Legal Writing Fellows

What We Do

SMU’s Legal Writing Fellows work with all law students under the supervision of the LAWR faculty and a Student Director. Fellows keep regular office hours in the Writing Center each week. Fellows are trained to help students recognize global problems in their written work and develop techniques to address these problems and improve their writing skills.

In one-on-one meetings, Fellows may provide feedback on ungraded writing and research assignments, cover letters, writing samples, citation form, and other permitted written work. Fellows can help students with organization, sentence structure, clarity, and grammar. They can even help with studying techniques, exam prep, and tackling technology. Fellows will not help with graded assignments, law review write-on submissions, or resumes. They also will not cite check, proofread, or edit your work. Instead, the Fellows will teach you the skills to edit and polish your own written work.

In addition to one-on-one meetings, Fellows will provide small group instruction on citation form and offer workshops on a variety of topics each semester.

Make an Appointment

 Make Appointment with the Legal Writing Fellows

For any other questions, please contact us at legalwritingcenter@smu.edu. 

Meet the 2026 - 2027 Legal Writing Fellows

Chloe Obert, Student Co-Director (3L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Heard

  • Email Address: cdobert@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: Vanderbilt University

  • Affiliations: SMU Law Review, Federal Judicial Externship, Women in Law

  • Experience: Bracewell LLP (2025 & 2026)

  • Fun Fact: I was on the French Travel Channel

  • Ask Me About: Anything!!

 
Emily Ryter, Student Co-Director (3L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Stobaugh

  • Email Address: eryter@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: University of North Texas

  • Affiliations: Administrative Managing Editor for SMU Law Review; Research Assistant for Professor Bavli; Judicial Extern for the Northern District of Texas; Member of the Hunter Clinic for Victims of Crimes Against Women

  • Experience: Akin (2025 & 2026)

  • Fun Fact: I know all the best coffee shops in Dallas to work at!

  • Ask Me About: Legal research, Westlaw, exam preparation, adjusting to law school, effective study habits, editing and citations, or litigation work.
Niamah Ahmad (2L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Dureus

  • Email Address: nsahmad@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: University of Texas at Dallas

  • Affiliations: International Law Review Association, ASP Mentor, Federal Judicial Externship, Muslim Law Students Association, National Muslim Law Students Association

  • Experience: Alston & Bird 

  • Fun Fact: I have a Classical Language certification!

  • Ask Me About: Writing tips, outlining, time management, networking and connecting with professors as an introvert, handling summer placement pressure, exam preparation, and how to have a happy and successful 1L year
Allison Barnett (2L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Stobaugh (Fall) & Professor Barnhouse (Spring)

  • Email Address: barnetta@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: Texas Tech University

  • Affiliations: SMU Science & Technology Law Review, Tsai Center Scholar, SMU Women in Law

  • Experience: GreenClark Law (Federal Criminal Defense)

  • Fun Fact: I worked at Walt Disney World before law school!

  • Ask Me About: Adjusting to law school, time management, outlining, exam strategies, or anything else on your mind—I’m always happy to chat!

Ryan Fulghum (3L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Dureus

  • Email Address: rfulghum@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: Georgetown University

  • Affiliations: SMU Law Review, Federal Judicial Externship

  • Experience: Kirkland & Ellis (2025 & 2026)

  • Fun Fact: I have had the same barber for 20 years!

  • Ask Me About: Outlining, citations, career advice, understanding professor feedback, litigation, and anything else

 

Lindie Harper (3L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Gaither (was a student for Professor Stobaugh)

  • Email Address: lpharper@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: Rhodes College

  • Affiliations: Law Review, ACS, First Amendment Clinic, Judicial Externship

  • Experience: Scheef & Stone, Complex Commercial Litigation (2026); Public Defender’s Office (2025)

  • Fun Fact: My undergrad major is in Medieval History and Medieval Law

  • Ask Me About: Law review, clinics, the judicial externship program, public defense and criminal law, writing, outlining, time management, and studying

Rahmah Isa (3L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Stagen

  • Email Address: rsisa@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: Saint Louis University and The University of Texas at Dallas

  • Affiliations: ASP Mentor; Treasurer of MESALSA

  • Experience: Winston Taylor LLP (2025 & 2026)

  • Fun Fact: I can fluently play five instruments!

  • Ask Me About: Any law school course, managing your course load, and balancing coursework with hobbies.

Makinley Kennedy (3L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Barnhouse

  • Email Address: Makinleyk@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: Oklahoma State University

  • Affiliations: First Amendment Clinic, Corporate Counsel Externship Program

  • Experience: Conner & Winters (merged as Spencer Fane, 2025/2026); Figari + Davenport (2026); Parkland (2025)

  • Fun Fact: I can clap with one hand

  • Ask Me About: Good with anything!

Margaret Runnels (2L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Heard

  • Email Address: mbrunnels@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: Vanderbilt University

  • Affiliations: Women in Law

  • Experience: Bracewell LLP

  • Fun Fact: I love to play pickleball!

  • Ask Me About: Legal writing, exam prep, law school advice, the application process, and more

Anna Schindel (2L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Stagen

  • Email Address: aschindel@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: Vanderbilt University

  • Affiliations: SMU Law Review, Corporate Law Association, SMU Women in Law

  • Experience: Vinson & Elkins

  • Fun Fact: I love watching college baseball!

  • Ask Me About: Outlining, exam prep, time management, adjusting to law school, or anything else!

Delaney Todd (2L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Birdsong

  • Email Address: dtodd@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: Clemson University

  • Affiliations: International Law Review, SBA Mentor, Academic Success Mentor, Sports and Entertainment Law Association

  • Experience: Norton Rose Fulbright 

  • Fun Fact: My first time in the state of Texas was to visit SMU Law

  • Ask Me About: Legal research strategies, time management, adjusting to law school and life in Dallas, and any general law school questions too!
Sydney Zentil (2L)

  • Assigned LAWR Professor: Professor Birdsong

  • Email Address: szentil@smu.edu

  • Undergrad: Texas State University

  • Affiliations: International Law Review, SMU Women in Law, American Constitution Society, SMU Feral Cat Group, Judicial Externship

  • Experience: Husch Blackwell

  • Fun Fact: I have three children (and by children, I mean cats)

  • Ask Me About: Citations, time management, outlining, and anything else!