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Learn How to Perfectly Structure a Law Essay

A law essay needs an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. usually, each body paragraph contains one idea. the introduction features one paragraph that highlights the topic and concludes with a thesis statement. the conclusion is a summary of the introduction and the key points in the body paragraphs. .

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Concision is a key issue that requires attention in a law essay. Every point you introduce requires to be supported by authorities. It can be a statute or a case law. Pay attention to the structure and type of law essay you are writing, such as compare and contrast, critical analysis, argumentative, and descriptive. 

Pay attention to the key features of a law essay

A law essay focuses on legal issues which can be both current and historical. You can compare and contrast the application of justice in the past and modern society. You could look at key amendments to the constitution. Sometimes, the lecturer could be specific on the topic to cover. It is beneficial to request help from  assignment services  if you have difficulties writing or lack time. 

The key features of an attractive law essay include the following:

● A strongly defended and clear thesis statement

● Use of correct references and quotations

● Writing concisely in the right style

● Following a well-defined structure and flow

● Expressing a high creativity level based on deeply researched arguments that respond to the essay question. 

● Being attentive to details while focusing on the essay question

● Staying within the legal frameworks and using the simplest language possible

Find an attractive topic

The professor will love your essay if he notices you are keen when selecting the topic. It must be aligned with the essay question and directly address the issue at hand. Every legal paper provides an analysis of the law, which requires you to study the law and research its application widely. The information you get will give you broader ideas on the topic to choose. Structure the topic in a way that makes it attractive in the eyes of the reader. 

Create your writing plan

The amount of information required in a law essay is huge. You will be required to gather it from multiple sources and consolidate it into the most appealing essay. This calls for proper planning from the starting point to the end. Since you require ample time, the first item should be the amount of time you need to complete a detailed law essay. Give yourself enough time and, if possible, the maximum time. 

If you have two weeks to the submission date, plan how you will do your research. Based on the type of essay you are writing, research to know the types of sources that will provide the right information. Plan how you will access each source, the amount of information to get from there, and how to get it. It is crucial to record each source for the sake of references. Create a writing plan based on the information available to you. This includes the points to use in each section and how to use them. 

Develop an outline

The outline helps to make sure you do not leave out any important point or section. If you fail to create a good outline, your essay law essay structure will be flawed. The outline draft includes every point that you will use in the three main parts of an essay. There will be one key point for the introduction, three or four points for the body, and another point for the conclusion. Write guided by the outline and then write the final draft based on the outline draft. Pay attention to these three parts. 

While you create the plan, it is important to note that you need the best resume to apply as an intern or to find your first job. To ensure success, approach a  write my essay for me  service. Getting professional help is your best option to impress the recruiters who scan your CV as the first thing when you apply for a job.

Introduction

In this section, state clearly what the essay is about. Most creatively, inform the reader what your discussion is about. Hook the readers by making the introduction engaging and interesting. The paragraph concludes with a thesis statement that tells the reader how you will interpret the law and its importance in the topic. 

Mostly, the body of a law essay consists of three or four paragraphs. It is the main part of the essay and covers the key arguments. This is the section where you provide your evidence to the point stated in your thesis statement. Each body paragraph is a unique unit that covers one point plus its supporting evidence. 

A good body paragraph structure covers three main sections. It starts with the main sentence, which introduces the key argument. The middle part contains the supporting information to the point. You may include relevant minor points to provide greater weight to the main point. The final section is the concluding sentence which crowns the entire paragraph. It is also the transition sentence into the next paragraph and point. 

The conclusion is the last paragraph of your law essay. It reaffirms your points in the body and the thesis statement. Provide a summary of your main point in this section. You may provide a suggestion about what might need further research but avoid introducing a new point. 

