Writing samples have been a routine part of the associate selection process in law firms. Now we are seeing candidates for staff management positions in law firms being asked to provide a sample of a significant report or to prepare a writing sample on a specific issue.   In large measure this is in response to bad experiences with staff members, particularly in technical positions, who lack the ability to communicate in writing. As one COO we work with said, “This is a law firm, our lawyers deal with the written word. Someone without the ability to put together an organized and grammatically correct paragraph stands out like a sore thumb.”