Write-On Clinic

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Write-On Clinic
clrwriteon_at_gmail.com
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Presentation Outline

• Important Dates Logistics
• Write-On Components
• Case Note
• Editing Packet
• Personal Statement
• Additional Tips
• QA

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Important Dates

• April 18-22 (1230 p.m.-230 p.m.)
• RegistrationDonor Lobby
• May 13 (1000 a.m.)
• Write-On begins
• May 24 (800 p.m.)
• Packets due

What does a duck have to do with important dates,
you ask? Nothing!
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Time Commitments

• For the Write-On
• 12 days, number of hours spent varies
• Designed to allow for summer work and other
  commitments
• For CLR
• 2 years, approximately 80 hours per semester
• You can be a part of other journals and student
  groups and still be on CLR!

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Getting Your Ducks in a Row

• Registration
• Spring Final Exam
• 35 cash or check payable to California Law
  Review
• Packet Pickup/ Submission
• Pickup is all electronic
• Case note and personal statement submitted
  electronically
• Editing packet has special due dates, must be
  mailed or hand-delivered

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Editing Packet Due Dates

• Sending in your editing packet?
• Your 3 copies of the editing packet must arrive
  at the CLR office no later than noon on May 25.
  Youll need to overnight them on May 24. No late
  submissions will be accepted!

• Physically turning in your editing packet?
• Your 3 copies of the editing packet must be
  turned in to the CLR office by 8pm on May 24. No
  late submissions will be accepted!

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Case Note 50

• Purpose Provide commentary and legal analysis
  on a judicial opinion
• Can be focused on any aspect of the case
• Everything you need will be in your packet (case
  and research materials)

• Sample notes from past years on reserve
• 18 pages maximum (double-spaced)
• Specific page layout details to be provided in
  the packet
• Evaluated by 6 CLR Members
• Graded on a curve

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Past Cases

• United States v. Melendez-Diaz
• Drug analysis certificate is testimonial evidence
  subject to confrontation under the 6th Amendment
• Medellin v. Texas
• Whether and how international treaties and
  judgments become binding domestic law
• United States v. Kriesel
• Collecting non-violent felons DNA did not
  violate the 4th Amendment

Hi, Im a pig. Im really intelligent. Seriously.
I could probably write an awesome case note.
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Suggested Case Note Structure

• Introduction
• Courts holding
• Thesis
• The Case
• Procedural history
• Relevant facts
• Courts holding and reasoning
• Legal Background Existing Law
• Previous law

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Suggested Case Note Structure

• Case Analysis
• Was the case correctly or incorrectly decided?
• How does this case fit into existing law?
• Is the decision sound in light of public policy?
• Conclusion
• Summarize and unify your basic arguments.

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Case Note Tips

• Not expected to use all of the authorities
• Begin with media articles on the case
• Review material quickly before you try to form a
  thesis
• Thesis Pick a single, discrete issue
• Support thesis and address counterarguments
• Be clear, concise, and organized (headings)
• Proofread and revise carefully!
• Transitions, topic sentences, Bluebooking
• Small things can make the difference

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Case Note Grading

• Analysis (35)
• Skillful use of authority to support argument
• Critical, evenhanded discussion of courts legal
  and policy arguments
• Argument Presentation (20)
• Clarity, conciseness, persuasiveness

Bluebook Form
Analysis
Writing Ability
Organization
Argument Presentation
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Case Note Grading

• Organization (20)
• Overall structure and logic of casenote
• Flow of individual subsections
• Apportionment of the available space
• Integration of facts with legal arguments
• Writing Ability (15)
• Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, spelling,
  word choice, appropriate use of active voice,
  effective use of varied sentence sizes
• Bluebook Form (10)
• Need not give subsequent history if not provided
  in the packet

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Editing Packet 30

• Text and footnotes from a CLR article
• Evaluates
• Bluebooking of footnotes
• Cite-checking and source support
• Grammar and editing skills
• Must use 19th edition Bluebook
• Graded by development editors

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Editing Packet Tips

• Bluebooking
• The index is your friend
• Be meticulous Font size, abbreviations, small
  caps, order of authorities, etc.
• Do not use the blue pages

• Accuracy of Citation Information
• Pay attention to signals, date, court,
  page references
• Insert information where necessary
• All quotations must match original source
  verbatim

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Editing Packet Tips

• Source Support
• Does a proposition need source support? Is it a
  quote?
• Pay attention to parentheticals

• Grammar
• Correct all spelling and obvious punctuation
  errors
• Do not correct discretionary use
• Identify passive voice, split infinitives, run-on
  sentences, incomplete sentences
• Points deducted for misediting and overediting

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Editing Packet Tips

• Editing the Main Text
• Look for obvious structural problems. Does this
  paragraph have a topic sentence? Should this be
  two paragraphs and not one? Is this paragraph out
  of place?

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Personal Statement 20

• Prompt available on the CLR web site

• Sample personal statements on reserve
• 2 pages maximum (double-spaced)
• Specific page layout details to be provided in
  the packet
• Graded by 8 CLR Members (EIC, Managing Editor,
  Diversity Editor, and 5 other randomly selected
  members)

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Personal Statement Prompt
CLR seeks a membership with varied backgrounds
and interests. To this end, you may consider
discussing how your background, life or work
experiences, culture, and perspectives would
contribute to the diversity of the entering
class. If applicable, you may also describe any
adversity that you have overcome, including
discrimination, linguistic barriers, or a
personal or family history of educational or
socioeconomic disadvantage. Most importantly,
please illustrate how any of these relevant
factors affect the way you think about legal
scholarship and the ways you can uniquely
contribute to the work and community of the
California Law Review.
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Personal Statement Tips

• Be genuine!
• No laundry list of accomplishments
• Questions to think about
• Who are you?
• Why are you here?
• What do you bring to CLR?
• What are you passionate about?
• ANSWER THE PROMPT!

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Additional Tips

• Follow the Instructions
• Otherwise you might be disqualified
• Time Management
• Make sure you allot time to upload the casenote
  and personal statement and turn in the editing
  packet
• Proofread, proofread, proofread!!
• Each page is limited to 28 lines of text
• Break paragraphs exactly at 23 pt. to reach the
  max
• In MS Office 2003 Format ? Paragraph ?
  Line Spacing Exactly ? At 23 pt.
• Only use the authority that is provided in the
  packet
• Make sure to organize your thoughts and look at
  the samples before starting
• Note once the write-on begins, you cannot refer
  to the sample case notes or personal statements

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Additional Tips

• Get started early
• Keep at it!
• Use the materials effectively
• Dont try to second-guess the exercise
• There is no right answer (except on the editing
  section)

Dont be an ass! Just kidding. I love donkeys.
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Questions? Concerns?

• http//www.californialawreview.org/information/abo
  ut/membership-selection
• clrwriteon_at_gmail.com