Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing Program
Facts about Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing at Washburn Law
- We are ranked 13th among the top legal writing programs in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, 2012 rankings.
- The program is primarily staffed by full-time, tenure track faculty. Washburn's tenure track is unitary, meaning there are no distinctions among faculty. Our LARW program faculty also teach in other areas, such as Employment Law, Constitutional Law, and Tribal Law.
- Students and faculty have access to one of the nation's highest-ranked law libraries and professional library staff. The Washburn Law Library was ranked 40th in The National Jurist's list of the top law libraries, March 2010.
- All full-time Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing professors co-direct the first-year program and are members of the Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD) and the Legal Writing Institute (LWI). Washburn Law's program is one of only 35 programs in the U.S. that is "directorless."
- Washburn's second semester of Contracts is now focused on transactions and will include some drafting. This unusual curricular model sets Washburn Law apart from most other institutions and provides students a very rare training opportunity.
- Legal writing students regularly observe oral arguments before state and federal appellate courts.
- Legal writing professors regularly teach a seminar session in the Washburn Law Clinic, helping students to make a smooth transition between classroom and practice.
- Washburn regularly offers Transactional Drafting and Writing for Law Practice to upper-division students.
- Washburn Law is among half of law schools who teach Legislative History and Administrative Law research in the first year.
The Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing Program provides a strong foundation in lawyering skills for first-year law students.
All first-year students complete six hours of graded Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing. Washburn Law's first-year program is one of only a handful nationwide that is staffed by full-time, tenure-track faculty members. Classes are small and are taught by professors dedicated to legal writing as one of their primary fields for teaching, scholarship, and service.
The first-year curriculum is designed to give every student a strong foundation in both objective and persuasive legal reasoning, legal research skills, clear writing style, and oral advocacy.
Students receive extensive written and oral feedback from faculty members on all major writing assignments. The feedback, consultation, and rewriting process enables law students to become increasingly proficient and independent in many of the core analytical and persuasive lawyering skills by the end of their first year. Furthermore, to introduce students to the rigors of the profession, the course is designed to simulate the demands of the actual practice of law.
Upper-Level Writing Requirement
Upper-level students complete a rigorous writing experience reflecting the core values of supervised rewriting and individualized feedback. Washburn Law's regular upper-level courses include Writing for Law Practice and Transactional Drafting.
Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing Faculty
Washburn Law's first year program is staffed by permanent, full-time, fully-integrated, tenure-track faculty members.
