Legal writing experts to convene for national conference at School of Law


LAWRENCE — Legal writing faculty from law schools across the country will gather this week at the University of Kansas to exchange views about how to teach the next generation of lawyers to communicate and advocate effectively.

The law school will host the 2013 Central States Legal Writing Conference on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27-28 at Green Hall, 1535 W. 15th St. The conference is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

With a theme of “Creating Context & Connections,” presenters will focus on methods to help students succeed in the classroom and in their careers. Topics include:

  • Building student knowledge to maximize learning of foundational legal skills.
  • Helping students see the interconnectivity between legal writing and their doctrinal courses or clinical work.
  • Connecting for students what they learn in legal writing to the practice of law, so they are more “practice-ready.”

Presenters will share their teaching techniques, curriculum ideas, research, assessment methods and uses of technology. 

“We know that our students’ ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing is critical to their success as lawyers,” said Pam Keller, lawyering skills director at the law school. “We continue to focus on ways to help our students develop these skills early and practice them consistently. The ideas generated at this conference will be the kind we can immediately implement in our classrooms to the direct benefit of our students.”

The School of Law has long been a leader in legal writing instruction. Training begins with a yearlong Lawyering Skills course, where students learn the fundamentals of legal analysis, research and writing. Over the next two years, they refine these skills through upper-level writing courses, service on the Kansas Law Review and the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy, and training in KU’s clinics and advocacy programs.

Wed, 09/25/2013

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Mindie Paget

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Mindie Paget

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