It’s high time we changed how we teach legal writing.

I’ve spent the last five years entrenched in this subject, and I’m convinced our current system is not working.

I’d start with law schools, but I have ideas for law firms, too.

For law schools:

🔹 Align writing with doctrine. Legal writing should reinforce doctrinal learning, not compete with it. When 1Ls study personal jurisdiction, they should write about personal jurisdiction. Same with contracts, torts, or property.

🔹 Lift the “no help” rule. Let students get feedback and collaboration while they’re learning. Then test their solo skills in a timed, in-person, memo-writing or brief-writing exam.

🔹 Build progressively. Have students turn their fall memo into a spring brief on the same topic. That way, they can focus on structure and revision without learning entirely new doctrine at the same time.

🔹 Require pre-law grammar readiness. Applicants should demonstrate basic professional writing competence before law school.

👉 That would do more for future lawyers than the LSAT ever did!

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The ripple effects of my proposed changes would be huge:

▪️ LRW professors could focus more on legal analysis and less on grammar mechanics.

▪️ More graduates would leave law school confident in their writing.

▪️ Firms could hire lawyers who can write more effectively from day one.

I welcome your thoughts.

💌 Amanda

#Dear1L‍ ‍#DearLegalWriter

P.S. I can’t change the curriculum with one post, but I can keep pressing for better ideas.

What would you change about law schools?