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3L paper... And there was much rejoicing

We got email from the Dean today announcing changes to the written work policy.

Harvard only has two real requirements for graduation, aside from completing 1L and taking the requisite number of credits. One is the astoundingly easy to meet pro bono requirement. Clinicals, public service jobs, and student practice organizations all count. If you cannot scrape up 40 hours of pro bono work during 3 years of law school, you need to spend way less time in the library or at the bar.

The second is the written work requirement, more commonly known as the 3L paper. This has also been a fairly loose requirement in the past -- I've heard of people submitting plays and novellas for their 3L papers. It just had to be substantial, original, law-related written work.

The email we just got says that instead of the traditional lengthy paper, we can now submit two pieces of classwork, upper-level moot court briefs, work from clinicals, a series of reaction papers, case studies we've prepared -- in short, almost any written work we've done for any purpose during law school.

On one hand, I thought I would get a lot out of my 3L paper. The closest I've come to writing a scholarly article since school started was my sucky Law Review write-on application. I was thinking about writing on whether nursing should be considered a disability under the ADA.

On the other... you mean I don't have to spend two writing credits and lots of hours and effort? I can just show you stuff I've already written? Hell yes.

That's one less thing on my plate. Once I'm done taking Legal Writing next semester, goodbye 3L paper requirement.

Full post as published by Magic Cookie on December 19, 2007 (boomark / email).