Amanda Haverstick, Esq.
Legal Writing Consultant
1:1 attention for lawyers & students
Amanda Haverstick, Esq.
Legal Writing Consultant
1:1 attention for lawyers & students
Better writers make better lawyers
Select Testimonials
“I just wanted to give you a quick update: we’ve submitted the first section of our closed memo, and both my TA and legal writing professor endorsed my writing! My professor even used excerpts of it as effective examples in class. I would like to attribute this to your book and our sessions. Legal writing turned out to be my favorite class, and I feel I built such a strong foundation through the conversations we had and the IRAC practice. Thank you!!!”
— a 1L at T14 law school
“I incorporated all I learned during our short meeting into my second semester of Legal Writing (and other work). Although persuasive writing was more challenging than objective writing, I performed well enough that my Legal Writing professor invited me to become her T.A. I promptly accepted. I also wrote on to Law Review.
Additionally, I aced all my second-semester finals. Two other professors who were impressed with my final exam asked me to be their T.A.
Thank you again for making time to meet with me and for investing your expertise in me.”
— Anna Lodge
I ended up with an A- in legal writing. I busted my butt on the brief and got an A!!
After a successful first 1L semester, I was looking to polish my exam writing with a conditional transfer acceptance in hand. I wanted to put myself in the best position to maintain/build upon my first semester grades. I reached out to Amanda after following her on Linkedin and finding her writing and law school tips incredibly helpful (you should follow #dear1L).
Amanda’s work is excellent both substantively and in the effort she puts into getting to know you as a person to support your goals. She looks at your writing from all angles: looking at my past exams, preparing timed practice exams, and analyzing my legal writing assignments. I appreciated her diving into all areas of my writing to improve my exams and future memos/briefs.
She shifted how I think about exam writing and legal issues in general: as a lawyer, you have to wear two hats. Getting to all the legal issues in a nuanced way is only possible if you think about the case from the plaintiff’s POV and then separately analyze it from the defendant’s POV. No one talks about this in law school!
Importantly, Amanda cares about building rapport and trust. She took time to chat about my career goals and learn about me as a person — even sharing her own career experiences and advice along the way. Having worked with tutors in the past and tutoring students myself, the relationship built with a student is crucial for them to be receptive to feedback and for deeper learning. Amanda makes you feel supported every step of the way!
— Haley
“I really enjoyed working with Amanda during my time transitioning from a West coast boutique firm to a partner role on the East Coast. I learned new writing techniques and areas to focus on; they have helped me produce top-quality first drafts that have been very well-received; and I am now writing blogs & articles on my own with great confidence. I give Amanda my full recommendation to be your next legal writing coach!”
— Tanya
“I had the privilege of working with Amanda as my legal writing tutor, it was a valuable experience. Throughout our sessions, Amanda provided clear and detailed feedback on my assignments, pointing out areas where I could improve and suggesting specific strategies for doing so. She also took the time to answer all of my questions and address any concerns I had, which really helped me to feel confident in my abilities. I saw a noticeable improvement in my legal writing skills thanks to Amanda’s guidance and support. I learned how to present my arguments more effectively and to make my writing more concise. I highly recommend Amanda to anyone looking to improve their legal writing skills. She is an excellent tutor, and I am very grateful for the time and effort they put into helping me to become a better writer.”
— Gabriela Rendon
“Where to begin with Miss Haverstick? I first reached out to Amanda at the beginning of my first 1L semester on LinkedIn, I wanted to get the advice of someone who followed a career path that I identified with, and I received a response that day. Amanda even went so far as to arrange a call with me to go over any concerns I had regarding my legal studies. I found her to be so genuine, professional, and personable that I continued to reach out to Amanda through my first 1L semester. If I had questions regarding classes, legal writing, tutoring, transfer coaches, developing a professional legal network, summer associateships, and study schedules for midterms and final exams, Amanda always took the time to give me an answer that day. When unsure, she would go off and find a solution or connect me with individuals in her network without me needing to ask.
Please note that Amanda has committed herself to aid law students at any stage of their legal education and to ensure they can either approach her directly or examine any educational content she posts consistently. All of this is to say that she cares about her clients professionally and personally and will exceed whatever expectations are communicated to her. If there were an argument to be made for which law school advisor/educator/counselor was the most effective, Amanda would have my confidence. Her ambition is the empowerment of the next generation of lawyers; ergo, if anyone wishes to know more about my experiences with Miss Haverstick, please reach out; I will happily answer any questions presented.”
— Joshua Bedoya (1L)
“Amanda’s diligence when tackling the questions that I have is astounding! Every time we speak, I learn something new. She has mentored me throughout my law school journey, and I would recommend her services to students, regardless of where they are on their way to becoming an attorney.
Amanda always finds time to help, and her selflessness knows no bounds! She has set the standard for all my future tutors. Five stars!”
— Gregory Parker, (1L)
“I could not have written my personal statement without Amanda’s guidance! She was incredibly insightful in creating a clear vision for my essay and then helping me cut it down to make it more concise. If you are beginning to write your personal statement and have no idea where to begin or how to strengthen it, I highly recommend Amanda!”
