Key points from the evening:
Clear Legal Angle: A strong article necessitates a clear legal perspective rather than being purely political or sociological. Avoid narratives, reports or streams of consciousness and ensure a strong critical argument is presented.
Non-Emotive, Critical Approach: Top articles are non-emotive, critical, and offer a novel application of law or a fresh perspective on a legal issue. Critical analysis is key – challenge your own claim, considering alternate viewpoints.
Editorial Board Criteria: To reach the editorial board stage, your piece must demonstrate originality, topicality, strength of argument, and excellent structure and style.
Error-Free Draft: Avoid basic drafting errors to demonstrate your skills for progressing to the later editorial stage. Editor-In-Chief Iseult O’Callaghan, emphasizes that good essay writing involves pattern recognition and applying a formula, in addition to cultivating your own personal style.
Topic Selection: Choose a topic you’re passionate about, rather than one aimed to impress. This passion will guide you through the inevitable challenges and roadblocks.
Methodologies: Employ methodologies that intrigue you. Whether it’s archival work or interviewing legal professionals, leverage strategies that align with your interests.
Originality: Highlight why your topic is relevant, novel, and valuable. In a small jurisdiction like Ireland, focusing on novel aspects and recent legal developments can be advantageous.
Structure: Guide the reader from the general to the specific. Your writing should be a garden tour where readers are never lost, but continually guided forward.
Clarity and Language: Prioritize clarity of structure and argument. Use plain language and steer clear of verbose, pompous writing. It should be comprehensible even to those without legal knowledge.
Accuracy: Pay meticulous attention to details. Small inconsistencies can undermine reader confidence. Dr Mark Coen emphasizes how internships can sharpen your attention to detail.
Sectioning: Write sections in a non-linear fashion, and don’t be afraid to change your article’s structure as new insights emerge.
Remember, great writing takes time. Implement feedback, read successful submissions, and above all, write about what genuinely interests you. Happy writing!
Notes from the 2023 Writers Evening
Notes from the 2021 Writers Evening
UCD Law Review 