J.D. Advanced Writing Requirement

In order to receive a J.D. degree, a student must successfully complete an advanced writing project. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that each student has significant experience working on a project that develops skills in research, analysis and writing. The project may take the form of scholarly works such as law review articles, or may consist of briefs, transactional documents, draft legislation, or other types of legal writing, so long as the writing is substantial and evidences a high level of research and analysis. Faculty supervision and student revision of the written work is an essential component of the requirement and the student must have substantial meetings with the faculty member who serves as project advisor. The project typically should extend over two or more quarters but may, with the faculty member's approval, be completed in a single quarter. If the project is performed by a group, each student must identify his or her portion of the work product for the purposes of evaluation by the faculty member.

A student may satisfy the Advanced Writing Requirement in any of the following ways providing always that the project meets the standards set out in the preceding paragraph:

1. By satisfying the requirements of any seminar which carries at least 4 credits.
2. By writing and revising a paper, brief or other writing in any course open to second- or third-year students, including clinics and externships which carry at least 3 credits. The paper, brief or other writing may be in addition to or in lieu of an examination as the instructor may require. Advance consent of the instructor is required. Students should verify whether a paper is acceptable for credit in any given course. In most cases the number of students who may write papers for course credit will be limited by the instructor.
3. By completion of 1-2 credits of Law E500 Advanced Writing Project when the work involves revision of work begun in a class, externship, or moot court competition.

Students must satisfy the Advanced Writing Requirement by the end of Winter quarter of their final year unless they will satisfy it in a seminar that continues into the Spring quarter of their final year. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the Academic Dean no later than the end of Autumn quarter of the student's third year of law school.