College of Law > Academics > Experiential Learning > Legal Writing > Specialized Coursework

Specialized Coursework

​Required First-Year Coursework

All first-year students are required to take two semesters of Legal Analysis, Research & Communication (LARC). Each semester is worth two credit hours. Courses are taught by full-time instructors in small class sections that typically number between 14 and 17 students. Each semester, students also attend two private conferences with their instructors to receive individualized guidance on their assignments.

Both LARC I and II require five major writing projects, as well as a number of smaller assignments. LARC I addresses synthesis, analysis, written communication and plain-language drafting in a predictive format utilizing a process approach emphasizing mastery of discrete writing skills. LARC II expands upon this initial instruction and includes research skills and strategy, persuasive writing at the trial court level and reporting orally to a supervising attorney. Students work on increasingly difficult assignments as whole products, rather than component parts as in LARC I. Students also begin learning computer-assisted legal research techniques.​

Required Second-Year Coursework

All second-year students are required to take a third semester of legal writing in either the fall or spring semester. The coursework is comprised of five major writing projects and a number of smaller assignments, like LARC I and II.

The purpose of the third semester is to reinforce and deepen the instruction that students received in LARC I and II. Students meet weekly in slightly smaller sections where they are exposed to drafting of trial-level motions, persuasive argumentation at the appellate level and oral advocacy skills.

Upper-Level Curriculum

In addition to LARC I, II and III, all students are required to take an approved upper-level writing course. The curriculum includes courses in legal drafting, advanced legal research and judicial and scholarly writing. These upper-level courses address many essential communication and analytical skills, including contract drafting and revision, research and analysis of complex legal issues, use of sophisticated research sources, scholarly research and writing and client communication.

In addition, students can further hone their research and writing skills while exploring subjects in depth by joining any of DePaul's five student-edited legal journals. These publications include the DePaul Law Review; Business & Commercial Law Journal; Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law; Journal for Social Justice and the Journal of Sports Law & Contemporary Problems.