— Ava
“As a first-year law student, I highly recommend speaking with and following Amanda Haverstick. Amanda is a legal writing savant. She is a masterclass on how to forge meaningful messages and craft them to make meaningful impacts. Amanda’s talent shines at brevity. Lawyers and law students constantly struggle with prolixity. Amanda helps law students overcome this by identifying what is necessary and tightening and toning a written piece to those essential elements. But it would be remiss to omit what sets Amanda apart from many other professionals—her compassion. Throughout my law school journey, Amanda has been one of my most incredible supporters; she has encouraged me through my first week of class through finals. Amanda is one-of-a-kind, and I can’t recommend her more.”
— Jonathan Koehler, (1L)
“Thank you so much for all your assistance with my writing! I felt so lost at points and your advice helped me navigate through the struggles. You were able to make a huge difference and I am beyond grateful. Wishing you the best!”
— Davis
“I just got an offer for a 2L summer associate position at Locke Lord LLP in Houston! I can’t describe how exciting this feels!
I also just want to say thanks again. I’m not sure if you see yourself as a mentor to students who you talk via email, but I certainly would consider you a mentor to me during 1L. Your feedback on exams, along with all the work you do on LinkedIn, makes a real difference for law school students. Without it, I don’t know if I would have performed as well in the spring or had the energy to invest in OCI. I still read your Dear 1L posts just to get in the right mindset and learn something new. Thanks for everything you do.
Its been my goal to land a big law position for nearly six years. Last semester I thought my grades ruined my shot. Your help made it happen. Thank you so much for that. Now I just can’t wait to get started.”
— Lee Alexander (1L)
“During my law school journey, I struggled with writing and purposefully avoided honing my skill because I thought it was unwise to spend extra energy on this practical field instead of other substantive bar subjects. However, numerous law professors had emphasized the importance of writing. Indeed, I believe a litigator must write well because to write well is to communicate and persuade well. I was fortunate to have come across Amanda after becoming an attorney. Amanda had an impeccable academic background and successful legal career. She is a terrific writer who can coach you to write plain and concise legal briefs, and guide you to elevate your legal analysis with her talented literate tone as needed. Besides her raw intelligence, Amanda has a strong passion to teach law students and young associates. This is evident from the care she provides to her students and her desire for them to succeed. She would move a mountain to meet your deadlines. Lastly, Amanda is not just a tutor. She is a friend, a coach, and a mentor. She shares her stories and life experience with you. I strongly recommend this amazing lady to anyone who strives to become a better legal writer.”
— Charles L. (Attorney)
“Amanda embodies everything a student could ever want in a tutor: approachable, intelligent, and helpful. She was immensely helpful in my journey as I navigated through my law courses. She guided me through important legal concepts and helped me delineate important fact patterns as they related to each case. Her strong writing background from Harvard really came to light as her help immediately made my writing more impactful and deliberate. She has encyclopedic knowledge of the law, and when in doubt, she goes out of her way to revisit legal concepts and cases.
Amanda is also an incredible life and law mentor. She was a strong beacon of light when I was feeling overwhelmed. She spent several extra hours of her own time to help me academically and personally. I will always be thankful that our paths have crossed.”
— Maurice B. (0L)
“I’ve always enjoyed writing, but the transition from other styles of academic writing to legal writing presented a unique and complex challenge. Amanda helped me focus on the unique goals of legal writing and understand how I could tailor and develop my existing abilities to meet them. She helped me understand the importance of word choice in legal writing specifically and worked with me to improve my writing structure.
Beyond her hands-on advice and assistance, Amanda was and continues to be an invaluable resource for general guidance. She spoke freely with me as a friend and mentor, offering a wealth of experience and information she has gained through her own career. Working with Amanda as a first-year law student has not only improved my understanding of practical legal writing, but it allowed me to receive crucial insight into the legal profession as I begin to shape my career.”
— Jonathan A. (1L)
“I highly recommend Amanda for both exam tutoring and legal writing guidance. She initially helped me prepare for my 1L Spring ConLaw exam. Her help was invaluable. Then, over the spring and summer, she was by my side during each step of the decision-making process about whether I should transfer. She did this part just “because.” Amanda has become a close career confidante. Thank you, Amanda!”
— Yousef A. (2L)
“Writing is difficult for students as a rule. Legal writing can be daunting. As an instructor of legal writing myself, I could not promote the work of Amanda Haverstick and Writing Law Tutors enough. After presenting her Legal Writing: Practical Tips & Best Practices webinar to a sold-out crowd of lawyers, law students, legal studies/paralegal students, academics, and other legal professionals, attendees were asking for more. Her practical approach and pro tips combined with her decades of experience are unmatched. Amanda’s considerable knowledge of grammar, word choice, and tone combines with a delivery style that removes all of the ambiguity in legal writing guidelines. Covering areas from word choice and avoiding passive voice to the more nuanced aspects of legal writing including common shortcomings and how to address them, Amanda is an authority. If your students, law clerks, or associates could improve their writing, Amanda is the top choice to mold them into exceptional writers.”
— Jody L. Cooper (Attorney)
