How to Tackle the Write-on Competition to Make Law Review
Dear 1L (Rising 2L?),
It seems cruel. Your “reward” for finishing the hardest year of law school is staying around to do an onerous Bluebook test and—yet another—big legal-writing project.
I would be SO tempted to skip the whole thing.
BUT, being on law review was, without doubt, the greatest highlight of my law-school experience—both short and long-term. I want you to have a chance at that.
So, yes, I do think that doing the write-on competition is 100% worth it, as miserable as it may seem.
Here is some info that should help you at the start. ⤵️
1️⃣
Most of you will receive a big packet of competition materials, and it will come to you electronically.
👉 You will run out of printer toner making a hard copy.
Buy a back-up cartridge now—and more paper, too.
2️⃣
The materials will look voluminous, and the subject matter will not be an area of law you know anything about. Don’t freak out or call it quits.
The packet is really no bigger than what you got for your 1L memo or brief; it’s just that you’re accustomed to gathering the material piecemeal.
The material isn’t harder, either. You’ve had to figure out difficult legal issues and write about them a lot this past year. (You’re a pro!)
You can do this one, too.
3️⃣
Finally, if you have a separate Bluebook test, consider starting it first.
It’s annoying and laborious, but it’s not a heavy lift, brainpower-wise.
👉 It may be easier to start there, while your mind comes down off Con Law and other difficult doctrinal topics.
I would start the Bluebook test and then save the rest to use for “brain breaks” later, when you are deep into legal analysis and need to step back and do something rote to let the analysis percolate.
***
I am so very very proud of you for making it through this academic year. It’s been an epic one, and you deserve a long, pampered vacation. But I’m with you in this until the end, and we’ve got one more piece to go.
Fondly,
💌 Amanda
**
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