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Legal Writing at Emory

Introduction to Legal Advocacy, Research, and Communications (ILARC)

The First Year

In their first year, students take Introduction to Legal Analysis, Research, and Communication (ILARC) in the fall semester and Introduction to Legal Advocacy (ILA) in the spring semester. Through experiential learning exercises and one-on-one sessions with our full-time writing faculty members, these courses introduce the tools and techniques essential to law practice.

In the fall semester, the course focuses on objective writing. Students learn to analyze a legal issue, perform research efficiently, write and edit legal memoranda predicting the outcome of a client’s legal issue, and properly cite every source. 

During the spring semester, students continue to hone their research and writing skills while learning the techniques of written and oral advocacy. Students draft an appellate brief and present an oral argument before judges.

Upper-level Writing Opportunities Separate from ILARC and ILA

After the first year, all students are required to write a substantial research paper and to participate in the Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques. In addition, second- and third-year students may take two writing electives. Students may also hone their writing, editing, advocacy, and research skills through

  • serving on the student-run journals with close faculty supervision of journal comments for Emory Law's student-run journals
  • taking a faculty-led workshop on scholarly legal writing
  • working one-on-one with professors on scholarly research and book projects as research assistants
  • competing with the Moot Court and Mock Trial teams
  • working in our clinics and centers
  • participating in Technological Innovation: Generating Economic Results, or TI:GER, a multidisciplinary partnership with Georgia Tech that focuses on intellectual property and technology commercialization issues