A Problem-Solving Approach to Law Practice Developed Through Legal Writing Courses

One of the goals of legal education should be to connect students' legal knowledge and legal skills with client populations that need legal assistance. So it is safe to say our goal as educators is to help students acquire the tools to deliver legal services to diverse client populations. Because of this, perhaps a lawyer’s most important tool is a lawyer’s ability to problem solve. This chapter explains how to focus legal writing courses on enhancing students’ ability to recognize and address client-specific problems. This chapter is excerpted from Teaching Law Practice: Preparing the Next Generation of Lawyers, eds. Cercone, Miller, & Trudeau (Vandeplas Publishing, 2013).