Top Law Schools

So I struck out on fall 2L OCI but am applying to a few firms that are interviewing on campus and off this spring. Many want a writing sample but everything I've done for my employers is covered by strict confidentiality agreements with them. Up until now, I have been using a memo I wrote for 1L legal writing but I think I've progressed since then and am wondering if it would be impermissible to use a short case note (roughly 20 pages) that I wrote for a seminar as my new writing sample. It addresses an issue in health care law in the context of certain constitutional claims. Thoughts?

Twenty pages might be a bit long, so I suggest that you choose an excerpt of it to use. If you choose to do this, include a 1-2 sentence introduction to the sample so they will know what you are talking about. Source: advice from career center office.

Dude 20 pages is waaaaay too long by at least 10 pages.

To clarify - I assumed that I would have to chose an exerpt. The memo that I have used is about 15 pages.

Most reviewers won't read past 10 pages. Firms prefer advocacy pieces to academic/neutral writings.

No other thoughts on this? My options for writing samples are a 1L objective memo, the seminar paper in question, or an appellate brief I wrote for a course in appellate ad (which is nearly 50 pages and hence would have to be excerpted as well). I don't think the brief represents my best work.

DocHawkeye wrote:No other thoughts on this? My options for writing samples are a 1L objective memo, the seminar paper in question, or an appellate brief I wrote for a course in appellate ad (which is nearly 50 pages and hence would have to be excerpted as well). I don't think the brief represents my best work.

Pick whichever writing sample you think is the best. Excerpt it down to length.

I'd excerpt one or two argument sections in the Appellate Ad brief and edit it.