my favorite Bryan Garner book. It’s the essential guide to drafting compelling, effective briefs that judges will actually enjoy reading. In fact, it’s the kind of reference guide that you’ll refer back to again and again during your legal career.

The Winning Brief includes 100 tips for drafting compelling briefs. Here’s a quick summary of Garner’s famous “100 Tips”:

• Prologue (Tip 1)
• Composing in an Orderly, Sensible Way (Tips 2-10)
• Conveying the Big Picture (Tips 11-19)
• Marching Forward Through Sound Paragraphs (Tips 20-26)
• Editing for Brisk, Uncluttered Sentences (Tips 27-43)
• Choosing the Best Words (Tips 44-56)
• Punctuating for Clarity and Impact (Tips 57-62)
• Becoming Proficient in Designing Text (Tips 63-69)
• Sidestepping Some Common Quirks (Tips 70-84)
• Capitalizing on Little-Used Persuasive Strategies (Tips 85-91)
• Hitting Your Stride as a Brief-Writer (Tips 92-100)

Another excellent feature of The Winning Brief is the summary checklist it provides for you at the end of each tip. You’ll be sure to refer back to these checklists often when drafting substantive briefs.

In short, The Winning Brief is worth its weight in gold and is definitely one of the best legal writing books of all time.

6. Making Your Case: The Art Of Persuading Judges

Co-authored by Bryan Garner and the late Antonin Scalia, Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges , gives you an inside look at a Supreme Court Justice’s perspective on advocacy and the art of persuasion.

Making Your Case is written in a conversational style, giving it a fresh and punchy flow. In fact, you’ll find the back-and-forth banter between Garner and Scalia to be as entertaining as it is informative.

Comedy aside, Making Your Case pulls back the curtain on what motivates the court by walking you through the essential areas of persuasive mastery: (1) general principles of argumentation; (2) legal reasoning; (3) briefing; and (4) oral argument. Each of these four areas is discussed, dissected, and delivered with a level of expertise that all legal practitioners should strive to attain.

Making Your Case truly shows you how to “make a complex case simple, not a simple case complex.”

7. The Elements Of Style

Although not strictly a legal writing book, The Elements of Style is the definitive guidebook for all things related to proper grammar and clear writing. That’s why it’s one of the best legal writing books of all time.

The Elements of Style embodies the timeless philosophy of great writing philosophy – make every word count. This philosophy is especially important for law students and attorneys, who are often forced to labor under the thumb of oppressive word counts and page limits.

Crafting concise, compelling arguments is a skill every attorney must master. The Elements of Style will help you develop this essential skill.

After you pick up a copy of The Elements of Style , you’ll understand why it’s been on the desk of expert writers for nearly 100 years.

Final Thoughts

Legal writing isn’t easy. And for the vast majority of us, it’s not intuitive. Furthermore, it’s constrained by the available facts, precedent, accepted argumentative forms, and local rules.

Your ability to navigate all of the obstacles that stand in the way of great legal writing can sometimes feel insurmountable. It’s not.

Great legal writing is a skill that all of us can acquire. The easiest and most effective way to improve your legal writing is to learn from the great attorneys who came before you.

So whether you’re a first-year law student or an experienced attorney, if you want to improve your legal writing and become a better lawyer, you owe it to yourself to give one of these best legal writing books a try.

All the best,

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Best Legal Writing Books

May 1, 2018 

When it comes to legal writing, there are a mind-boggling number of rules, styles, formats, and other structural devices meant to adhere your writing to universally upheld standards.

Whether writing a deposition or drafting a contract, legal writing demands that you color inside of the lines. Still, there are instances where you can infuse your writing with your own voice while also writing effectively and coherently in a legal context. When searching for legal writing books, any professional will give you their own list of preferred tomes of advice, knowledge, and rules. You can follow those lists to the letter, or pick and choose which books work for you and your purposes.