Issues to pay attention to

A good essay structure should be simple and easy to follow. Stay within the academic writing guidelines and language. Make sure every source used is referenced based on the citation style of law essays. Use phrases such as it is possible that …, this question deals with…, and it can be argued that …

Writing a law essay is different from writing a case file. You are required to demonstrate your understanding of the law in your araguments. Each argument should be systematically and logically developed. Keep the structure neat, coherent, and effective. With the right information, it should not be difficult thing to write a law essay. What is required from you is a high level of creativity and thinking outside the box. 

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Law: Legal essay

Four tips on how to write a good law essay.

An essay is a common type of assessment in a law degree. This resource offers tips and resources to help you plan and write law essays. There are usually two types of law essays: the theoretical based essay and the problem-style essay.

The theoretical based essay may ask you to critically discuss a new piece of legislation or a recent case in relation to existing laws or legal principles. You may also be asked to take a side in an argument or discuss the wider societal implications of a legal outcome.

Problem-style essays require you to advise a party based on the analysis of a scenario or given problem. You will be required to identify the legal issues and apply relevant law. See more on legal problem-solving in this resource . This resource will focus on theoretical based law essays. There are a number of strategies that may help you in starting, structuring and presenting a law essay.

1. Starting your answer

The first step to a successful law essay is understanding the question. One of the most effective ways of breaking down the question is to identify the direction, content, and scope or limiting words.

For example, look at the following essay question:

Direction Words : Critically analyse.

Content Words: tort of negligence; tort of battery; consenting to medical treatment; patient’s right (autonomous decision).

Scope/Limiting Words: the extent to which, protect.

  • In this case, we need to critically analyse an area of law.
  • Here, we need to research the torts of negligence and battery and the issues of consent in medical treatments and patients’ rights .
  • Here we should critically analyse how well (the extent to which) the aforementioned torts do or do not protect patients’ rights in the context of medical consent .

You may also find it useful to look at the rubric to help you interpret your examiner’s expectations.

2. Planning your argument

When reading a case, journal article, book chapter or online article, it can be hard to know exactly how to use the source in an essay. This is where taking good notes while reading critically is helpful. Take a look at our other resources to help you Read critically and Read difficult material .

The next step is to take notes that help you understand different arguments and issues, or information and context, and refer back to your assignment question to keep you on track.

Writing a very short summary of each source is a great way to start. For example, for each journal article you read, try to summarise the author's main points in a few lines. This will help you to articulate the meaning in your own words.

Then, expand on this summary with some key points. Be sure that when taking notes, you make a note of the source and the pinpoint reference or page number, so that you can correctly cite the source in your essay.

Planning strategies

Understanding arguments.

Think about how you will use your resources. You may use a primary or secondary resource to:

  • to support your argument with evidence
  • to demonstrate a range of issues and opinions (remember, it’s OK if you don’t agree with all your sources! Show where these contrasting arguments fit into your discussion)

It may be helpful to ask:

  • How does this source contribute to my argument?
  • Do I agree or disagree with the author’s argument?

See our resource Master the art of note-making and Brainstorming and mind mapping for more tips.

Integrating resources into your essay

It is important to use your research well. One way to do this is to plan the main points of your essay, and how you will use your primary and secondary resources (such as journal articles, books, case law, legislation, websites) to support one or more of those points.

3. Structuring your answer

A key element of successful law essays is the structure. A good structure will enable you to communicate your ideas fluently and efficiently. This is an important and highly valued skill not only in law school, but in practice as well.

Usually, your essay requires an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. Generally, you should have one idea per paragraph. This may mean shorter paragraphs than what you would ordinarily write in high school or other faculties. Concision is key in law. Therefore, we recommend a short paragraph which efficiently addresses an issue over a long and winding exploration of many different issues.

Remember to use subheadings to provide structure to your writing. It is a good idea to come up with your subheadings before you start writing so that you have a structure to follow. The subheadings should act as a series of subtopics which reflect the arguments needed to substantiate your thesis statement.

