Option 1 of the HLS JD Written Work Requirement

To satisfy Option 1 of the Written Work Requirement, students must complete a substantial research paper of publishable quality, either:

• To be written in close consultation with a faculty advisor in conjunction with a seminar or workshop (for an additional 1, 2, or 3 credits); or
• Through independent study, also in close consultation with a faculty advisor (for 2 or 3 credits).

Format and Scope

The format of an Option 1 writing project, and the sources on which it draws, may vary within a wide range. Possible types of writing include:

• Paper publishable as a scholarly journal article
• Analysis of an empirical study
• Proposal for law reform with supporting explanation and commentary
• Dialogue or series of hypothetical judicial opinions
• Brief, memorandum in support of a complaint, legislative analysis, or any other vehicle appropriate for presentation of your themes

You should work with your faculty supervisor to determine what type of writing best fits your goals for this project. Students submitting papers to satisfy Option 1 should seek to make a significant scholarly contribution regardless of the format chosen.

Some guidelines to use when writing your Option 1 paper:

• Your topic should be sufficiently novel, important, or interesting to be suitable for inclusion in a law journal.
• Your project should reflect research of sufficient substance to provide a reader familiar with the issues or the field with valuable knowledge and insights.
• Your research may draw on your clinical experience, case and statutory law, historical or philosophical materials, empirical data, material from other disciplines, or a combination of the above.
• Your project should analyze the material and issues presented; and the presentation should be clear and finished.

For more information about  J.D. Written Work Requirement FAQ for more details.

Faculty Supervisors

Click here for a list of faculty members and the subject areas in which they supervise student writing.

Option 1 Registration

Deadlines

Fall: October 2, 2009 (2Ls and 3Ls) 

Spring: January 29, 2010 (3Ls)

               March 1, 2010 (2Ls and 1Ls) (1Ls must get permission from Andy Kaufman, Vice Dean of Academic Programming to register for Option 1)

Form

To register for Option 1 complete and submit the Option 1 Registration Form

Contact the Registrar's Office, registrar@law.harvard.edu, 617-495-4612, with questions.

See Sections I.F, VII, and VIII of the HLS Handbook of Academic Policies for more information about Option 1.