LEGAL WRITING SAMPLES Many employers (including judges) will ask to see a writing sample. A sample that demonstrates legal (statutory or case law) analysis and case citation is preferred. What do I use as my legal writing sample?  If you are a First Year law student, then you generally would use a submission from your legal research and writing course or another course (legal memo, appellate brief).  Upper Level students can still use their 1L writing samples or may use a writing sample that was prepared for a legal employer (including through clinics, internships and externships) or for a judge as part of a judicial internship or externship (such as an internal memo, letter to a client, section of a pleading, contract, etc.) or part of a law review article.  If an employer requests an “unedited” writing sample, please consult with a CCPD counselor to determine which sample will be acceptable. How do I prepare my legal writing piece to be a legal writing sample?  Review and incorporate your professor’s suggestions before using the document as a writing sample; take the time to review and edit your writing sample to make it the best possible example of your writing skills.  If your writing sample was prepared for an employer or externship host, be sure to ask permission first and make sure to take all required measures in order to protect client confidentiality (for example, redacting client names or other identifying details by changing them to illusory ones (such as Mr. X or Plaintiff).  If the sample is a draft decision for a judge, you must indicate on the writing sample that you have received the judge’s permission and that your sample is a draft of what you worked on for the judge. (Judges are always the sole authors of their opinions.)  Check for grammar, typos, bluebooking, page formatting, etc. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE PERFECT.  Proofread and have someone else (preferably someone with knowledge of legal writing) proofread. How Long Should the Legal Writing Sample Be?  The preferred length of a writing sample is 5-12 pages.  If your writing sample is longer than 12 pages, a 5-12 page excerpt of your sample is acceptable. In this case, place a cover sheet over the sample and include your name and contact information along with a brief description of the origin of the writing sample and when it was written. For instance, state "The following sample is a section of a brief that was written for the Environmental Litigation Clinic during Fall 2010." NB: As much as we would like to, the Pace Law School Center for Career and Professional Development does not have sufficient time to review student writing samples for correct analysis, bluebooking, style or grammar. We can suggest which of several pieces you might want to use, but we encourage you to work with your legal writing instructor, a professor or member of the Academic Support Office.