To help you navigate the complex and often overcrowded world of legal writing books, it may be helpful to, instead of gleaning from one person’s experience, look to what your peers as a whole are reading. Where are most legal professionals getting their information? Which books are most popular to the people who may be using them in a similar way as you are? One great way to discover the best legal writing books is to check the bestsellers lists, and these days, few bestsellers lists have as much notoriety as Amazon’s.

Amazon Bestsellers:

• The Blue Book: A Uniform Style of Citation, 20th Edition

Authors:  Columbia Law Review, Harvard Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Yale Law Review

You can tell by that byline that this book was compiled by some of the heaviest hitters in law education. The latest edition of The Blue Book provides a comprehensive guide for lawyers and law students to construct citations, covering formatting from various legal sources that include court cases, statutes, books, periodicals, and international documents.

• Drafting Contracts: How & Why Lawyers Do What They Do, 2nd Edition

Author:  Tina L. Stark

From Amazon: “An eagerly anticipated second edition of this established and highly regarded text teaches the key practice skill of contract drafting, with emphasis on how to incorporate the business deal into the contract and add value to the client’s deal.”

• Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation’s Top Advocates, 2nd Edition

Author:  Ross Guberman

If there is one synonym that best describes what a lawyer is, it’s advocate. Lawyers are, first and foremost, advocates for their clients, meaning they must often argue on their clients’ behalf. And one of the most effective ways to argue for a client—and often one of the most necessary—is through writing. But how does a lawyer persuade their audience? How do you effectively, yet compellingly, write an opening statement or draft a motion? Ross Guberman’s quintessential answers these important questions, presenting lawyers with advice on how to hone your legal writing to achieve the results you want.

• An Advocate Persuades

Authors:  Joan M. Rocklin, Robert B. Rocklin, Christine Coughlin, Sandy Patrick

Another valuable tool in a lawyer’s repertoire also imparts wisdom on the art of persuasion, offering first-year attorneys fantastic insight into how to develop oral and written arguments, and how to become an effective advocate for their clients.

• Plain English for Lawyers, 5th Edition

Authors:  Richard C. Wydick

Considered a classic for more than 25 years, Wydick’s award-winning Plain English for Lawyers is trusted by legal professionals as one of the go-to legal writing books for lawyers, teachers, judges, paralegals, and more to write in concisely yet effectively—accessible, yet sophisticated.

Another helpful source of insight into the books lawyers are reading is Barnes & Noble. Below are three of the bestselling legal writing books on Barnes & Noble’s website. Note that The Blue Book tied as No. 1 on both sites. Plain English for Lawyers, which is No. 5 on Amazon, is No. 2 on Barnes & Noble’s site.

• A Practical Guide to Appellate Advocacy, 4th Edition

Author:  Mary Beth Beazly

From Barnes & Noble: “A new edition of Beazley’s accessible and successful course book for appellate advocacy. Features:

• New material on the impact technology is having on appellate advocacy, the research for which includes interviews with both judges and clerks
• Tips on time management
• Material on the narrative theory as been expanded and clarified with syllogisms that use narrative theory
• New discussions on avoiding plagiarism in law school and malpractice in practice that also note the differences between academic misconduct and professional misconduct when it comes to legal writing”
• Legal Writing in Plain English, Second Edition: A Text with Exercises

Author:  Brian A. Garner

From Barnes & Noble: “Admirably clear, concise, down-to-earth, and powerful—all too often, legal writing embodies none of these qualities. Its reputation for obscurity and needless legalese is widespread… owing to the leading guide to clear writing in the field, this indispensable volume encourages legal writers to challenge conventions and offers valuable insights into the writing process that will appeal to other professionals…”

• Writing to Win: A Legal Writer

Author:  Steven D. Stark

From Barnes & Noble: “More than almost any profession, the law has a deserved reputation for opaque, jargon-clogged writing. Yet forceful writing is one of the most potent weapons of legal advocacy. In this new edition of Writing to Win, Steven D. Stark, a former lecturer on law at Harvard Law School, who has inspired thousands of aspiring and practicing lawyers, applies the universal principles of powerful, vigorous prose to the job of making a legal case–and winning it.”

