Below you will find legal writing resources prepared by the Columbia Law School Writing Center, including handouts, presentations, and workshop recordings. These resources address a broad range of legal writing issues, and will be updated periodically. Please contact [email protected] with questions or feedback.
For information about the Law School Writing Center, or to make an appointment, please visit the Writing Center main page.
CREAC: Structuring Legal Arguments
Writing in Plain English
Legal writing has a bad reputation as overly technical, verbose, and confusing, but that’s not what good legal writing is about! Learn how to communicate complex ideas in a digestible and manageable way. This workshop was led by CLS Writing Center Fellow Joohwan Kim.
How to Discuss Cases Effectively
Learn how to use cases to make your legal writing stronger and more persuasive. This session was facilitated by Writing Center Fellows Paul Riley and Isabella Gerrard.
Tables of Contents and Authorities for LPW Briefs
Learn how to make a table of contents and table of authorities for your brief. This session was facilitated by Writing Center Fellows Dakshïna Chetti and Erin Kurvers.
How to Research and Write in Summer Jobs, the Workplace, and Beyond
Learn how to handle common research and writing assignments during your summer jobs. The presenters will cover typical kinds of assignments, how to communicate with your supervisors to ensure you meet expectations, and tips on research techniques for real-world legal practice. The talk was presented by Writing Center Fellows Cesar Garcia and Jennifer Shults.