Northwestern Pritzker Law Legal Writing Program Continues Tradition of Excellence

With one of the oldest legal writing programs in the country, dating back to the mid-20^th century, Northwestern Pritzker Law has a long tradition of excellence in the field. The year-long Communication and Legal Reasoning course that teaches legal reasoning, research, writing, and oral argument to 1Ls is continually evolving to adapt to new developments the profession, particularly regarding the growing use of generative AI (GAI). In addition, the recently created Writing Lab serves as a peer-led program in which upper-level student Writing Fellows help other students become better writers, with a focus on grammar, sentence structure, and organization. Taken together, these initiatives ensure that Northwestern Pritzker Law produces graduates highly skilled in legal writing, who will be ready on day one when they begin their careers as practicing lawyers.

Northwestern Pritzker Law was one of the first law schools to integrate ChatGPT into its legal writing and ethics classes, beginning in spring of 2023. As GAI use grows and evolves, both in the legal profession and society at large, it becomes more important than ever for students to “develop the knowledge base and skills that will allow them to evaluate the output of generative AI tools,” said Michelle Falkoff, Clinical Professor of Law and Associate Dean of Legal Writing and Instruction. During the spring semester of Communication and Legal Reasoning, students are offered different opportunities to experiment with GAI tools in class through a variety of group exercises. However, “we still require students to do their own writing,” said Falkoff. “It’s really important for them to remember that GAI is a power tool that students need to be in charge of, rather than the reverse.”

The use of GAI tools presents opportunities and challenges to students who are beginning to learn legal analysis and the mechanics of legal writing. “The writing we’re having the students do is meant to help students learn the process of legal analysis,” said Falkoff, and might be very different from the types of writing students engaged with before law school.

For example, one of the greatest benefits of GAI use in legal practice can involve speeding up different aspects of the writing process, both in the outlining stage and in drafting. Falkoff adds that because these tools are constantly evolving, “they are getting more sophisticated about helping with these things all the time.” However, she also emphasizes that while this is useful for practicing lawyers, law students still need to learn the process of legal writing before they can successfully evaluate the output of GAI tools.

In this context, the Law School’s “proactive but cautious approach” helps students understand both the benefits and risks involved if these tools are not used correctly. “GAI tools still hallucinate, so they’re risky for research if the students don’t check the output,” said Falkoff. “The tools are not actually engaging in analysis,” which is where a lawyer’s primary work lies.  Therefore, when using GAI tools in class, faculty focus on teaching “what these tools are (large language models that engage in pattern-matching) and what they aren’t (search engines, for example, as well as tools that are generally doing anything we would call thinking).” 

With the constant evolution of these technologies and the ever-changing legal landscape, it is difficult to predict precisely how students will need to use GAI in the future. Ultimately, Falkoff says, “The most important lesson we’re trying to get across is that the tools are precisely as valuable and useful as the students’ future employers decide they are.”

Yet even as the GAI use continues to evolve, students are cognizant of its limitations as to the craft of writing itself, a craft that is crucial to their future practice as lawyers.  Thankfully, when it comes to honing their legal writing skills, students have a variety of resources to turn to. Notable among these is the Writing Lab, a program formally established in 2023 under the leadership of Meredith Gellar, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Writing Lab, and Nell Novara, Director of International Student Support. With a focus on grammar, sentence structure, and organization, the Writing Lab is intended to help all students become better writers.

The Writing Lab’s roots began in the International Student Department, where Novara ran a program designed to assist ESL students writing in a non-native language as they adjust to the transition of law school. From there, faculty and fellow students identified the need for assistance in basic grammar, punctuation, word choice, and organization among native speakers as well. Gellar joined the faculty when the Writing Lab formally began in 2023 and currently oversees about 25 Writing Fellows, all upper-level JDs. The Writing Lab also maintains a lending library within the Pritzker Legal Research Center that has resources on grammar, legal writing, and writing in general. “The goal is to give students the opportunity to have some refreshers and resources for skills they might not have had any training in since grammar or high school,” said Gellar.  

Writing Fellows, such as Aswini Melekote (JD ’26), meet online with students weekly to go over their writing, providing feedback that identifies strengths and weaknesses as well as editing strategies.  Aswini attributes their desire to become a Writing Fellow to a similar program they participated in at their undergraduate school. “I really enjoyed that experience, and in law school I really enjoyed CLR,” they said. “I found it to be a really helpful class, but it can be confusing if you’ve been out of school for a couple years or are used to a different style of writing. Working in the writing lab and helping students with their CLR memos made sense to me because it allowed me to take my undergraduate experience and tie it to CLR.”

In Melekote’s experience, the Writing Lab has helped students become more confident in their writing. “As Writing Fellows, we can help affirm students. Having our second pair of eyes to read their paper and tell them it’s good work, they just need to change a couple things structurally, is really helpful.” Melekote meets weekly with some students, and they have watched students come back and feel far more comfortable in their writing.” They also encourage students to use the Writing Lab even if they’re satisfied with their writing skills. “Even if you’re a proficient writer, the writing lab can be helpful. Because you always miss something, and an extra pair of eyes is key.” Another key offering of the Writing Lab is the opportunity for students to interact with students who aren’t in their year, allowing 1L students to speak with those who have gone before them. “A lot of people were asking me for advice in things like job searches,” said Melekote. “It’s a great secondary resource.”

For Professor Gellar, the student-driven aspect of the Writing Lab has been particularly gratifying. “It’s wonderful to see that students want to create that foundation [in writing] for themselves,” she said. “It’s a great penalty-free way to improve your writing before you enter practice and hit the ground running.”  

With the Writing Lab as a valued resource as well as an ever-evolving curriculum that includes training in the judicious use of GAI tools, students will leave the Law School well prepared for their future in the legal profession, whether they join a large law firm, begin a clerkship, or pursue a career in public interest.