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Legal Writing Handbook: Analysis, Research, and Writing, Eighth Edition

• Laurel Currie Oates
• Anne Enquist
• Jeremy Francis

Buy a new version of this textbook and receive access to the Connected eBook with Study Center on Casebook Connect, including lifetime access to the online ebook with highlight, annotation, and search capabilities. Access also includes practice questions , an outline tool , and other helpful resources . Connected eBooks provide what you need most to be successful in your law school classes.

With the authors’ effective step-by-step approach, The Legal Writing Handbook: Analysis, Research, and Writing walks students through each of the stages of the writing process from pre-writing, drafting, and editing, to the final draft. A leading text for generations of law students, the Eighth Edition gives students a head start as they move into practice.

The Legal Writing Handbook offers a complete resource on legal writing. Part I provides students with an introduction to the U.S. Legal System; Part II gives an overview of legal research, with both an introduction to sources and to research strategies; Part III introduces students to predictive memos, e-memos, and client letters; Part IV covers motion briefs; Part V offers an overview of appellate briefs; Part VI introduces oral advocacy; Part VII is a guide to effective writing; Part VIII is a guide to correct writing; and Part IX focuses on the needs of ESL writers.

With a new streamlined organization and completely updated content, this is the only book on legal writing students will ever need.

New to the Eighth Edition:

• Streamlined organization with chapters focused on key topics
• New appendix with easy reference to all the Quick Tips to improve legal writing
• Updated and added discussion throughout the book on the role of bias in legal language and argumentation
• A new chapter introducing rhetoric and bias

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• Given the breadth of coverage, the book can be easily adapted for two-, three-, or four-semester programs.
• Multiple examples and sample documents—­this text demystifies legal writing.
• Helpful overview of the American legal system
• Step-by-step instruction on how to write formal memos, e-memos, and opinion letters
• Step-by-step instruction on how to write motion and appellate briefs
• In-depth instruction on how to write and edit effectively and correctly
• Resources for ESL law students
• With online Connected Coursebook access, students receive additional exercises with sample answers and other helpful resources.

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General Legal Writing Skills

Effective legal writing : a practical guide by Nichola Corbett-Jarvis, Brendan Grigg (2020)

The text introduces students to writing skills and explains how they are applied a legal context. It is designed as a course book for first year students with ongoing relevance as a resource book in subsequent years both in at law school and beyond.

Essential Skills for First Year Law Students by Samantha Kontra (2022)

This book describes and teaches essential legal skills and is designed to accompany a first year level introductory course taught to law students. Content is structured in an approachable way and tips and tricks are included so skills can be honed while also absorbing the whole of the first year curriculum.

Mastering Law Studies and Exam Techniques by Rick Krever (2019)

This is a discretionary student work for both law students and business students studying law that offers a guide to the theory of legal argumentation and explains, together with included sample exam questions, answers and comments, how those skills can be applied in law examinations

Legal Writing by Paula Baron; Lillian Corbin (2016)

Good legal writing is an inherently ethical practice and fundamental to professionalism and lawyering. This book emphasises the link between legal writing and ethics as it guides readers through phases of the writing process and helps them develop effective legal writing skills essential for both academic and professional contexts.

Grammar for lawyers by Michael Meehan, Graham Tulloch (2013)

Offers a succinct and practical guide to effective legal writing and to precise legal reading, drawing on both the expertise of professional grammarians and the analytical skills of judges in interpreting legal writing in the courts. The importance of understanding basic grammatical principles is placed in the context of judicial comment and analysis from Australia and other common law jurisdictions.

Legal usage : a modern style guide by Peter Butt (2018)

Legal Usage A Modern Style Guide is a clear, unambiguous guide to good legal usage. It highlights the techniques that legal writers in the common law tradition need for effective, compelling and readable legal writing.

