How can I tell if a law school has a strong legal writing program?

Alyssa Dragnich

Director of Academic Success; Clinical Professor of Law

Professor Alyssa Dragnich is Director of Academic Success at ASU Law, where she draws on her experience in energy regulation, legal practice and more than a decade of teaching to help law students achieve their academic goals through courses, workshops and individualized support.

Lawyers and judges will tell you that the most important classes you take in law school are the legal writing classes. Research, analysis and writing are the backbone of the practice of law. Legal writing classes don’t focus on grammar; instead, they teach future lawyers to have strong analytical skills and to write with strong, clear prose.

The quality of that instruction can vary from law school to law school. At ASU Law, the Legal Method and Writing program is ranked No. 1 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report (2027). Our full-time legal writing faculty bring more than two centuries of collective teaching experience to the classroom, where small class sizes allow for in-depth instruction and individualized feedback. Their expertise extends beyond the classroom: 

• 81 essays
• 42 law review articles
• 20 books published

As a prospective law student, you should choose your future law school carefully. Here are some questions to ask as you evaluate a school’s legal writing program.

Are the 1L writing courses taught by full-time professors or by adjunct professors?

The structure of legal writing programs can vary from school to school. Some law schools rely primarily on full-time legal writing faculty, while others incorporate adjunct professors who bring current practice experience into the classroom.

One advantage of a program staffed by full-time professors is the level of accessibility and continuity they can provide. Full-time faculty have dedicated time for individual student meetings, detailed feedback on written work and ongoing mentorship throughout the semester. They also focus their professional efforts on teaching, curriculum development and student success.

Of course, experience in legal practice remains important. The strongest legal writing professors combine substantial practice backgrounds with a deep commitment to teaching and developing students' writing, research and advocacy skills.

At ASU Law, all legal writing courses are taught by full-time professors who were previously practicing attorneys. Each professor was hired for both their legal experience and their commitment to teaching.

How many writing elective courses are offered? 

The ABA requires accredited law schools to offer “one writing experience in the first year and at least one additional writing experience after the first year, both of which are faculty supervised.” At some law schools, students take legal writing classes as a 1L but then have no options to take advanced writing classes.

At ASU Law, students can enroll in a wide range of upper-level writing elective classes, including Contract Drafting and Negotiating, Writing for Judicial Clerks and Writing for Law Practice. These classes are capped at 16 students to allow all students to receive significant individual feedback. We also offer online versions of certain electives, including during the summer term, to allow a greater number of students to enroll.

How many students does each professor teach?

You will want to attend a school where you can get individual feedback on your writing and meet with your professor frequently. If a professor teaches 50 or 60 law students, the professor will have less time to spend on each student. At ASU Law, each professor teaching 1L writing usually teaches 34-38 students in total.

ASU Law legal writing professors provide individual comments on more than 1000 pages of student writing per semester. They meet with their students one-on-one and in small groups, in addition to holding weekly office hours.

What kinds of practical opportunities will I have to improve my writing skills?

To truly hone your writing skills, you will want the opportunity to try them in real practice settings – under the supervision of a licensed attorney, of course. Evaluate how many clinics and externship opportunities a law school offers.

ASU Law’s 10 legal clinics and over 500 externship placements provide ample opportunities for students to get real-world writing practice.

As you compare law schools, consider not only where you want your legal career to take you, but how each school will prepare you to get there. Strong legal writing skills will shape your success in externships, summer positions, clerkships and throughout your legal career.

With the nation’s No. 1-ranked legal writing program, ASU Law gives students the instruction, feedback and practical foundation to enter those opportunities prepared to communicate clearly, think critically, advocate with confidence and succeed widely.