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My legal writing class doesn't consider citations in evaluating work. As a result, I was super lazy and put forth basically zero effort into learning how to cite properly. Now I need to apply for jobs and I want my citations in my writing sample to not be terrible. Any ideas for a good place to get a 101? I have the BlueBook (e-version) but have found it difficult to navigate. I'm hoping to find something a little more user-friendly like tutorials...

Do you have a friend who's pretty good? now's the time to call in a favor

If not, I was in your exact same position and honestly the BlueBook is not some hard mystery. You can bluebook properly just by following the directions. Cases are very straight forward (so are statutes) and doubt you'll have anything super complicated since it's a 1L writing sample. Anything more complicated you should google or post here.

The interactive citation workshop (ICW) on lexis is how we learned at NYU.

Keilz wrote:The interactive citation workshop (ICW) on lexis is how we learned at NYU.

This is an awesome resource. Thank you!

Kummel wrote:Do you have a friend who's pretty good? now's the time to call in a favor

If not, I was in your exact same position and honestly the BlueBook is not some hard mystery. You can bluebook properly just by following the directions. Cases are very straight forward (so are statutes) and doubt you'll have anything super complicated since it's a 1L writing sample. Anything more complicated you should google or post here.

Is there anything unethical about paying someone to check over my citations? None of my close friends are experts but there are some 2Ls and 3Ls I might ask but don't know well...

There’s nothing unethical but that’s just silly. Pick up the blue book follow the directions google to check and post in this forum if you’re confused or want to double check.

Buy a physical copy

just give it to your LRW prof to edit.

If you're just using the blue pages of the Bluebook, you really could just learn it yourself. Go through each cite and check it against the rules that apply.

Things only get really hard with Bluebooking when you're on journal/law review and you're citing obscure crap like a foreign country's legislative materials or some kind of opinion from a state-level administrative agency that's not published in reporters or other traditional means, and you can't figure out which rule applies.

(Cue a 3L coming into this thread to tell me how to cite those things.)

Nobody ever learns Bluebooking well through a lecture. You have to just edit your cites and then have someone double check and then go back and fix them again. What we always made our 2Ls on my journal do when Bluebooking was cite to the rule they used and explain why they applied that rule to that cite. Make yourself do the same thing. It'll take extra time but the process will force your brain to learn it.

I think paying someone to do your citations is unethical, since your writing sample is supposed to be your own work.

Also, for the most part, you don't need to be absolutely on point with with citations. I got hired for internships by various USAOs, a biglaw summer associate gig, and D. Ct. and CoA clerkships without paying all that much attention to my bluebooking.

Internal consistency is way more important than consistency with the bluebook.

TrustMeImALawStudent wrote:I think paying someone to do your citations is unethical, since your writing sample is supposed to be your own work.

For the record, I would never pay someone to "do" my citations, just have someone point out if there were issues and point me to the proper parts of the Bluebook to correct them. That said, it doesn't like I'm going to go in that direction anyway.

Start by reading the blue pages in the blue book.

Next, for each citation, just use the citation feature on Westlaw. Pull up the authority, highlight the part you're citing, right click, and you can copy the citation.

Finally, end by checking each citation against the examples in the blue pages in the blue book. For repeat citations, make sure you're using Id. or short form.

Also your law school is doing you a huge disservice. 1Ls pretty much know nothing, the only expectation is that you proofread your work for typos and get your citations right. Why on earth does your school think it's a good idea to not emphasize it/teach it/grade you on it?

LawTweet wrote:My legal writing class doesn't consider citations in evaluating work. As a result, I was super lazy and put forth basically zero effort into learning how to cite properly. Now I need to apply for jobs and I want my citations in my writing sample to not be terrible. Any ideas for a good place to get a 101? I have the BlueBook (e-version) but have found it difficult to navigate. I'm hoping to find something a little more user-friendly like tutorials...

Come check out our Bluebook citation generator

https://www.legalease.tech/bluebook-citation-generator

Does ICW access come with all Lexis+ subscriptions? (specifically, the student subscription) I get redirected to a checkout screen whenever I try to access the ALWD citation manual.

I honestly can't believe paper bluebooks are still a thing in 2024. It seemed on the way out last time I cracked a bluebook around 15 years ago given that Lexis/Westlaw could spit out copy paste cites. Formatting citations seems like a perfect task for AI.

I recall this article from Richard Posner ~10 years ago. It appears it's still relevant...

https://www.yalelawjournal.org/pdf/940_342795vd.pdf

"I have dipped into it, much as one might dip one’s toes in a pail of freezing
water. I am put in mind of Mr. Kurtz’s dying words in Heart of Darkness—“The
horror! The horror!”—and am tempted to end there. "