How to Write Law Essays and Exams by S. I. Strong (2018)

How to Write Law Essays and Exams provides law students with a practical and proven method of analysing and answering essay and exam questions. The book focuses on those questions that give students the most trouble, namely problem questions, but its techniques are equally applicable to other types of essays.

Context and Method in Australian Law by Russell Hinchey (2019)

This textbook takes an innovative and novel approach to the teaching and learning of first-year law students. It is underpinned by active student learning though an inquiry-guided learning approach. Part 5 is devoted to legal research and writing skills.

Lawyers' Skills by Julian Webb; Caroline Maughan; Mike Maughan; Marcus Keppel-Palmer; Andrew Boon (2019)

Lawyers' Skills helps students develop the legal skills required for successful practice in the modern solicitor's firm. The book equips students with a solid understanding of the theory and concepts underpinning the key skills areas of legal writing and drafting, interviewing and advising, practical legal research, and advocacy.

Clear and precise : writing skills for today's lawyer by Ros Macdonald and Deborah Clark-Dickson (2010)

"Legalese" can be a huge deterrent to all those trying to understand legal forms and processes. This book is a manual that aims to encourage law students and lawyers to use plain English techniques in the language, structure, content, style and presentation of their writing.

Language and law : a resource book for students by Alan Durant and Janny H.C. Leung (2016)

Language plays an essential role both in creating law and in governing its implementation, Providing an accessible and comprehensive introduction to this subject, 'Language and Law' describes the different registers and genres that make up spoken and written legal language and how they develop over time; analyses real-life examples drawn from court cases from different parts of the world, illustrating the varieties of English used in the courtroom by speakers occupying different roles; addresses the challenges presented to our notions of law and regulation by online communication; discusses the complex role of translation in bilingual and multilingual jurisdictions, including Hong Kong and Canada.

Need a short introduction to legal grammar?

If you want a quick overview of legal grammar, you will find Chapter 3 'Effective Legal Writing' in Michael Meehan and Graham Tullock, Grammar for Lawyers (LexisNexis, 3rd ed, 2013) useful. It is available as Reading 6 'Effective Legal Writing' in Daniel Goldsworthy & Michelle Bendall (eds), Research and Statutory Interpretation (LexisNexis, 2021).

Spelling and Grammar

Spelling should adhere to the latest version of the Macquarie Dictionary. Where a word is not in the Macquarie Dictionary , use the Oxford English Dictionary (AGLC4 rule 1.9.1).

Grammar should be guided by the latest edition of Fowler's Modern English Usage (AGLC4 rule 1.9.2).

Other resources on legal writing skills

Monash University Law Library Legal Research and Writing Skills Guide

This useful collection of guides provides information on writing legal essays, writing case notes and writing legal memos.

Survive Law How to Write a Case Note

Survive Law is an Australian blog site of resources for law students

University of the Sunshine Coast Legal Research Skills

This guide contains useful resources on writing and study skills as well as case note writing.

Victoria Law Foundation - Plain language resources

Victoria Law Foundation - Legal Glossary

Developed in consultation with lawyers and law dictionary editors, this plain language glossary explains more than 450 common legal terms.

Victoria Law Foundation - Better Information Webinars

Our better information webinars connect you to communications experts to equip you with the skills you need to produce interesting and engaging information. Previous sessions have focused on web design, podcasting, social media and design thinking.

 Writing in Plain English video resources

Watch the video (8:25) by Associate Professor Douglas Guilfoyle, to learn more about writing in plan legal English.

How to Write a First-Class Law Essay

Studying law at university entails lots of essay writing. This article takes you through the key steps to writing a top law essay.

Writing a law essay can be a challenging task. As a law student, you’ll be expected to analyse complex legal issues and apply legal principles to real-world scenarios. At the same time, you’ll need to be able to communicate your ideas clearly and persuasively. In this article, we’ll cover some top tips to guide you through the process of planning, researching, structuring and writing a first-class law essay with confidence. 

