Document Type

Article

Abstract

The authors, themselves writing advisors at The John Marshall Law School and Seattle University School of Law respectively, have recently surveyed both Directors of Legal Writing and Writing Advisors across the country to learn more about the phenomena of Writing Advisors in law schools. This article will report the results of that survey. First, however, the authors will give a brief history of the events surrounding the arrival of Writing Advisors at law schools, including the rise of the writing-across-the-curriculum (WAC) movement, and then they will describe how these events set the stage for Writing Advisors at law schools. Second, they will use the data we obtained from the survey to present a snapshot of the current field of Writing Advisors in law schools. This snapshot will include information about who is filling these positions, what responsibilities they have, and how much they are paid, as well as the words of the Writing Advisors themselves as they describe the rewards and challenges of these positions. Third, using the survey data, the authors will discuss how current Writing Advisors may shape their roles within their law schools and how law schools that are considering adding a Writing Advisor position to their program may develop such a position. Finally, they will look at the future of Writing Advisor positions and discuss the challenges and opportunities for Writing Advisors in the next decade.

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