What to use as law school writing sample?
Asked by: Aliyah Bashirian | Last update: December 1, 2025Score: 4.8/5 (56 votes)
Other examples of appropriate writing samples include moot court competition briefs, drafts of law review articles, papers written for seminar classes, articles for bar association periodicals or other journals, trial court motions (from working at a law firm or interning for a judge), office memoranda, case notes on ...
What should I use for a legal writing sample?
Memos or briefs from your legal writing class are good options, so long as you did well on them.
What is a writing sample for law school?
Content. Select a writing sample which illustrates high quality legal research, writing, and analytical skills. Pick a document which best demonstrates your current skill set. Choose a sample with as little editing by others as possible. For a published work, send an early, unedited draft.
What can I use as a writing sample?
If you have any writing samples about books--and preferably not academic analysis--that'll be your best bet. A reader's report from a different job, a book review, an editorial letter from a writing workshop.
Do law schools see your writing sample?
Once completed, reviewed, and approved, your writing sample will be shared with the law schools to which you have applied. Test takers will be required to have an approved writing sample in their file in order to see their test score or have their score released to law schools.
Writing Samples
What makes a good LSAT writing sample?
While your writing sample has no word limit, you should aim to be as clear and concise as possible. Most writing samples on the LSAT are between two and four paragraphs long. Ensure you prioritize quality over quantity.
How many pages a day do you read in law school?
Not count- ing legal research and writing assignments, most first year law students meet with three classes on average per weekday. Thus, an average reading load could range from thirty-six to over seventy-five pages of reading on "school nights" - well over 2,000 pages of dense reading a semester.
How long should a writing sample be in law school?
The writing sample should be five to ten pages in length, unless otherwise indicated by a particular employer. If you have selected a longer sample, you can provide an excerpt from the sample and add a cover page that provides the appropriate context, as described below.
Can I use a college essay as a writing sample?
When choosing a sample, consider the writing style that you will be using at your job, internship, or graduate program. Writing samples can come from your coursework and/or work experiences. Typical samples include: Academic papers.
What if I don't have a writing sample for graduate school?
If you provide an excerpt, make sure to provide at notation at the top that explains it is an excerpt and what paper the excerpt is from. What if you don't have a writing sample? If you don't have a writing sample, it is acceptable to create a new sample to use for the application.
What to redact in a legal writing sample?
Make sure you redact any confidential or sensitive information. someone else, neatly cross out sections that are not your work. Alternatively, you can attach only your sections and explain in the cover sheet that the sample is only a section of a brief that was written by you.
When a law firm asks for a writing sample?
consider your audience when choosing a writing sample. If possible, choose a sample that pertains to the employer's practice. Your work—Use a sample that you wrote on your own. If it is a collaborative sample, excise any part written by others and be sure to provide an explanation on your cover sheet.
How old can a legal writing sample be?
Use examples that include persuasive writing, and avoid samples that did not require research, or are scholarly rather than practical in nature. Always provide something recent to show off your current skill level, preferably something within the last two years.
What is a brief legal writing sample?
Examples could include: moot court brief; upper year seminar paper or research project; memo, letter, administrative comments, or advocacy piece from an internship or externship; clinic work sample; or journal note. o Remember that your sample should (usually!) be only 5-10 pages.
What constitutes a writing sample?
A writing sample provides an employer with an example of how you organize and express your thoughts. The purpose is to convince an employer you can create the kind of written materials and handle the type of work expected of an employee in the position.
What writing format is used in law school?
Times New Roman or similar, 12 pt font. Double spaced lines. One inch margins all around. Footnotes in academic Bluebook style (use the rules on the main white pages instead of the light blue pages at the front of the Bluebook).
What should I use as a writing sample for grad school?
Look for information on topics, length, format, and any additional instructions. Understanding these requirements is crucial. Select a writing sample that aligns with the program's expectations. It should showcase your academic and analytical abilities, as well as your expertise in the field.
Do writing samples need citations?
Remove any privileged or sensitive information. Do not use anything too old. Submit only your own work. Be sure to cite your sources (A short bibliography does not usually count towards your total number of pages.)
How many writing samples should I send?
Typically, 8-12 pieces showcasing a range of styles, topics, and formats can make a strong impression. Ensure each sample highlights your writing skills, versatility, and expertise relevant to your target audience or niche.
How many pages do law students read a week?
The rumors are true: law school is a lot of work! You should expect to be assigned anywhere from 10 pages to 200 pages of reading for each class! Then, multiply that number by 4-5 classes, and each class will likely meet 2-3 times per week!
How much does the LSAT writing sample matter?
Is LSAT Writing used in law school admissions? Not really. There's a chance that your LSAT essay just may go totally unread. LSAT writing samples are rarely used to evaluate law school candidates, so no matter how well or poorly you did, this exercise will most likely not affect your admissions chances.
What are the three types of legal writing?
As different as these documents are from each other, they all fall into one of three categories defined by the lawyer's primary role when writing them: (1) planning and preventive writing, (2) predictive writing, and (3) persuasive writing.
Is law school harder than college?
Law school is almost universally harder than college—but this is a good thing. It's designed to prepare you for the rigors of your legal career.
Is law school a lot of memorization?
The type of memorization required for law school is a bit different than what you dealt with in undergrad and high school. You'll need to memorize a lot more in a shorter amount of time. And, beyond just memorizing rules and elements, you'll also be required to understand and apply what you've memorized.
How many hours do law students study a week?
First-year law students should expect to commit an average of 30-40+ hours of studying per week (some advocating for more), with around 30-60 pages of reading per class each week.