We, the undersigned members, respectfully petition the administration to change the grading structure of the Advanced Legal Writing course to pass/fail. We had no choice but to take this in our final semester of law school, which places an undue burden on students who are simultaneously preparing for the bar exam and applying for jobs.

While the course is intended to teach planning and preparation, it fails to meet its own standards. Grades are released only a week before the next assignment, providing insufficient time for meaningful adjustments. Additionally, grading lacks consistency, and scores often do not align with the criteria outlined in the provided rubric.

This course was implemented without proper testing, making our class the first to experience a flawed and unproven system. As a result, we are unfairly subjected to the consequences of its shortcomings. Every 3L in this class has worked diligently throughout law school, and we find it unacceptable that a last-minute, poorly executed program now jeopardizes our academic records and future professional opportunities.

We urge the administration to acknowledge these concerns and transition this course to a pass/fail grading system to mitigate the harm it is causing.

Respectfully,

Members of the Class of 2025