Graduate students in Legal Studies publish in major journals

Members of Dr. Walter Wright's graduate classes in Legal Studies are often asked to write articles for professional journals

March 2007—Writing ability can mean more than good grades for students in Texas State’s Master of Arts degree program in Legal Studies. Good writers in the program are often asked to contribute articles to respected journals and newsletters read by professional mediators and arbitrators, said Dr. Walter Wright, a Political Science professor who teaches in the program. Last year, current and former students published 31 articles in publications of international, national, and statewide circulation, including publications of the Texas Association of Mediators, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the State Bar of Texas, and the Association for Conflict Resolution.

Students find avenues for publication in a number of ways, Dr. Wright said. As part of their course work, students write Applied Research Projects on current topics of interest in the fields of law, mediation and arbitration, some of which can be edited into publishable articles. A prime source for publication is the newsletter of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the State Bar of Texas—a 40-page quarterly newsletter edited by Dr. Wright. In fact, Texas State students and graduates form the largest block of authors for Alternative Resolutions, and they are also a significant writing block for The Texas Mediator—the quarterly newsletter of the Texas Association of Mediators. Alternative Resolutions and The Texas Mediator are the two recognized statewide publications for professional mediators in Texas.

“When I became editor of the Alternative Resolutions newsletter about four years ago, I started keeping a list of the best writers in the Legal Studies program; I add to the list each semester as I become familiar with the better writers in the program,” Dr. Wright said. “Students from other universities, as well as professionals from around the state, sometimes ask to be added to the list, and I add them. When a court decides an important case, I send a copy of the court's opinion to the ‘authors list,’ and I ask for a volunteer to write an article about the case. So far, our current and former students have volunteered to write articles about most of the cases.

“The editors of The Texas Mediator know about my authors list,” Dr. Wright continued. “Periodically, the editors ask me to find authors for articles they would like to have written, and I send notices to the authors asking for volunteers to write those articles. Our students always volunteer.

“Occasionally, I become aware of other writing opportunities in other alternative dispute resolution journals, and I contact current and former students who would probably be appropriate for those writing projects. Last year, one of our former students published an article in ACResolution, the quarterly magazine of the Association for Conflict Resolution, an organization of national and international circulation. I helped her formulate a proposal for her article, and after the magazine accepted her proposal, I helped her edit the article,” Dr Wright said. “And, later this year, another student’s article will appear in the Marquette Intellectual Property Law Review.”

Although students don’t receive extra credit for publication, Dr. Wright said they are making important contributions to the field of alternative dispute resolution by keeping professional mediators and arbitrators informed of current developments in the field. In general, he said, the students believe that publications will look good on their resumes. They use the publications to get jobs and obtain admission to law schools and other graduate programs. After they graduate from law school, they continue to write articles because they believe the articles help establish their professional reputations.

Clark Martin, a first-year graduate student in the Legal Studies program, published one article last fall and will have another article published this spring. "When Dr. Wright sends out a request for authors, I jump on it as fast as I can," Martin said. "Researching and writing an article is a good learning opportunity and it's something I enjoy doing—it opens my mind. I'm hoping to go to law school, and having published articles may help me to get a position on a Law Review."

Texas State’s graduate program in Legal Studies is one of only a handful of programs nationwide offering a Master of Arts degree with concentrations in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Legal Administration, and Environmental Law. It also offers a post-graduate Lawyer’s Assistant certificate program that provides entry-level preparation for the paralegal field, and a Mediation Certificate Program that provides entry-level skills and state certification for mediators.

“The legal profession is relying more and more on specially-trained non-lawyers to help in the delivery of legal services—professionals training in reading, researching, and analyzing law, and in working with legal requirements and restrictions,” said Program Director Dr. Terry Hull. In meeting the need for non-lawyer professionals with legal expertise, the Legal Studies program has become one of the largest graduate programs in the College of Liberal Arts.

Following is a sample of articles published recently by Legal Studies students:

Anna Bartkowski, "California Court of Appeals Ruling on Enforceability of a Mediated Settlement Agreement," Alternative Resolutions 15.1 (February 2006), 9-10.

Karen Sprouse, "Commercialism vs. Volunteerism," The Texas Mediator 21.1 (April 2006) 20.

Cheryl Jung, "Mediation in Florida," The Texas Mediator 21.2 (September 2006), 19.

Walter Clark Martin IV, "El Paso Court of Appeals Considers Attorney's Authority to Bind Parties at Mediation and Whether Certified Translators are Required at Mediation," Alternative Resolutions 15.4 (Fall 2006), 15, 19.

Amanda F. Stevenson & Olga Kobzar, "Kansas Court of Appeals Imposes Strict Penalty on Plaintiffs who Fail to Comply with Mandatory Mediation Clause in Residential Purchase Contract," Alternative Resolutions 15.4 (Fall 2006), 18-19.