Standalone Course: Editing for Lawyers

In this course, you will:

• Apply core grammar conventions in legal writing – Demonstrate proficiency in grammar, punctuation, and syntax specific to legal documents to ensure clarity and precision.
• Interpret and implement style guides’ requirements – Identify and apply legal style guides, including The Bluebook and other jurisdiction-specific conventions, while recognizing and correctly using terms of art.
• Edit and structure motions and court filings – Develop skills to refine motions, pleadings, and other court documents for accuracy, conciseness, and compliance with procedural requirements.
• Learn to enhance clarity in transactions, contracts, and negotiations – Edit contracts and transactional documents to improve readability, eliminate ambiguity, and ensure enforceability.
• Practice mastering authorities, citations according to Bluebook conventions– Accurately cite legal authorities following the Bluebook and other citation formats while verifying sources for correctness.
• Utilize AI and Online resources for legal editing – Explore AI-powered tools and digital resources to enhance efficiency in legal editing, research, and citation management.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate proficiency in legal grammar and syntax by applying core grammar conventions to produce clear, precise, and professional legal documents.
• Adhere to legal style guide requirements by correctly applying The Bluebook and other relevant style conventions, including the proper use of terms of art.
• Revise and refine motions and court filings to ensure accuracy, conciseness, and compliance with jurisdictional and procedural requirements.
• Edit transactional documents and contracts effectively to improve clarity, eliminate ambiguity, and enhance enforceability in legal agreements.
• Cite legal authorities accurately by following The Bluebook and other citation guidelines, verifying sources, and ensuring proper attribution.
• Leverage AI and online tools for legal editing to enhance efficiency in proofreading, citation management, and document formatting.

Editing for Lawyers Course Overview

Sharpen your editorial precision in our Editing for Lawyers course, designed to elevate the clarity, impact, and persuasiveness of legal writing. Guided by a seasoned legal editor, you will learn to identify and resolve common writing flaws, streamline complex language, and adapt your edits to suit different legal audiences and contexts. Through hands-on practice and expert feedback, you will build skills that strengthen your work across briefs, memos, contracts, and beyond, enhancing both communication and professional credibility.

Quality Education Taught by Industry Thought-Leaders

We provide stackable learning options with UChicago brand recognition, networking with top-tier professionals, and courses taught by thought-leaders in the industry. You will receive practical training with in-depth assessment and instructional feedback. Our editing courses are backed by the authority of The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) and bolstered by direct connections to the UChicago Press.

Our instructors have worked as freelancers, consultants, and in-house editorial and production managers at industry-leading publishing houses and have extensive experience working with The Chicago Manual of Style—including consulting on new editions. They are active practitioners with long-standing careers and understand the technical and professional demands of the publishing industry, which helps them foster in-demand career development. They also have a wealth of contacts and resources.

Skill Development in a Changing Job Market

Our Standalone Editing courses provide professional development in response to the evolving skill requirements in the job market. These courses address the need to expand beyond a curriculum in manuscript editing and encompass a wider spectrum of competencies. They provide tailored learning paths that cater to a variety of specific needs of professional development in editing. Participants will have ongoing training opportunities to stay relevant and grow skills to work across sectors and roles. These are individual courses meant to enhance your training outside of our full Editing certificate program.

Standalone courses currently available are:

Do you have questions about the online course or our full Editing certificate? Our team is ready to discuss the program and answer your questions regarding our registration process. Connect with our admissions team via email or by filling out our online request form to receive more information and have someone reach out to you.

Our goal is to provide students with a variety of tuition payment options that will suit their financial circumstances when they register for non-credit certificate UChicago Professional courses.