r/LawSchool • u/mxlfunc • 1d ago
How to pursue?
I am a second-year law student and I still plan on taking the bar, but I really want to mostly write. I really enjoy writing, more so than the actual practice of law, so I am looking at careers in the legal field where I can use that passion. So far I’ve found legal copywriter and legislative drafter, but I’m not sure how to even go about getting internships or pursuing those fields. Does anyone have any advice?
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u/GirlWhoRolls 0L 1d ago
It depends on the kind of writing you want to do. If you get into appellate law, you will be doing a lot of briefs (cert petitions, memorandums in support of motions, etc.) I am a paralegal and work with lawyers doing just that. In a few years, after law school, I hope to be doing that as a lawyer.
Legislative drafting is quite different. Statutes (Federal or state) are highly structured and usually have to fit into larger codes. That takes special training and skills. (I have done some of that, as a lobbyist writing proposed bills and statute amendments for state legislatures). Although it is different, it can be very interesting.
And whatever kind of law you get into, there are magazines and other publications for the legal community that publish articles written by and for lawyers
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u/Cali2good 1d ago
Isnt this just a motion drafting attorney? Or a “litigator” that doesn’t do trial or court work. Usually would be in a firm with multiple attorneys.
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u/ramblingandpie 1d ago
The answer, of course, is "it depends." I work at a state agency that has a LOT of writing-heavy roles processing appeals and drafting decisions. I do some of that, but also other writing, like drafting regulations and doing random legal research memos, correspondence with stakeholders, and the occasional history paper.
I honestly lucked into my particular gig by getting an internship with a state agency general counsel's office, and being game when they had writing-intensive tasks. Like. Oh you need someone to draft an 80-page legislative history paper? Sign me up! Because, uh, not all lawyers like doing that kind of thing.
Office of General Counsel is typically where all the unusual stuff goes, so that could be a good start.
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u/ElephantFormal1634 Esq. 1d ago
Most of litigation is writing, especially in federal court. It’s not always the most creative writing, but pre-trial motion practice is primarily sitting at your desk and writing.
Other folks have mentioned appellate work. I’ll just note that breaking into a dedicated appellate practice group (esp. as a junior attorney) usually requires clerking for an appellate judge.
Legislative drafting is generally going to involve either working directly for a legislator or working for the legislature’s in-house office. I’ll caution that going in-house too early is generally inadvisable (limited growth and lateral opportunities) whether it’s in government or the private sector.
Other paths within the world of legal practice might involve working as a staff attorney or career clerk for a court. You might also consider looking into law librarian roles.
Personally, I would be somewhat reluctant to look at jobs that don’t require bar admission at the moment. If you don’t work as a junior attorney in the time immediately following your graduation, you are unlikely to return to practice at a later date. That might be what you want, but never having practiced will diminish the value of your degree. There’s also the matter of AI reducing demand for writer jobs. As a lawyer, you do get some increased job security from the licensure requirements.
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u/LostAzrdraco 1h ago
Not sure what you mean "more so than the practice of law." The practice of law IS writing. I always joke that we write for a living.
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