26 / 152
20
H.
Legal Writing Requirement Policy
Prior to graduation each student must complete a substantial piece of legal writing that
demonstrates both proficiency in writing skills and mastery of the subject matter, known as the
“Legal Writing Requirement.” It is strongly recommended that students complete the Legal
Writing Requirement no later than their next to last semester prior to graduation. To satisfy the
Legal Writing Requirement, students must satisfy the rules, requirements, and procedures listed
below.
1.
G
ENERAL
R
ULES
a.
A paper intended to satisfy the Legal Writing Requirement must be substantial,
meaning a length of at least 20 typewritten pages of double-spaced text (at least
4,000 words, not counting appendices). If in the judgment of the supervising
faculty member, two or more pieces of written work cumulatively are the
equivalent of a substantial piece of legal writing, they may jointly qualify to
satisfy the Legal Writing Requirement.
b.
The student’s research and writing for the paper should reflect the student’s own
individual effort. It should be the student’s
original
work. A writing that is in
whole or in part a product of plagiarism does not meet the standards of this
requirement, much less the rules related to Academic Integrity set out in
Regulation II (F), which should be reviewed by the student at the outset and
which governs the student’s conduct. The student may not receive any assistance
on the paper from anyone, unless the supervising faculty member has given the
student express permission. The paper, or substantially the same paper, must not
have been submitted for credit in any previous course. If in extraordinary
circumstances, a student is authorized to submit the same work, or parts of the
same work, in satisfaction of more than one requirement, written consent of all
persons to whom the work is to be submitted must be obtained in advance and be
on file with the Academic Services Office. To assure compliance with the rules
related to academic integrity, and in order to submit a paper to satisfy the Legal
Writing Requirement, each student should be given a copy of this Legal Writing
Requirement and shall certify before undertaking it that the student has read and
understood the Legal Writing Requirement, including the rules relating to
Academic Integrity (Regulation II (F)).
c.
Each student should use The Bluebook, A Uniform Manual for Citation or its
equivalent for all citations.
d.
The student’s paper must demonstrate proficiency in writing skills and a mastery
of the subject matter. In assessing whether the student has succeeded, the
following criteria will be relevant:
i.
the quality of the student’s research;
ii.
the manner in which the student treated and examined open questions;