David Spratt
Legal Rhetoric Instructor
Office: Room 129C
Phone: 202-274-4059
E-mail: dspratt@wcl.american.edu
Professor David H. Spratt received a B.A. degree in Government and Psychology from The College of William and Mary and graduated summa cum laude from The American University, Washington College of Law. Prior to teaching Legal Rhetoric, Professor Spratt taught Legal Writing and Research at the George Washington University School of Law, Legal Analysis and Writing at Concord School of Law, and Legal Methods at the Washington College of Law. Professor Spratt is a member of the Virginia and District of Columbia bars, and he is an active participant in state, local, and national bar associations and organizations. He is the immediate past chair of the Virginia Bar Association, Domestic Relations Section and the Northern Virginia Regional Advisory Committee. In the past, he has moderated and/or presented continuing legal education programs on attorney impairment, vocational rehabilitation experts, defined duration support, imputation of income, amendments to the Virginia child support statute, legal ethics, research and citation, the use of electronic evidence in litigation and family law cases, and child custody evaluations. In 2001, Professor Spratt was a founding partner of Schwartz & Spratt, PLC, a family law firm in Fairfax, Virginia. Previously, Professor Spratt has worked as an associate at the Law Office of Betty A. Thompson, Ltd., and at The Lewis Law Firm, in Washington, D.C. In May 2006, Professor Spratt and his family received the Volunteers of the Year Award from Celebrate Fairfax, Inc., where he serves as a member of the Leadership Team.
Currently Teaching
- LAW-516-008 LegalRhetoric:Wrtng&Rsrch I
- LAW-516-009 LegalRhetoric:Wrtng&Rsrch I
Degrees & Universities
- J.D., American University Washington College of Law 1994
- B.A., The College of William and Mary 1991
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Selected Publications- David Spratt, Resolve to Become a Better Legal Writer, 35 Va. B. Assn. News J. 6 (Winter 2009).
- David Spratt, Writer’s Block, 35 Va. B. Assn. News J. 6 (Oct./Nov. 2008).
- David Spratt, More Views from the Ivory Tower: The ‘KISS’ Principle – Keep it Simple Solicitor!, 34 Va. B. Assn. News J. 12 (June/July 2008).
- David Spratt, Views from the Ivory Tower: Musings of a Former Family Lawyer, 35 Va. B. Assn. News J. 8 (Feb./Mar. 2008).
- David Spratt, Writing Like a Contemporary (and Effective) Lawyer: The Joys and Pitfalls of Legal Writing, 21 Va. B. Assn. News J. 10 (Dec. 2005/Jan. 2006).
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Selected Presentations
- David Spratt & Heather Ridenour, Presentation, Filling in the Gaps: The Intersection of First-Year Legal Writing and Academic Support (Ninth Annual Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference at Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Tempe, Ariz., Mar. 14, 2009).
- David Spratt, Presentation, Facing a ‘Client’ in the First Year of Law School: Facebook as a Tool to Engage Students (Ninth Annual Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference at Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Tempe, Ariz., Mar. 14, 2009).
- David Spratt, Presentation, Using Social Networks in Teaching and Maintaining Contact (Ann Ferren Teaching Conference, American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Jan. 9, 2009).
- David Spratt, Presentation, Professionalism and Civility II (Virginia Bar Association Professionalism Task Force and McLean Bar Association, Oct. 21, 2008).
- David Spratt, Presentation, Selecting, Representing, and Terminating the Relationship with Family Law Clients: Ethical Issues and Practical Advice (Virginia CLE/Virginia Bar Association, Fairfax, Va., Aug. 13, 2008).
- David Spratt, Presentation, Write from the Get-Go (Legal Analysis Program, American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Aug. 11, 2008).
- David Spratt, Presentation, All the ‘Write’ Moves: How to Write Like a Modern Lawyer (Troutman Sanders, Advanced Attorney Interdisciplinary College, Richmond, Va.; Raleigh, N.C.; McLean, Va., June 2008).
- David Spratt, Presentation, Using Everyday Life and Familiar Experience to Introduce Legal Writing and Analysis Concepts (Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, Mar. 22, 2008).
- Paul Figley & David Spratt, Presentation, Effective Use of Language in Administrative Decisions (FDA, Rockville, Md., Feb. 15, 2008).
- David Spratt & Justice Lawrence Koontz, Presentation, The ‘Write’ Stuff: Teaching Old and New Dogs New Tricks (Virginia Bar Association, Williamsburg, Va., Jan. 19, 2008).
- David Spratt, Moderator, How Legal Rhetoric Shapes the Law (Archetype Panel, American University Washington College of Law, Nov. 2, 2007).
- David Spratt, Presentation, Professionalism and Civility (Virginia Bar Association Professionalism Task Force and McLean Bar Association, Oct. 17, 2007).
- David Spratt, Presentation, Citation: Learning to Sing the “Blues" (LL.M. Program in Law and Government, American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Sept 4 & 6, 2007).
- David Spratt, Presentation, The Challenging Pedagogy of the First Assignment: What Do Students Need to Learn and How Can We Do It? (Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nev., Mar. 2007).
- David Spratt, Presentation, The Wisdom of Solomon Revisited: Dividing Time With the Babies (Virginia CLE, Fairfax, Va., Aug. 2006).
- David Spratt, Presentation, Introduction to Legal Research, Writing and Citation (Northern Virginia Legal Secretaries Association, Va., Mar. 2006).
- David Spratt, Presentation, Introduction to Legal Research, Writing and Citation (Freddie Mac, Mar. 2006).
- David Spratt, Presentation, Take Your Job Suggestion and Shove It! Imputation of Income, Defined Duration and Vocational Rehabilitation Experts in Support Cases (Virginia CLE Sponsored by The Virginia ADR Joint Committee and the VBA Domestic Relations Section, Fairfax, Va., Aug. 18, 2005).
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Selected Media Appearances
- Virginia Court of Appeals Case Stroud v. Stroud, and Its Implications for Same-sex Couples in Virginia (Associated Press Feb. 27, 2007) (Interview).