Legal Writing Program
Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis has a required three-semester, six credit-hour graded writing course requirement. The first two semesters of the J.D. course cover objective writing, persuasive writing (at the trial court level), and an introduction to oral advocacy. The third semester is integrated with the intramural Moot Court Competition and covers appellate advocacy as well as drafting of non-litigation documents. Librarians with J.D. degrees teach research throughout the three semesters of the program. Faculty/student ratios typically average between 1:35-40 for full-time professors.
The program has seven full-time faculty members, either with 405(c) status or on track for 405(c) protection (which they may apply for after successfully completing three years of teaching). Faculty members can request summer research grants and summer or academic year teaching assignments of elective courses. Several writing professors serve as advisors to the national Moot Court teams. Faculty members also receive a professional development fund, serve on committees, and vote on all matters (other than some appointment and promotion issues). The seven full-time writing professors, Joan Ruhtenberg, Cynthia Adams, Ken Chestek, Jim Dimitri, Allison Martin, Debby McGregor, and Joel Schumm, have collectively over seventy-five years teaching experience in the field. Our writing professors have been active in the Legal Writing Institute (LWI), participating regularly as presenters at conferences and on LWI committees. Joan Ruhtenberg is a co-author of A Practical Guide to Legal Writing and Legal Method, and other faculty members continue to publish in legal writing and doctrinal areas.
The LWI recently selected the law school as the host school for the LWI discussion listserv, LRWPROF-L, as well as various other lists that serve the LWI community. Two members of our faculty also serve on the eighteen-member Board of Editors for the Journal of the Legal Writing Institute.