Below we have an overview of the working components of good law essays. Examiners expect you to use all of these in your writing. The samples come from Julie Cassidy, ‘Hollow Avowals of Human Rights Protection: Time for an Australian Federal Bill of Rights?’ (2008) 13 Deakin Law Review 131.

NB: This is an illustrative example only. It is not concise enough for an undergraduate research essay and you would be expected to remove phrases like “In the course of, it is suggested that, in regard to.”

4. Presenting your ideas

In order to do well, you must also present your essay so that it reflects academic standards. This includes correct citation practices, subheadings, Plain English, and grammar and spelling.

Examiners highly value closely edited and proofed work. First-year students commonly rely too much on passive constructions and embellished language. Good lawyers write in clear and concise English that is easily understood.

  • Correct Citation
  • Subheadings
  • Plain English
  • Grammar and Spelling

Your essay must adhere to the AGLC4 rules , including appropriate pinpoint footnotes and bibliography.

A comprehensive guide to AGLC4 is provided by the Library.

Law essays use subheadings frequently, but judiciously. This may be different to what you are used to.

Subheadings also help provide a structure. See the previous section for more advice.

In accordance with AGLC 4, the first word of your heading must be capitalised.

Examiners do not want to see the full extent of your vocabulary. They prefer to see complex arguments rendered in simple language.

This, surprisingly, is not easy. We tend to think through writing. That is, our ideas come to us as we are writing. This leaves a lot of writing which is repetitive, vague, or contradictory as our ideas evolve.

Use the editing worksheet to learn which words you can easily swap out to improve readability and strategies to avoid long-winded constructions.

Do not leave your assignment to the last minute. Not only will this create undue stress, but you will not have adequate time to proofread your assignment.

When we work intensively on a piece of writing, we need a period of time away, or distance, in order to re-read our work objectively. Give yourself 2-3 days before the due date so you can print your text and edit it carefully to remove any typos or grammatical errors.

Services like Grammarly may help to pick up errors that are missed by Microsoft Word.

Further resources

Legal essay strategies, legal essay strategies accordion.

  • Writing a Law essay mind map Take a look at this useful mind map to see the steps involved and the questions you should ask yourself when writing a law essay.
  • Melbourne Law School: Research essay guide / Legal essay checklist
  • Professor Steven Vaughan (University College London): How to write better law essays ( Prezi slides )
  • Associate Professor Douglas Guilfoyle (University of New South Wales): Plain Legal English ( YouTube playlist )
  • Professor James Lee (King’s College London): #FreeLawRevision Guides (see especially Essay Technique Parts 1, 2 and 3) ( YouTube playlist )
  • Strategies for Essay Writing - Harvard College Writing Center See particularly, the section on Counterargument.

Examples and language

  • University of Western Australia Law School: Examples of legal writing
  • Columbia Law School: Writing in plain English
  • Dr Patrick Goold (City, University of London): ‘It’s a subject where words matter’: how to write the perfect law essay ( The Guardian )
  • 'Don't just vomit on the page': how to write a legal essay Law lecturer Steven Vaughan (University College, London) explains why the best essays take discipline, editing, and teamwork.

Effective Legal Writing: A Practical Approach

Corbett-Jarvis and Grigg

How to write better law essays : tools and techniques for success in exams and assignments

Steve Foster

How to write law essays and exams

Stacie Strong

Legal Writing

Lisa Webley

Level Up Your Essays: How to get better grades at university

Inger Mewburn, Shaun Lehmann, and Katherine Firth

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How to Structure & Write A First-Class Law Essay: Key Tips

Writing a law essay can be a challenging task. As a law student, you’ll be expected to analyse complex legal issues and apply legal principles to real-world scenarios. At the same time, you’ll need to be able to communicate your ideas clearly and persuasively. In this article, we’ll cover some top tips to guide you through the process of planning, researching, structuring and writing a first-class law essay. By the end of this article, you’ll be better equipped to tackle your next writing assignment with confidence!

