LAWS 4485 Advanced Legal Writing
This course focuses on legal analysis and writing with a particular focus on the audience and purpose of written legal communications. The primary purpose of this course is to assist students in becoming practice ready attorneys. Students will continue to build on the skills gained in their First Year Legal Research and Writing course and need only an interest in bettering their writing skills, including their editing skills. Using hypothetical client problems and a simulated court record, students will write client communications, including client letters and electronic communications, as well as pretrial civil litigation documents, such as legal briefs. Students will spend course time discussing each written assignment, reviewing drafts and collaborating on in-class exercises.
Course overview
- Department
- Law
- School
- LAW
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Graduate
- Offered
- Annually
Catalog details
- Prerequisites
- LAWS2150
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.01 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.13 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 10
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Alice Noble | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 8 of 9 |
| Fall 2025 | Rita Kraner | 3.1 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 8 of 10 |
| Spring 2025 | Alice Noble | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 11 of 11 |
| Spring 2025 | Jennifer Connor | 3.2 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 1–3 hrs/week | 12 of 13 |
| Fall 2024 | Rita Kraner | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4–6 hrs/week | 9 of 9 |
| Spring 2024 | Alice Noble | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 10 of 12 |
| Spring 2024 | Jennifer Connor | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4–6 hrs/week | 9 of 11 |
| Fall 2023 | Rita Kraner | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 11 of 15 |
| Spring 2023 | Alice Noble | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 1–3 hrs/week | 10 of 12 |
| Spring 2023 | Elizabeth Frumkin | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 12 of 13 |
| Spring 2023 | Jennifer Connor | 4.3 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 4–6 hrs/week | 9 of 9 |
| Fall 2022 | Rita Kraner | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.1 | — | 14 of 14 |
| Spring 2022 | Alice Noble | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.9 | — | 7 of 11 |
| Spring 2022 | Jennifer Connor | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 12 of 14 |
| Fall 2021 | Rita Kraner | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 5 of 7 |