The Writing Center team consists of upper-year law students who serve as writing fellows. Writing fellows are available to meet individually with 1Ls in Legal Practice Workshop (LPW), international dual degree students, and LLMs in Legal Research and Writing (LRW). Consultations can be used to review specific pieces of legal writing (up to 10, double-spaced pages) or to discuss effective legal writing strategies in general.
Consultation appointments are confidential. While the priority is academic writing, students may also make appointments to review professional legal writing samples as time allows. The goal of the Writing Center is to help students become better legal writers and the best possible editors of their own work.
In addition to holding 1:1 consultations, the writing center fellows also hold group workshops several times a semester. Writing workshops are open to all law students, including 2Ls and 3Ls.
What we can review and/or discuss during a consultation:
- Writing assignments for 1L Legal Practice Workshop or LL.M. Legal Research and Writing. Students do not need instructor permission to bring in assignments from these classes.
- Legal writing from a prior class that has already been submitted for a grade or an excerpt from a journal note that has already been submitted for publication.
- Effective legal writing strategies in general, using Writing Center examples and/or exercises.
What we can review with permission from your past employer:
A legal writing sample from a prior job, internship, externship, or clinic. Students must obtain written permission from their employer and redact any confidential information before sharing this type of legal writing sample with the Writing Center.
What we cannot review or provide:
- Writing for current, upper-level classes that has not yet been submitted for a grade.
- Students may not make appointments to discuss the following pieces of legal writing: take-home or practice examinations from a current class, journal notes that have not yet been submitted for publication, and legal writing samples that will also be used for journal applications.
- We are not able to provide substantive feedback, nor review any piece of legal writing in the absence of a consultation appointment.
- We will not proof, line edit, or rewrite student work.
- We are not able to review resumes or cover letters. We encourage students to reach out to the career offices for this type of assistance.
Learn More
Students may make an appointment as follows. Please make an appointment at least 48 hours in advance.
- Please use the button on the right to make an appointment. You will be prompted to log in using your UNI credentials.
1L/LLM Lunch Series
Writing fellows host a series of workshops for 1Ls throughout the semester. The first workshop of the Fall 2025 semester will be on Monday, September 22 at 12:10 pm in WJWH 208. Further event information will be provided via the events calendar.
Workshop #2: CREAC Basics (Tuesday, October 21 at 12:10PM - WJW 208)
This workshop will unpack a core tool of legal writing, both academically and in the practical setting - CREAC!
Writing Fellows Anna Perry and Danna Burshtine will help explain what exactly CREAC is, and how to effectively apply it on assignments like memos and exams. By the end of this workshop, you will be able to confidently apply this key structure with ease!
Workshop #3: Writing In Plain English (Thursday, November 13 at 12:10PM - WJW 208)
Our final workshop of the fall semester will focus on a core intangible of legal writing - writing in plain English!
Writing Fellows Hanna Lee and Boyd Housey will explain how to make your writing accessible and concise. By the end, you'll have a grasp on how to make your writing both legally sound and aesthetically pleasing!
Please see the Law School Writing Center resource page for handouts, presentations, and workshop recordings covering a broad range of legal writing issues.
2025-2026 Writing Fellows
Senior Fellows: Kevin Liao & Saul Roselaar
Katerina Kakkis
Hannah Levy
Ijahala Pottinger
Danna Burshtine
Junsong Huang
Helen Sayegh
Boyd Housey
Benjamin Tutt
Lily Zheng
Anna Perry
Jackson Keys
Mitchell Taylor
Hanna Lee
Katie Lee
Avital Rutenberg
The Writing Center is located on the fifth floor of William and June Warren Hall. To send a general question to the Writing Center, please email us at [email protected].
1. Who can use the Columbia Law School Writing Center?
Any current law student.
2. Where is the Writing Center located, when is it open, and how do I schedule an appointment?
The Writing Center is located on the fifth floor of William and June Warren Hall. It is open all year, including over the summer, though appointments with writing fellows are limited to the fall and spring semesters. Please see the Make an Appointment section below for information about scheduling appointments.
3. With whom will I meet?
The Law School Writing Center is staffed by upper-year student writing fellows.
4. What should I do to prepare for an appointment?
If you are coming to the center to discuss a specific piece of writing, please share the piece as directed at least 48 hours prior to your appointment.
You are also welcome to make an appointment to discuss an area of legal writing more generally. In this situation, please make sure to explain your area of interest in the "notes" section of your sign-up form.
5. What kind of feedback will I receive?
Writing Center staff will not line edit or rewrite your work for you. We will not provide feedback on substantive legal issues, nor review without consultation. Rather, we will review your work for common problems or issues related to organization, argument structure, grammar, and style. We will then work with you to help you understand these issues so that you can become a stronger editor of your own work.