Legal Writing Program
Legal Writing Overview
Our dedicated staff of experienced professors is committed to making every student a better writer. We have developed a rigorous, three-semester program that engages students with real-world assignments.
These assignments—and the detailed feedback from the professors—are designed to make students “practice ready” for their summer internships or post-JD positions. Through this effort, VLGS students have a regional and national reputation for excellence in legal writing. We encourage you to explore these pages to learn how our program can help you master the art of legal writing.
VLGS is One of the Top Law Schools for State Court Clerkships – Law360 and The Princeton Review
Resources
Student Writing Competition Portal
Law Journals
Vermont Law Review
The Vermont Law Review is a student-edited legal journal published quarterly under the guidance of five senior student editors and in collaboration with Vermont Law and Graduate School faculty.
Vermont Journal of Environmental Law
The Vermont Journal of Environmental Law is a student-run organization that seeks to provide an accessible forum to discuss contemporary environmental issues and environmental justice.
Professor Accomplishments
Greg Johnson was re-elected to the Executive Committee of the American Association of Law Schools Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research. Greg also serves as the co-chair of the Distinguished Speakers Committee of the Association of Legal Writing Directors.
Anna Connolly recently published the following writing-related articles:
- Anna F. Connolly, Write On: Get Out of the Shadows–Break Up Legal Research and Writing (Vermont Bar Journal, Summer 2025)
- Anna F. Connolly, Context Matters for Deep Knowledge: What Cognitive Science Can Teach Us About Legal Writing, 68 St. Louis U. L.J. 475 (2024).
- Anna F. Connolly, Match Mindsets for Better Communication (Vermont Bar Journal, Summer 2024)
Anna Connolly presented a paper about inclusive language at a conference at Duke Law School in May 2025.
In 2025, Michael Kovac traveled to three different countries to teach two- to three-week courses on the United States legal system—India (Parul University), Slovakia (Comenius University), and Kazakhstan (KIMEP University). He and professors from each of those universities are presently working on an article that compares legal education in those three countries and the United States.
Claire Andrews’s fifth novel, A LOVELY AND DEADLY DANCE will be published August 11, 2026 from Little, Brown Young Readers.
Student Accomplishments
VLGS Students Excel in National Moot Court Competitions
“It was an honor to represent Vermont Law and Graduate School in the National Moot Court Competition. The experience was invaluable. Our group was given the opportunity to hone legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills that will benefit us throughout our professional careers.” – Allyson Cohen JD’25
Amanda Tynan JD’25 Wins Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing
We are delighted to announce that Amanda Tynan JD’25 has won the Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing. The Burton Award is the most prestigious award in legal writing. Law schools across the country compete, with each school submitting one nominee. From this large pool, the award committee selects fifteen winners. The Burton Award honored Amanda for her Vermont Law Review Note, The Silence of Extinction: What the Kaua’i ‘Ō’ō’s Final Song Can Teach Us About Critical Habitat Designations Under the Endangered Species Act. In her Note, Amanda argues that Congress should amend the Endangered Species Act to reflect the impact of climate change on the habitat of endangered species. The Note discusses a range of species whose habitat has been altered by climate change. But the anchor of the paper is the poignant story of the now-extinct Kaua’i ‘Ō’ō. “In 1983,” Amanda writes, “the last male ‘Ō’ō’ sang out for a mate that would never come.” Congratulations Amanda!
Against stiff, national competition, VLGS students have won the Burton Award seven times in the last thirteen years. This is a high honor and a worthy recognition of our accomplished student writers. Keep up the good work!
Faculty
Anna F. Connolly
- Associate Professor of Law
Jessica Durkis-Stokes
- Associate Professor of Law
- Title IX Coordinator
Catherine Fregosi JD’16
- Professor of Law
- Assistant Director of Legal Writing
Greg Johnson
- Director, Legal Writing Program
- Professor of Law
Michael Kovac
Brian Porto
- Professor of Law Emeritus
Claire Andrews
- Program Coordinator
Legal Writing News and Events
VLGS Reflects on Hosting the 2025 New England Legal Writing Conference
September 24On Friday, September 12, the Legal Writing Department at Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) hosted the New England Legal Writing Conference. This year’s theme was Legal …
Meet the Speakers: 2025 New England Legal Writing Conference
September 10Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) is proud to host professors from near and far for the the 2025 New England Legal Writing Conference. This year’s theme is …
Faculty and Staff in the News – July 2025
August 4Below is a selection of recent news highlights featuring members of Vermont Law and Graduate School’s faculty and staff. Human Rights Economy: A Solution to Economic Cru…
U.S. News and World Report Again Ranks Vermont Law and Graduate School a Top Environmental Law School
April 9SOUTH ROYALTON, Vt. (April 9, 2025) — Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) has been ranked No. 4 among the Best Environmental Law Schools by U.S. News and World Report, [&…
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