1. Start In Advance

Give yourself plenty of time to plan, research and write your law essay. Always aim to start your law essay as soon as you have the question. Leaving it until the last minute does not only create unnecessary stress, but it also leaves you insufficient time to write, reference and perfect your work.

2. Understand The Question

Do not begin until you fully comprehend the question. Take the time to read the question carefully and make sure that you understand what it’s asking you to do. Highlight key terms and annotate the question with definitions of key concepts and any questions that you have have. Think about how the question links back to what you’ve learned during your lectures or through your readings.

3. Conduct Thorough Research

Conducting thorough research around your topic is one of the most fundamental parts of the essay writing process. You should aim to use a range of relevant sources, such as cases, academic articles, books and any other legal materials. Ensure that the information you collect is taken from relevant, reliable and up to date sources. Use primary over secondary material as much as possible.

Avoid using outdated laws and obscure blog posts as sources of information. Always aim to choose authoritative sources from experts within the field, such as academics, politicians, lawyers and judges. Using high-quality and authoritative sources and demonstrating profound and critical insight into your topic are what will earn you top marks.

Start writing like a lawyer! Read our tips:

4. write a detailed plan.

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to plan your essay. When writing your plan, you’ll need to create an outline that clearly identifies the main points that you wish to make throughout your article. Try to write down what you wish to achieve in each paragraph, what concepts you want to discuss and arguments you want to make.

Your outline should be organised in a clear, coherent and logical manner to ensure that the person grading your essay can follow your line of thought and arguments easily.  You may also wish to include headings and subheadings to structure your essay effectively This makes it easier when it comes to writing the essay as starting without a plan can get messy. The essay must answer the question and nothing but the question so ensure all of your points relate to it.

5. Write A Compelling Introduction

An great introduction should, firstly, outline the research topic.  The introduction is one of the most crucial parts of the law essay as it sets the tone for the rest of the paper. It should capture the readers attention and provide the background context on the topic. Most importantly, it should state the thesis of your essay.

When writing your introduction, avoid simply repeating the given question. Secondly, create a road map for the reader, letting them know how the essay will approach the question. Your introduction must be concise. The main body of the essay is where you will go into detail.

6. Include A Strong Thesis Statement

Your thesis should clearly set out the argument you are going to be making throughout your essay and should normally go in the introduction. Your thesis should adopt a clear stance rather than being overly general or wishy-washy. To obtain the best grades, you’ll need to show a unique perspective based upon a critical analysis of the topic rather than adopting the most obvious point of view.

Once you’ve conducted your research and had a chance to reflect on your topic, ask yourself whether you can prove your argument within the given word count or whether you would need to adopt a more modest position for your paper. Always have a clear idea of what your thesis statement is before you begin writing the content of your essay. 

7. Present the Counter-argument

To demonstrate your deeper understanding of the topic, it’s important to show your ability to consider the counter-arguments and address them in a careful and reasoned manner. When presenting your counterarguments, aim to depict them in the best possible light, aiming to be fair and reasonable before moving on to your rebuttal. To ensure that your essay is convincing, you will need to have a strong rebuttal that explains why your argument is stronger and more persuasive. This will demonstrate your capacity for critical analysis, showing the reader that you have carefully considered differing perspectives before coming to a well-supported conclusion.

8. End With A Strong Conclusion

Your conclusion is your opportunity to summarise the key points made throughout your essay and to restate the thesis statement in a clear and concise manner.  Avoid simply repeating what has already been mentioned in the body of the essay. For top grades, you should use the conclusion as an opportunity to provide critical reflection and analysis on the topic. You may also wish to share any further insights or recommendations into alternative avenues to consider or implications for further research that could add value to the topic. 

9. Review The Content Of Your Essay

Make sure you factor in time to edit the content of your essay.  Once you’ve finished your first draft, come back to it the next day. Re-read your essay with a critical perspective. Do your arguments make sense? Do your paragraphs flow in a logical manner? You may also consider asking someone to read your paper and give you critical feedback. They may be able to add another perspective you haven’t considered or suggest another research paper that could add value to your essay. 

