Chicago-Kent College of Law

Chicago-Kent's Legal Research and Writing Program is one of the most comprehensive and rigorous in the nation. Students are required to take five graded semesters of Legal Research and Writing, totaling 11 credit hours. LW I introduces students to legal analysis, predictive writing, and legal research; LW II introduces students to persuasive writing and oral advocacy. LW III introduces students to transactional writing, negotiation, and communication with colleagues and clients; while LW IV provides advanced research training in areas such as international and foreign law, empirical and administrative issues, as well as an intensive writing experience in a subject area chosen by the student. Last, the senior seminar provides an opportunity for in-depth research, analysis, and writing on a topic of the student's choice. Students often choose to take more than one seminar. The first-year program, Legal Writing I & II, is taught by full-time LRW faculty. In 2006, Chicago-Kent has twelve full-time LRW faculty. The full-time faculty are a mix of people with clinical tenure (the Director, Associate Director, and four other LRW faculty) and Visiting Assistant Professors (a fellowship program of up to four years). Each full-time LRW faculty member teaches one section of not more than 30 first-year students each semester (faculty with administrative responsibilities teach fewer students), and is assigned a third or fourth year student Teaching Assistant, who aids with research, student counseling, teaching and grading citations, and other duties as agreed. Full-time LRW faculty also teach one other course each year, on a topic of interest to the faculty member and acceptable to the academic dean. Full-time LRW faculty serve on committees, attend faculty meetings and workshops, and are encouraged to participate in the intellectual life of the school. The starting salary for new LRW faculty in August 2006 was $54,000. LW III and LW IV are taught primarily by adjunct faculty, working with the program Director and dual-degreed Reference Librarians. Additionally, from time to time one of the long-term full-time LRW faculty "rotates up" and teaches in the second-year of the program. Several Clinical faculty members and the Library Director also teach LW III or LW IV. Seminars are taught by LRW faculty, by tenured and tenure track faculty, and by adjunct faculty.

Chicago-Kent also has a Director of Appellate Advocacy with clinical tenure and a full-time faculty member who works with international LL.M. students. Contact person for further information about the program:Mary Rose StrubbeProfessor of Legal Research and WritingDirector, Legal Research and Writing ProgramAssistant Director, Institute for Law and the WorkplaceChicago-Kent College of Law(312) 906-5288, mstrubbe@kentlaw.edu. For more information on the program, go to: www.kentlaw.edu/academics/lrw/