Legal Writing

Laying the foundation for tomorrow’s legal writers

Lawyers are professional writers. Whether it be a letter, a motion, a brief, a complaint, a contract, or any of the other multiple documents attorneys are frequently asked to prepare, lawyers spend much of their professional career writing. A lawyer who cannot write effectively is greatly handicapped in their ability to represent clients.

UT Law takes seriously our role in training students to become effective legal writers. The Legal Writing Program begins in the first year, where students complete six hours of credit focused exclusively on legal writing. Courses are offered in small sections of typically fifteen to seventeen students to enable faculty to offer more one-on-one training.

Beyond the first year, we offer a number of both required and elective course components aimed at providing students with continual opportunities for developing and improving their legal writing skills.