.

[lackofabetteridea]

I'm just glad that I'm going to be in courses with engineering/science students.  Almost all of my friends in undergrad were engineering students - they could not write to save their lives!

Don't be so sure. Some science/engineering types find their writing and training particularly suited to legal writing.

Credited.

[non parata est]

I'm just glad that I'm going to be in courses with engineering/science students.  Almost all of my friends in undergrad were engineering students - they could not write to save their lives!

Don't be so sure. Some science/engineering types find their writing and training particularly suited to legal writing.

If you want to get a leg up on them smash thier screen down on thier laptops on to thier fingers. Your classmates having broken fingers gives you an advanatge.

Finally, some advice I can use!

[Susan B. Anthony]

I'm just glad that I'm going to be in courses with engineering/science students.  Almost all of my friends in undergrad were engineering students - they could not write to save their lives!

Don't be so sure. Some science/engineering types find their writing and training particularly suited to legal writing.

If you want to get a leg up on them smash thier screen down on thier laptops on to thier fingers. Your classmates having broken fingers gives you an advanatge.

True story: I knew a kid who took a leave because he broke is collarbone mid-semester 1L and couldn't write or type. He figured it was easier to start over than deal with it.

[lackofabetteridea]

Oh c'mon, who doesn't like to amalgamate?!  Cady? 

[MahlerGrooves]

I'm just glad that I'm going to be in courses with engineering/science students.  Almost all of my friends in undergrad were engineering students - they could not write to save their lives!

Don't be so sure. Some science/engineering types find their writing and training particularly suited to legal writing.

This is credited.  I'm not arguing that no science/engineering major can write well.  I'm just pretty confident that my writing skills are significantly better than those science/engineering types in general.  Either I knew an abberant sample of top students in engineering at the University of Toronto who happened to be relatively weak writers, or they were representative of engineering students on the whole.  They got their points across in a very straightforward manner (which I believe IS an advantage in legal writing), but they did not have practice justifying their conclusions with positive premises and the disproval of conflicting premises. 

My brother is doing a Chemistry PhD, and his writing is clear and concise not because he WANTS it to be, but because it has to be in order to convey the complex subjects as neatly and simply as possible.

[Susan B. Anthony]

I'm just glad that I'm going to be in courses with engineering/science students.  Almost all of my friends in undergrad were engineering students - they could not write to save their lives!

Don't be so sure. Some science/engineering types find their writing and training particularly suited to legal writing.

This is credited.  I'm not arguing that no science/engineering major can write well.  I'm just pretty confident that my writing skills are significantly better than those science/engineering types in general.  Either I knew an abberant sample of top students in engineering at the University of Toronto who happened to be relatively weak writers, or they were representative of engineering students on the whole.  They got their points across in a very straightforward manner (which I believe IS an advantage in legal writing), but they did not have practice justifying their conclusions with positive premises and the disproval of conflicting premises. 

My brother is doing a Chemistry PhD, and his writing is clear and concise not because he WANTS it to be, but because it has to be in order to convey the complex subjects as neatly and simply as possible.

I believe that "in order to convey . . . complex subjects as neatly and simply as possible", one must write clearly and concisely.  Writing clearly and concisely is demanded in every complex subject. 

Yeah...let's talk again after you've taken legal writing and talked to your classmates about it.

[Astro]

I'm just glad that I'm going to be in courses with engineering/science students.  Almost all of my friends in undergrad were engineering students - they could not write to save their lives!

Don't be so sure. Some science/engineering types find their writing and training particularly suited to legal writing.

I knew an abberant sample of top students in engineering at the University of Toronto

LWR is going to be more difficult for you then since your an English as a Second Language student.

My what?  Oh...you meant you're...

::smh::

[Ender Wiggin]

I'm just glad that I'm going to be in courses with engineering/science students. Almost all of my friends in undergrad were engineering students - they could not write to save their lives!

Don't be so sure. Some science/engineering types find their writing and training particularly suited to legal writing.

This is credited. I'm not arguing that no science/engineering major can write well. I'm just pretty confident that my writing skills are significantly better than those science/engineering types in general. Either I knew an abberant sample of top students in engineering at the University of Toronto who happened to be relatively weak writers, or they were representative of engineering students on the whole. They got their points across in a very straightforward manner (which I believe IS an advantage in legal writing), but they did not have practice justifying their conclusions with positive premises and the disproval of conflicting premises.

You won't be competing against "science/engineering types in general." You'll be competing against the ones who self-select for study in law.

Also, it's "aberrant." If you're going to tweak someone else on their writing, it's not a bad idea to ensure yours is beyond reproach.

Flawless spelling does equal excellent writing, plus it's a messageboard so relax a smidge, will ya?

Does, or doesn't?  I understand what you are saying about relaxing, but the poster is correct.  When people claim to be superior writers, they should demonstrate it (at least while posting in the same thread).

[mm1405]

I got my Master's in Legal Studies so I should be a master at legal writing Its all about style & format... Topic sentences, reiterating points, conclusions, organization of ideas and arguments.  There are numerous books out there about what to include in each paragraph and how to organize briefs/memos... its just about following directions...

in my opinion anyways...

[Ender Wiggin]

Does, or doesn't?  I understand what you are saying about relaxing, but the poster is correct.  When people claim to be superior writers, they should demonstrate it (at least while posting in the same thread).

Perhaps iconoclasttt should practice what he/she preaches as well. 

If you're going to tweak someone else on their writing, it's not a bad idea to ensure yours is beyond reproach.

The word 'their' is a plural pronoun, but it is referring to a singular antecedent, 'someone'.  A plural pronoun must refer to a plural antecedent. 

I'm a grade-a jerk hole for pointing that out, but I just wanted to emphasize how easy it is for this parsing session to bring this thread on a downward spiral.  My original intention of quoting Hairless Guinea Pig's misuse of the word 'your' was to laugh at the irony of that misuse (in that same sentence he/she accused me of being an ESL student).  I didn't mean to give every poster carte blanche to police grammar.  I should have been more clear about the intention behind that post.

Can we please stop?

Antecedent?  Are you sure that's a word?