The Care and Feeding of the Twenty-First-Century Developing Legal Writer: A Primer for the Supervising Practitioner

29 Pages Posted: 27 Oct 2015

See all articles by Mary B. Trevor

Mary B. Trevor

Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Date Written: October 26, 2015

Abstract

This article addresses how attorneys who supervise developing writers can achieve a manageable balance between their competing duties of client representation and supervision. While often excellent writers themselves, practicing attorneys are rarely trained to supervise the writing process. Moreover, their primary professional obligations pull them in other directions, and the time investment required for working with developing writers may leave supervisors feeling significant pressure about meeting their client-representation obligations. At the same time, however, their charges are embarking on a professional writing career and engaging in a particularly intensive phase of writing development — a phase whose success may well depend on a dedicated supervisor. In response to the supervision vs. representation challenge, this article focuses on how to provide a key aspect of supervision — feedback — in time and cost-efficient ways. In particular, it will provide helpful background information and step-by-step suggestions for practicing attorneys who supervise developing legal writers.

Keywords: supervisor, supervise, writing

Suggested Citation

Trevor, Mary B., The Care and Feeding of the Twenty-First-Century Developing Legal Writer: A Primer for the Supervising Practitioner (October 26, 2015). Legal Communication & Rhetoric: JALWD, Vol. 12, 2015, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2680490

Mary B. Trevor (Contact Author)

Mitchell Hamline School of Law ( email )

875 Summit Ave
St. Paul, MN 55105-3076
United States

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