1. Start In Advance

Give yourself plenty of time to plan, research and write your law essay. Always aim to start your law essay as soon as you have the question. Leaving it until the last minute does not only create unnecessary stress, but it also leaves you insufficient time to write, reference and perfect your work.

2. Understand The Question

Do not begin until you fully comprehend the question. Take the time to read the question carefully and make sure that you understand what it’s asking you to do. Highlight key terms and annotate the question with definitions of key concepts and any questions that you have have. Think about how the question links back to what you’ve learned during your lectures or through your readings.

3. Conduct Thorough Research

Conducting thorough research around your topic is one of the most fundamental parts of the essay writing process. You should aim to use a range of relevant sources, such as cases, academic articles, books and any other legal materials. Ensure that the information you collect is taken from relevant, reliable and up to date sources. Use primary over secondary material as much as possible.

Avoid using outdated laws and obscure blog posts as sources of information. Always aim to choose authoritative sources from experts within the field, such as academics, politicians, lawyers and judges. Using high-quality and authoritative sources and demonstrating profound and critical insight into your topic are what will earn you top marks.

4. Write A Detailed Plan

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to plan your essay. When writing your plan, you’ll need to create an outline that clearly identifies the main points that you wish to make throughout your article. Try to write down what you wish to achieve in each paragraph, what concepts you want to discuss and arguments you want to make.

Your outline should be organised in a clear, coherent and logical manner to ensure that the person grading your essay can follow your line of thought and arguments easily.  You may also wish to include headings and subheadings to structure your essay effectively This makes it easier when it comes to writing the essay as starting without a plan can get messy. The essay must answer the question and nothing but the question so ensure all of your points relate to it.

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5. Write A Compelling Introduction

A great introduction should, firstly, outline the research topic.  The introduction is one of the most crucial parts of the law essay as it sets the tone for the rest of the paper. It should capture the readers attention and provide the background context on the topic. Most importantly, it should state the thesis of your essay.

When writing your introduction, avoid simply repeating the given question. Secondly, create a road map for the reader, letting them know how the essay will approach the question. Your introduction must be concise. The main body of the essay is where you will go into detail.

6. Include A Strong Thesis Statement

Your thesis should clearly set out the argument you are going to be making throughout your essay and should normally go in the introduction. Your thesis should adopt a clear stance rather than being overly general or wishy-washy. To obtain the best grades, you’ll need to show a unique perspective based upon a critical analysis of the topic rather than adopting the most obvious point of view.

Once you’ve conducted your research and had a chance to reflect on your topic, ask yourself whether you can prove your argument within the given word count or whether you would need to adopt a more modest position for your paper. Always have a clear idea of what your thesis statement is before you begin writing the content of your essay. 

7. Present the Counter-argument

To demonstrate your deeper understanding of the topic, it’s important to show your ability to consider the counter-arguments and address them in a careful and reasoned manner. When presenting your counterarguments, aim to depict them in the best possible light, aiming to be fair and reasonable before moving on to your rebuttal. To ensure that your essay is convincing, you will need to have a strong rebuttal that explains why your argument is stronger and more persuasive. This will demonstrate your capacity for critical analysis, showing the reader that you have carefully considered differing perspectives before coming to a well-supported conclusion.

8. End With A Strong Conclusion

Your conclusion is your opportunity to summarise the key points made throughout your essay and to restate the thesis statement in a clear and concise manner.  Avoid simply repeating what has already been mentioned in the body of the essay. For top grades, you should use the conclusion as an opportunity to provide critical reflection and analysis on the topic. You may also wish to share any further insights or recommendations into alternative avenues to consider or implications for further research that could add value to the topic. 

9. Review The Content Of Your Essay

Make sure you factor in time to edit the content of your essay.  Once you’ve finished your first draft, come back to it the next day. Re-read your essay with a critical perspective. Do your arguments make sense? Do your paragraphs flow in a logical manner? You may also consider asking someone to read your paper and give you critical feedback. They may be able to add another perspective you haven’t considered or suggest another research paper that could add value to your essay. 

