ASU Law students win national legal writing awards

Wins exemplify merit of top-ranked legal writing program

Two women and a man pose for a photo in front of a backdrop.

(From left) Willard H. Pedrick Dean and Regents Professor of Law Stacy Leeds, Noah Goldenberg and his wife Alyssa at the Burton Awards in Washington, D.C., where Goldenberg was honored for his legal writing. Photo courtesy Noah Goldenberg

By Lindsay Walker |
August 03, 2023

Two recent graduates of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University have been honored with awards for their impressive legal writing skills.

Noah Goldenberg was one of 25 recipients of the Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award – Law School from the Burton Awards for his article “Indian Embryos as ‘Indian Children?’” The paper was initially published in the winter 2022 edition of the Arizona State Law Journal.

Claire Newfeld won the Scribes Law-Review Award for her paper “Indian Boarding School Deaths and the Federal Tort Claims Act: A Route to a Remedy.”

Both Goldenberg and Newfeld graduated in May with their Juris Doctor degrees and were students in ASU Law’s Indian Legal Program.

“It’s a nice thing for the school and me,” said Goldenberg. “I cared about the paper, but you don’t write to get the award. It’s very nice to receive it after all of that hard work.”

ASU Law’s legal writing program is ranked No. 4 in the country by U.S. News & World Report, and has been ranked in the top 10 for over a decade. The program is designed to ensure students are prepared to succeed when they begin externships, summer jobs, clerkships and legal careers.

The legal writing curriculum includes two required first-year foundational courses, as well as a multitude of upper-level elective courses to enrich the writing experiences for students throughout their law school journey. Students can further enhance their writing skills by participating in activities like law journals and moot court. Legal writing education teaches the tone, style and structure necessary for legal professionals to persuade and speak to their audience. It is the foundation of the practice of law.

ASU Law alum Claire Newfeld wearing a graduation gown and standing next to a stack of books in a library. — Claire Newfeld, who graduated with her Juris Doctor in May, won the prestigious Scribes Law-Review Award for her legal writing. Photo courtesy Claire Newfeld

According to Trevi Grant, assistant dean of student career success and employer relations, the success of ASU Law’s legal writing program directly boosts students’ career prospects.

“ASU Law’s legal writing program provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the legal profession,” Grant said. “Through the program, students learn how to perform legal analysis, write clearly and persuasively, and format legal documents according to the highest standards. These skills are essential for any lawyer, and they can give students a significant advantage when they begin employment. As a result of this top-ranked program, students graduate with a strong foundation in legal writing and are highly sought after by employers at top law firms and government agencies.”

A hallmark of the legal writing program is its small class sizes and individualized feedback from faculty members.

“ASU Law has been known as a legal writing powerhouse for more than a decade,” said Alyssa Dragnich, a clinical professor of law who teaches in the program. “Our students are talented and our faculty are deeply committed to teaching, continuously looking to improve our curricula and staying abreast of changes in legal practice. I am delighted that our talented students are being recognized in this way. ASU Law students consistently become excellent writers and excellent attorneys.”

Read more about Goldenberg and Newfeld on the ASU Law Newsroom website.