Legal Writing Class Forum

[3ThrowAway99]

I just got my registration info in the mail today- it looks like I can choose to take the Legal Writing class as a graded course or as pass/fail. Is there a particular advantage for doing it one way vs. the other? Why is it even offered both ways?

[3ThrowAway99]

Bump.. Don't mean to be pushy, but if there is anyone who can quickly answer this it would be appreciated.. I'm actually sitting down and doing the online registration and just noticed there is a distinction of pass/fail vs. graded on the registration sheet (tried calling the school but no one is available now)...

[catharsis]

weird. i was always under the impression that it was pass/fail only everywhere.

bump for you since im a 0L and can't answer your question. i like writing, and i hear it's one of the most valuable courses in law school since it's really applicable to what we'll be doing as lawyers on an everyday basis, so for that reason (and depending on how much it counts for) i'd take it graded.

[peterstein]

weird. i was always under the impression that it was pass/fail only everywhere.

bump for you since im a 0L and can't answer your question. i like writing, and i hear it's one of the most valuable courses in law school since it's really applicable to what we'll be doing as lawyers on an everyday basis, so for that reason (and depending on how much it counts for) i'd take it graded.

LOL

[b1ue]

can't imagine they would give you a choice. would ruin the curve, no?

[3ThrowAway99]

Thanks guys- I get the sense that I am supposed to register for it as pass/fail after reviewing everything again, but the online registration does seem to offer it either way. I think I will call the school tomorrow to clarify.

[ggocat]

Assuming you have a choice (let us know, curious), I would need more information to make an educated decision to take it graded, including:
1. how grades are determined (one paper at the end, small assignments throughout, whatever); and
2. most important, whether it is graded on or off the curve.

There are too many unknowns to voluntarily take it graded. If I had to choose in the position you are now in, without further information, I would say NOT graded.

Legal writing grades can depend on so many little things (errors in citation and formatting) and if curved, on how your classmates perform.

[270910]

Good news: There is an answer! Pass fail is that answer. There is no other answer.

Bad news: Since I've never heard of a school with that system I choose to baselessly assume your school is a festering shit hole and you'll never get a job anyway :-/

Sorry, friend.

[ResolutePear]

Good news: There is an answer! Pass fail is that answer. There is no other answer.

Bad news: Since I've never heard of a school with that system I choose to baselessly assume your school is a festering shit hole and you'll never get a job anyway :-/

Sorry, friend.

TITRTPWG.

[270910]

Good news: There is an answer! Pass fail is that answer. There is no other answer.

Bad news: Since I've never heard of a school with that system I choose to baselessly assume your school is a festering shit hole and you'll never get a job anyway :-/

Sorry, friend.

TITRTPWG.

This is the research triangle park white girl?

[ResolutePear]

Good news: There is an answer! Pass fail is that answer. There is no other answer.

Bad news: Since I've never heard of a school with that system I choose to baselessly assume your school is a festering shit hole and you'll never get a job anyway :-/

Sorry, friend.

TITRTPWG.

This is the research triangle park white girl?

At this point, I could probably get away with that. So, I will.

[270910]

Good news: There is an answer! Pass fail is that answer. There is no other answer.

Bad news: Since I've never heard of a school with that system I choose to baselessly assume your school is a festering shit hole and you'll never get a job anyway :-/

Sorry, friend.

TITRTPWG.

This is the research triangle park white girl?

At this point, I could probably get away with that. So, I will.

*works on it some more*

This is the retard that people will... gingivitis?

This is the response that people won't get?

TITs really tower passively with guam?

[ResolutePear]

TITRTPWG.

This is the research triangle park white girl?

At this point, I could probably get away with that. So, I will.

*works on it some more*

This is the retard that people will... gingivitis?

This is the response that people won't get?

TITs really tower passively with guam?

Have to say... that's a pretty damn good one. I originally meant: This is the response the Pope would give.

[3ThrowAway99]

Good news: There is an answer! Pass fail is that answer. There is no other answer.

Bad news: Since I've never heard of a school with that system I choose to baselessly assume your school is a festering shit hole and you'll never get a job anyway :-/

Sorry, friend.

Well, you did say 'baselessly', but the last time I checked there weren't any 'festering shitholes' in T1 (though I'm sure this probably could be argued ). In any case, I think probably everyone at my school has to take it P/F, but the online registration format makes it look like there is a choice.

On a separate note, are there people on here who do have a graded legal writing class at their school? Especially curious about this in terms of T25 or so, but also would be interested more generally (I thought for instance that Texas grades the legal writing course)...

[smittytron3k]

pretty sure LRW is graded ("graded") at HLS

[ggocat]

On a separate note, are there people on here who do have a graded legal writing class at their school? Especially curious about this in terms of T25 or so, but also would be interested more generally (I thought for instance that Texas grades the legal writing course)...

I took it graded. Third tier. Although I definitely see the downsides to graded legal writing, I think the graded course encourages students to take the course more seriously. If it's ungraded, you really just have to put in a good faith effort (just enough not to fail). Considering that most lawyers are professional writers, I think more emphasis on legal writing in law school is generally a good idea.

I don't think UT grades. On a somewhat related note:

Last semester, a well-known lawyer wrote to law school Dean Lawrence Sager, charging that UT graduates are incompetent legal writers and that he would never hire a UT Law graduate again.

http://abovethelaw.com/2010/03/universi ... y-from-ut/

UT students take only one credit hour of legal writing each semester of 1L. http://www.utexas.edu/law/academics/cur ... rstyr.html

[270910]

The 1 credit hour thing is mostly an artifact of the pass/fail thing. My guess is graded vs. ungraded LRW is nearly the same course, given the 1L standardization. But if it isn't graded there's no reason to assign it a credit value other than "not zero."

[ggocat]

The 1 credit hour thing is mostly an artifact of the pass/fail thing. My guess is graded vs. ungraded LRW is nearly the same course, given the 1L standardization. But if it isn't graded there's no reason to assign it a credit value other than "not zero."

I think your comment assumes that the in-class experience is worthless. Of course, it may be, depending on the prof/school. (And I'm assuming that more credit hours = more class sessions).

EDIT: But I do disagree with the 1L standardization comment. As the UT grads point out, UT doesn't require brief writing, although most other schools do. So UT basically makes the second legal writing course optional. I think that's why they have one credit courses = less material/work.

[mrgth51453]

legal writing is graded, not pass/fail, at WUSTL

[ukerock2005]

Graded at University of Kentucky.

[Connelly]

Graded at Georgia State.

One's life would be much easier during 1L taking it pass/fail. It is a major time suck. If there was truly a choice, I would suggest taking it pass/fail and then seeking out classes/activities that will help you work on your writing in your second and third years (assuming you envision a future involving you doing a lot of legal writing).

[nealric]

While legal writing is the most important skill you will learn in law school, you will not learn it from a legal writing course. Take it pass/fail. LRW is a stupid course.

[3ThrowAway99]

Thanks for all the input (and lulz). It turns out everyone does take Legal Writing P/F at my school (there is a Legal Research class I also need to take this semester that is graded however). The online registration process offers a drop-down box to select either 'P/F' or 'graded' (probably a standardized thing for all the University's courses) which contributed to my initial confusion.

[ggocat]

While legal writing is the most important skill you will learn in law school, you will not learn it from a legal writing course. Take it pass/fail. LRW is a stupid course.

C'mon, depends on the prof/school program. My legal writing classes were pretty good--created a solid foundation, which is all they can really do.

[MrKappus]

I would pass/fail the SHIT out of LRW. The memo's a huge time-sink when you'd rather be (I use "rather be" loosely) outlining.