This course teaches the necessary skills to edit legal writing and create a final product that is clear, precise, and effective. By learning to edit their own work rigorously, students will strengthen their writing and analytical abilities.

The course will begin with an examination of the writing process—what do you do when you sit down to write? How do you organize your thoughts? Students will then focus on conceptual and pragmatic questions, from identifying the purpose, audience, and organization of the document to thinking deeply and critically about word choice and sentence structure. Students will draft memos and client letters, use peer editing to practice reading critically and to learn how others perceive their writing, and edit their own writing to achieve the multiple goals of an effective piece of legal writing.

Success in this course requires meeting deadlines, giving constructive criticism, and being open to others’ critiques

This course satisfies the Writing Requirement. It does not satisfy the Experiential Learning Requirement. Enrollment is limited.

Recommended for the following Professional Pathways: All Professional Pathways

2 Credits