10. Proofread For Grammatical Mistakes

Once you’re happy with the content of your essay, the last step is to thoroughly proofread your essay for any grammatical errors. Ensure that you take time to ensure that there are no grammar, spelling or punctuation errors as these can be one of the easiest ways to lose marks. You can ask anyone to proofread your paper, as they would not necessarily need to have a legal background – just strong grammar and spelling skills! 

11. Check Submission Guidelines

Before submitting, ensure that your paper conforms with the style, referencing and presentation guidelines set out by your university. This includes the correct font, font size and line spacing as well as elements such as page numbers, table of content etc. Referencing is also incredibly important as you’ll need to make sure that you are following the correct referencing system chosen by your university. Check your university’s guidelines about what the word count is and whether you need to include your student identification number in your essay as well. Be thorough and don’t lose marks for minor reasons!

12. Use Legal Terms Accurately

Always make sure that you are using legal terms accurately throughout your essay. Check an authoritative resource if you are unsure of any definitions. While being sophisticated is great, legal jargon if not used correctly or appropriately can weaken your essay. Aim to be concise and to stick to the point. Don’t use ten words when only two will do.

12. Create a Vocabulary Bank

One recurring piece of advice from seasoned law students is to take note of phrases from books and articles, key definitions or concepts and even quotes from your professors. When it comes to writing your law essay, you will have a whole range of ideas and vocabulary that will help you to develop your understanding and thoughts on a given topic. This will make writing your law essay even easier!

13. Finally, Take Care of Yourself

Last but certainly not least, looking after your health can improve your attitude towards writing your law essay your coursework in general. Sleep, eat, drink and exercise appropriately. Take regular breaks and try not to stress. Do not forget to enjoy writing the essay!

Write like a lawyer! Read our tips:

Legal writing: start writing like a lawyer.

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Law Essay Structure

A law essay typically follows a similar structure to other types of academic essays, with a few key differences that are specific to legal writing. The basic structure of a law essay typically includes the following components:

Introduction

The introduction should begin with a clear statement of the essay topic and its relevance. It should also provide background information on the issue and outline the key arguments that will be addressed in the essay. The introduction should end with a thesis statement, which is a clear and concise statement of the main argument of the essay.

Body Paragraphs

The body of the essay should be divided into several paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the argument. Each paragraph should begin with a clear topic sentence that relates to the thesis statement and should be supported by evidence and analysis. The evidence may come from legal cases, statutes, academic literature, or other relevant sources. The analysis should explain how the evidence supports the argument and address any potential counterarguments. It is important to use transitional phrases to link the paragraphs and create a cohesive argument.

The conclusion should summarise the main points of the essay and restate the thesis statement in a way that reinforces the argument. You should not introduce any new arguments or evidence. The closing statement of your conclusion should refer back to your thesis statement and whether this has been proved or disproved.

In addition to these three main parts, a law essay may also include a bibliography and footnotes, which list all the sources cited in the essay. It is important to use a proper referencing style such as OSCOLA to avoid plagiarism.

You are advised to study our highly-acclaimed Law Exam Skills to prepare for law exams.

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law research essay structure

Guide On Completing Law Essays for Students in the UK

law research essay structure

How To Develop Your Critical Thinking Skills

law research essay structure

What is dental negligence?

law research essay structure

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law research essay structure

Writing a legal assignment is a daunting task, especially for students who do not possess the skills needed to create a good piece. To report a good law essay, you need to have a legal background that will enable you to conduct your analysis with ease or you can paper  i need someone to write my essay for me

A student has to demonstrate his or her ability to analyze a legal topic and describe it in a simple, logical, and clear way. Like other essays, your opinion will rely on facts. Writing and completing a law essay is simple especially for students in law university. All you have to do is follow the tips that we are going to discuss today.