10. Proofread For Grammatical Mistakes

Once you’re happy with the content of your essay, the last step is to thoroughly proofread your essay for any grammatical errors. Ensure that you take time to ensure that there are no grammar, spelling or punctuation errors as these can be one of the easiest ways to lose marks. You can ask anyone to proofread your paper, as they would not necessarily need to have a legal background – just strong grammar and spelling skills! 

11. Check Submission Guidelines

Before submitting, ensure that your paper conforms with the style, referencing and presentation guidelines set out by your university. This includes the correct font, font size and line spacing as well as elements such as page numbers, table of content etc. Referencing is also incredibly important as you’ll need to make sure that you are following the correct referencing system chosen by your university. Check your university’s guidelines about what the word count is and whether you need to include your student identification number in your essay as well. Be thorough and don’t lose marks for minor reasons!

12. Use Legal Terms Accurately

Always make sure that you are using legal terms accurately throughout your essay. Check an authoritative resource if you are unsure of any definitions. While being sophisticated is great, legal jargon if not used correctly or appropriately can weaken your essay. Aim to be concise and to stick to the point. Don’t use ten words when only two will do.

12. Create a Vocabulary Bank

One recurring piece of advice from seasoned law students is to take note of phrases from books and articles, key definitions or concepts and even quotes from your professors. When it comes to writing your law essay, you will have a whole range of ideas and vocabulary that will help you to develop your understanding and thoughts on a given topic. This will make writing your law essay even easier!

13. Finally, Take Care of Yourself

Last but certainly not least, looking after your health can improve your attitude towards writing your law essay your coursework in general. Sleep, eat, drink and exercise appropriately. Take regular breaks and try not to stress. Do not forget to enjoy writing the essay!

Words by Karen Fulton

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Lisa Muttonen worked as a Head of House at Oxford Scholastica Academy’s summer school in 2023. She recently completed a BA in Jurisprudence and French Law at the University of Oxford. Her interests lie in feminist legal theory, particularly in the international law context, and she hopes to pursue a career applying her skills and education to the international women’s aid effort. Lisa currently lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark, with a view to undertaking a Master’s there in International Relations.

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Writing is arguably the most crucial skill of practicing lawyers and legal academics alike.  While only some lawyers will enter careers involving significant oral advocacy, nearly all lawyers regularly write, provide feedback to colleagues on their writing, and respond to feedback on their own writing.  At HLS, we recognize that excellent writing is not a solo enterprise, but takes a community.  J.D. students receive their first intensive writing experience in the First-Year Legal Research and Writing Program (LRW).  Upper-level J.D. students and LL.M.s develop their writing skills further through rigorous writing opportunities in courses, clinics, and independent writing supervised by a faculty member, completing in the process the J.D. Written Work Requirement and the LL.M. Written Work Requirement, respectively.

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During their time at HLS, students can develop their writing skills through writing-intensive course work; independent studies in which a student writes a paper under a faculty member’s supervision; some clinical work, and writing groups, which provide a forum for structuring research and writing time and receiving peer in addition to faculty feedback.  There are further writing opportunities through moot court, journals, and work as a research assistant for a faculty member. Explore below, by subject area, possible supervisors for an independent writing project.

Writing Resources

Wondering where to begin?  The Harvard Law Library has developed helpful guides on narrowing down a research topic, how to conduct research in various legal subject areas, and how to cite using the Bluebook or other citation systems.

Once a writing project is completed, students might consider  submitting their work for one of HLS’ writing prizes and/or exploring possible paths to publication.

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Our Exam Writing Workshop helps you succeed in Law School and the Bar Exam by teaching you how to write effective and well-structured essay exams. Whether you are a 1L or a bar candidate, you will benefit from our guidance and support, regardless of your legal knowledge or skill level. Don’t miss out on 12 hours of effective, intensive exam writing techniques and skills building.

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The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives. The Purdue OWL offers global support through online reference materials and services.

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