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Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law hosted the Legal Writing Institute 21st Biennial Conference Bench & Bar Day Friday for law students, attorneys and judges across the country.
The last time the law school hosted the biennial conference was in 2008. Law schools across the country submit proposals to host the event every other year. In 2022 the event was held at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.
The opening panel on prepping new lawyers included former Indiana Supreme Court Justice Steven David, Professor at Cooley Law School Mark Cooney and Associate Clinical Professor of Law at Michigan State University College of Law Sarah Eskridge.
Eskridge focused her presentation on the Next Gen Bar Exam and interviewing clients.
“Of course, there are going to be exceptions, but this also helps us as educators to do the things that we should be striving to do, to put out practice-ready employees as they come out of law school, because that’s our number one objective,” Eskridge said.
Cooney’s presentation was on legal language and looked at several cases in which documents were not enforceable due to the average person not being able to understand the legalese.
“I say that we need to do more work as legal drafters to come up with something that serves our client better,” Cooney said. “If our client is relying on us to draft a release form, we want to make sure it’s enforceable.”
David gave his perspective from the bench and what attorneys can expect from judges at both the trial and appellate levels.
“Judges don’t like surprises,” David said.
He added that attorneys doing what they can to keep the judge from being knocked off their feet will help them in the long run.
The next panel covered legal writing with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law Professor Nantiya Ruan, University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law Professor Melissa Henke, St. John’s University School of Law Professor Robin Boyle, and Wake Forest Law Professor Laura Graham presenting.
Ruan’s presentation went over writing amicus briefs and how it can be a learning experience for students. She stressed how it is important to have a partnership between legal writing professors and attorneys.
She gave the example of being asked to review and put her name on an amicus brief and how they add to a case by going over another issue the original lawsuit and briefs don’t.
Boyle went over opportunities for students to engage with the bar and bench. At St. John’s University School of Law there is a partnership with the Pittsburgh Law Center in which students are able to have mentors and write about topics they have a passion for.
“This program takes that law school scholarship and really brings it to where students are writing about timely topics. It means something very important to them. I believe all students have a deep seated topic that they want to write about, to write it up. It’s really nice to get it out there,” Boyle said.
Graham discussed a profession development course Wake Forest Law has that helps students find their professional identities.
“(It’s) to gain some of the skills that they will need to be able to land a job, and they’re very proud of the things like resume writing, cover letter writing,” Graham said.
The students are also required to do a certain number of informational interviews with professionals and write reflection papers on them.
While panels and presentations were going on, participants could attend wellness sessions in the law school’s library. Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program brought therapy dogs for attendees to pet and relax with between sessions.
The afternoon discussions included topics on artificial intelligence and the use of social media.
The next biennial conference will be in 2026. The location has not been announced at this time.
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