Defining a law essay

Laws are rules that are enforced by government authorities to maintain order. Law essays are papers written by students to analyze different aspects of the law and provide different views and opinions on the subject. These views also describe the strength and weaknesses of a particular legal topic.

1.    Starting a law essay

How do you start writing a law assignment? You start by identifying a great topic that will act as the foundation of your essay. After identifying a good topic, you explore the question in your subject area. The subject area will help you in understanding the issues that you need to address. Your professor expects you to provide good answers in the body section.

Another important part of a law essay is the title. You need to create a captivating and compelling title that will get readers interested in reading the piece. Start by coming up with a captivating intro that creates the desired impression. Your opening remarks should indicate what the reader should expect to find in your paper.

2.    Finding a good topic

Since most legal papers focus on legal analysis, you’ll need to do your research in your area of study. You’ll be in a comfortable position to write your essay after you’ve familiarized yourself with the topic. Don’t forget to list your information sources since they’ll be required at the end of your essay. For your insights or arguments to be effective, you’ll need to present them in a structured approach.

3.    Create an outline

Without a good outline, you don’t have the assurance that you’ll get your desired results. To create an outline, you’ll need to come up with a draft that includes all the main arguments and ideas that you’ll include in your copy. A structured blueprint gives you a reference point that helps you formulate and turn ideas into words. With an outline, you’ll easily focus on the topic at hand and the main topics.

4.    Include all the sections

Just like any other essay, a law essay is made up of three sections namely the intro, body, and conclusion. The intro consists of one paragraph that finalizes with a thesis statement. The body includes around three or four paragraphs that elaborate on the theme and arguments. The conclusion summarizes the essay.

1.     The Introduction

The introduction part introduces the reader to the subject at hand by summarizing the arguments of the essay. It is an opportunity to get the attention of the audience by focusing on the value of the topic. The introduction ends with a thesis statement that justifies the objectives of the essay.

2.     The body

The body is a key element of the essay. It allows you to state your main arguments that support your thesis statement. Do not be afraid of giving counter-arguments on the issues that you are supporting. However, your claims have to be supported by reliable sources of information.

The opinions that you include in your essay should indicate a clear understanding of the subject matter. The body part needs to challenge and persuade readers to adopt your thoughts. If you’ll be tackling different elements, it’s important to divide your body into sub-headings.

3.     The conclusion

The conclusion summarizes your point of view by restating your thesis statement. Your body needs to address all the critical questions for you to be in a position to conclude with a comprehensive answer. Never introduce a new idea in the conclusion. You also need to be objective in your final remarks especially when describing your personal view.

To conclude

Before we conclude this article, we’ve decided to share a few critical tips on certain aspects of your essay that deserve your attention. You need to:

  • Present your paper in a neat and organized way
  • Use coherent and effective structures when labeling your subheadings
  • Demonstrate your ability to apply the law using your arguments
  • Develop systematic and logical arguments

Writing a law essay shouldn’t be difficult with the tips that we’ve discussed here. The most important thing when writing such essays is creativity. You need to prepared to think outside the box. After writing your essay, remember to proofread at least three times before submitting it.

Camilla Uppal

Camilla Uppal

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How to Write a Law Essay

Last Updated: August 11, 2023

This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD . Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. This article has been viewed 236,885 times.

In a college legal studies course, and in some law school courses, you may be required to write a research paper addressing a legal topic. These essays can be tricky, because the law is constantly evolving. To secure a top grade, your essay must be well-researched and coherently argued. With proper planning and research, you can write a stellar legal essay. [Note: this article does not address how to write law school essay exams or bar exam questions, which require different techniques and strategies.]

Choosing an Essay Topic

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 1

  • A narrow essay prompt might read, "Discuss the evolution and impact of the exclusionary rule of evidence in the United States." A broad prompt might read, "Discuss how a civil rights movement led to changes in federal and/or state law."
  • If you are invited to choose your own topic, your professor may require you to submit a written proposal or outline to ensure that your chosen topic complies with the prompt. If you are not sure if your topic is within the parameters of the prompt, propose your topic to your professor after class or during his or her office hours.

