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Advanced Legal Writing
Prof. Herbert N. Ramy, Prof. Julie Baker, Prof. Lisa H. Healy, Prof. Ann McGonigle Santos,
Prof. Kathleen Elliott Vinson, Prof. Philip C. Kaplan, Mr. James A. Janda,
3 credits day; 3 credits evening. Attorney Janda: My advanced legal writing class requires
students to draft a substantial appellate brief (typically 35-45 pages). More specifically, I give
students a transcript and defendant‘s appellate brief from an actual case and require them to
draft, in the role of an assistant district attorney, the Commonwealth‘s brief in response to the
defendant‘s brief. In addition to the format and structure of a brief, the class lectures focus
heavily on legal analysis and basic grammar. I also frequently meet with students to review and
critique drafts of their briefs. Professor Kaplan: This is a three credit course concentrating on
legal analysis, writing, and research. The students research and write the government‘s reply
brief to a defendant‘s appellate brief, on a criminal matter. The course is taught via lectures,
individual student conferences, extensive written feedback on each assignment, and through in-
class exercises. Students write one six page memorandum based on cases they are given. The
next assignment is to write the Argument Section of the government‘s reply brief. The Argument
Section is the subject of a conference between the professor and each student. The final
assignment is to write the full reply brief. Each of these writing assignments is graded. Class
participation is graded at 10%. Professor Ramy: In this section of Advanced Legal Writing,
students will be graded based on 3 major writing assignments – a closed memo (15%) and two
drafts of an appellate brief (25% and 50% respectively) – and on class participation (10%).
Students must complete all writing assignments to receive credit for the course. The final draft of
the appellate brief may be used to satisfy the legal writing requirement. Professor Vinson: This
upper-level elective offers students the opportunity to further develop their legal analysis and
writing skills through practice-oriented writing assignments. Assignments include a legal
memorandum and an appellate brief, which may be used to satisfy the writing requirement, as
well as provide students with writing samples. These numerous writing assignments provide
students with extensive individual feedback on drafts and revisions. Individual conferences
supplement the class. Legal research is also reviewed. Class is interactive, involving writing and
editing exercises, peer review, group work, and guest lectures. Students are expected to
participate in class. Through hands on learning students build confidence in their analytical skills
and their ability to communicate their analysis in writing.
A comprehensive review of the principles of good legal writing. Major assignments include
drafting a legal document and writing a brief. Individual conferences supplement the lectures.
STANDARDS FOR ADVANCED LEGAL WRITING COURSES The faculty has voted to
encourage all students to take an advanced legal writing course during their upper-class years at
the Law School. Advanced legal writing courses are courses that meet the standards set forth
below. Ordinarily, an advanced legal writing course will satisfy the Upper Level Skills
Requirement. See Law Suffolk University Law School website,
www.law.suffolk.edu/academic/jd/skills/cfm. If so designated, it may also be used to meet the
Upper Level Legal Writing Requirement. See Law School Academic Rules and Regulations 2H.
1. Advanced legal writing courses include a significant writing component. This will include at
least three practice-oriented writing assignments--such as a legal memo or brief, writing
exercises, a draft of a transactional document, or an opinion letter based on an analysis of
appropriate legal materials such as cases and statutes. 2. The three writing assignments will total