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I'm okay with my current position, but I'm sort of looking elsewhere. One place I like asked for a "self-edited" writing sample. What does this mean? Does this mean NOT my law review comment? I wouldn't even know what else to use. I've written a bunch of appeals at my job but I don't know if they're looking for like motions or appeals, and even if I could use them because I did them in the employ of another government agency.

It means something as you wrote it, without input from anyone else. So presumably not your law review note if people from your law review edited it (but depending on the position a law review note isn't a very good writing sample anyway). If any of the motions/appeals you wrote have been published there can't be any reason not to use them since the info's in the public domain already.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:It means something as you wrote it, without input from anyone else. So presumably not your law review note if people from your law review edited it (but depending on the position a law review note isn't a very good writing sample anyway). If any of the motions/appeals you wrote have been published there can't be any reason not to use them since the info's in the public domain already.

Thanks! I wrote them, but then my supervisor edited them before sending them in, and her name is on the final copy. What are good examples of writing samples? I haven't written any other papers in law school since my 1L writing class, and as a law school grad, I can pretty much guarantee my writing has come a long way since then. I"m a law school grad still waiting on my bar results, BTW.

Also I have no idea why this is anonymous. It's me, the OP. I have no clue how to make it not anonymous and I didn't want it to be.

Have you written a memo at your job--you know, something that analyzes a legal question or problem? If so, use that.

I have done that, but I just wasn't sure if that violated confidentiality to use it or something? Or if it was the office's property since I wrote it while working for them? Or am I overanalyzing this?

lawschoolwoohoo wrote:I have done that, but I just wasn't sure if that violated confidentiality to use it or something? Or if it was the office's property since I wrote it while working for them? Or am I overanalyzing this?

You always want to ask permission before sharing something you wrote for an employer. If the writing sample contains confidential or sensitive information (i.e., names of clients), you can redact. But, again, ask your employer about it.