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 2

  • Hopefully, your course readings, lectures, and class discussions will have given you enough background knowledge to select a topic. If not, review your class notes and browse online for additional background information.
  • It is not uncommon to change your topic after doing some research. You may end up narrowing the questions your essay will answer, or changing your topic completely.

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 4

  • If you can, try to focus on an are of the law that affects you. For example, if your family is involved in agriculture, you may be interested in writing about water use regulations .

Researching Your Topic

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 5

  • If you are prohibited from citing internet resources, you can still use online research to guide you to physical primary and secondary sources in your local library or bookstore.

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 6

  • Look at footnotes, citations, and indexes in tertiary sources. These are great for finding books, articles, and legal cases that are relevant to your topic. Also take note of the names of authors, who may have written multiple works on your topic.

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 7

  • Also find search engines for related fields, such as history or political science. Ask your librarian to recommend specialized search engines tailored to other disciplines that may have contributed to your topic.

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 9

  • Never cut and paste from the web into your notes or essay. This often leads to inadvertent plagiarism because students forget what is a quotation and what is paraphrasing. When gathering sources, paraphrase or add quotation marks in your outline.
  • Plagiarism is a serious offense. If you ultimately hope to be a lawyer, an accusation of plagiarism could prevent you from passing the character and fitness review.

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 11

Drafting the Essay

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 12

  • An effective introduction takes the reader out of his world and into the world of your essay. [2] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source Explain why the subject is important and briefly summarizes the rest of your argument. After reading your introduction, your reader should know what you are going to discuss and in what order you will be discussing it.
  • Be prepared to revise your introduction later. Summarizing your essay will be easier after you have written it, especially if you deviate from your outline.

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 15

  • State each argument of your essay as a statement that, if true, would support your thesis statement.
  • Provide supporting information drawn from primary and secondary sources that support your argument. Remember to cite your sources.
  • Provide your own original analysis, explaining to the reader that based on the primary and secondary sources you have presented, the reader should be persuaded by your argument.

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 16

Formatting Your Essay

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 18

Proofreading the Essay

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 22

  • Open up a Word document. On the Quick Access Toolbar at the top, click on the down arrow. The words “Customize Quick Access Toolbar” will appear when you hover over the arrow for two seconds.
  • Click on the arrow. Then click on “More Commands.”
  • In the “Choose commands from” drop-down box, choose “All commands.”
  • Scroll down to find “Speak.” Highlight this and then click “add.” Then click “okay.” Now the Speak function should appear on your Quick Access Toolbar.
  • Highlight the text you want read back to you, and then click on the Speak icon. The text will be read back to you.

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 24

  • Do not rely on a spell checker exclusively, as it will not catch typos like "statute" versus "statue."

Revising the Essay

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 25

  • You can share the essay with someone outside of class, but a classmate more likely has the requisite knowledge to understand the subject matter of the essay.

Image titled Write a Law Essay Step 26

Expert Q&A

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  • ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/2/53/
  • ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/introductions/
  • ↑ https://www.legalbluebook.com/
  • ↑ https://support.office.com/en-ca/article/Using-the-Speak-text-to-speech-feature-459e7704-a76d-4fe2-ab48-189d6b83333c

About This Article

Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD

To write a law essay, start by writing a thesis statement on your chosen topic. Phrase your thesis statement as an argument, using words like “because” or “therefore” to state your point. Write an outline of the arguments you will use to support your thesis statement, then use that outline to build the body of your paper. Include any counter-arguments, but use your evidence to convince the reader why your point of view is valid, and the counter-arguments are not. Be sure to cite all of your sources in the format preferred by your professor. For tips from our reviewer on finding the best sources for your topic, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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