This assignment simulates the type of thought leadership attorneys in the public arena engage in for several reasons, including to advance the interests of their clients as well as their own personal reputation, credibility, and visibility among their peers. Blogs, op/eds, and articles have become a rapidly influential form of communication with the growth of social media. These vehicles enable attorneys to communicate to a broader audience in relatable and relevant ways distinct from formal law review articles. Attorneys can publish blogs in real time as issues and thoughts emerge to influence positive outcomes while at the same time contributing to the attorneys’ personal reputation and “brand.”
For this assignment, please review the following resources for best practices for op/eds and legal blogs. You are encouraged to pursue other links/resources online as well.
· https://law.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Op-Ed-Workshop-Guidelines.pdf
· https://www.furiarubel.com/news-resources/writing-effective-blog-posts-for-lawyers/
You may choose any topic covering international environmental law or environmental justice that is interesting to you and where you would like to contribute (climate change, energy, sustainability, human rights, law or policy, etc.). Topics can include those covered in class or those beyond the scope of what we are discussing. The focus of the blog will be to educate the reader in a clear and concise way while expressing your perspective and views. Start with a general topic of interest, tie it to a relevant/current development or why the topic is important, and propose a path forward, solution, or perspective to advance a successful outcome. The Stanford article above is an excellent summary of how to organize your thoughts around a blog.
Blogs should be in the 750-word range, although substance and clarity is more important than word count. You may want to explore other legal blogs such as the ELI Vibrant Law Blog (https://www.eli.org/vibrant-environment-blog) for examples.
As you draft your blog, think back to the email assignments which focused on brevity, simplicity, and conciseness, not legalese and formality. Although you have the opportunity for more creative writing (including the optional use of pictures and graphics), in a blog, clarity and brevity remain key to success. Remember, this is not a law review article. It should be written for a lay audience of lawyers and nonlawyers. Citations/footnotes should be included for quotes and to support key facts, but otherwise the blog should flow naturally in your voice.
Grading: Your grade for this assignment will be assigned based on the following criteria:
I. Context and analysis (50%): The extent to which you identify a relevant topic with a concise and clear background, present sufficient context for your position, and conclude with a constructive recommendation, suggestion, or perspective on how to advance the issue.
II. Writing (50%): The blog’s ability to communicate your thoughts clearly and professionally through organization and text. The ease of digesting your messages and themes through comfortable, accessible language and organization for the average reader.
Following the grading of the initial assignment, your blogs may go through an editing stage with editors prior to publication later this spring to ensure all published blogs are of the highest professional quality and the strongest reflection on your thought leadership to the professional community.
