George David Gopen

George Gopen Writing Consultant

About George David Gopen

Head shot of Cornel West, a smiling Black man with black and grey afro, beard, and mustache, tinted glasses in a black jacket and white shirt with a small microphone pinned to it.

“My very dear brother George is one of the most masterful teachers, erudite scholars and decent human beings I have ever encountered in the Academy!”
— Dr. Cornel West Philosopher, theologian, politician

“[Dr. Gopen’s] articles on the rhetorics of science and law are seminal in both disciplines.”
— Kristin Woolever Chancellor, Penn State Brandywine

White woman, short grey hair, silver glasses, turquoise blazer, white blouse, smiling,

Who is George Gopen?

George David Gopen, JD, PhD is an American rhetorician, educator, writing consultant, author, and classical musician. He has spent more than four decades helping professionals communicate more clearly. He has trained tens of thousands in his Reader Expectation Approach (REA) to writing in the English language. George’s professional accomplishments position him as a widely recognized interdisciplinary thought leader. Download George’s CV and Client Roster for details.

2026 CV
Client Roster
Read more about The Reader Expectation Approach
Medium wide shot of George Gopen, professional writing consultant — a smiling, older white man in an auditorium. He is wearing a black suit with an ornate tie with white designs. He has short, reddish grey hair, mustache, and beard. He has glasses. His head is resting in his left hand and he is gazing to the left. The seats around him are empty and alternate in colors from blue to green to orange.

Academic Excellence

A career built on academic excellence, George simultaneously earned both his law degree and a PhD in English from Harvard. He holds the professional title Professor Emeritus of the Practice of Rhetoric at Duke University. He was the founder and director of the Duke University Writing Program, taught in Duke’s English Department for 30 years, and taught for sixteen at Duke’s School of Law.

Since 1985, faculty attendance at George’s seminars has exceeded 20,000 at Duke University. Read Dr. Gopen’s full Duke academic profile.

Listen: “Non-Rules for Writing: An Interview with George Gopen” Being Human from The University of Pittsburgh
Professional writing consultant George Gopen, conducting a seminar in a large, well-lit classroom. He is an older white man with grey hair and beard and glasses in a blue collared shirt and suspenders. He is facing the room of about 30 people in the audience of all genders and ethnicities. Image by Abdulrahman Bindamnan, PhD .
Image credit: Abdulrahman Bindamnan, PhD

Professional Writing Consultant

From 1980 to 1990, George partnered with Joseph Williams and Gregory Colomb of University of Chicago to build a writing consultancy called, Clearlines. Since 1990, he has been working independently as a professional writing consultant, offering workshops and seminars in REA. He has trained professionals at of over 200 organizations around the world.

Listen: “Meet George Gopen, Exploring The Complexities And Eloquence Of The English Language.” State of Things Interview.

Reshaping Scientific Writing

In 1990, George published The Science of Scientific Writing in American Scientist which formed the basis of his Reader Expectation Approach. The acclaimed article has been independently reprinted and taught at universities worldwide for 35 years. Virginia Kraus, the Mary Bernheim Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Duke University, has credited REA with reshaping scientific writing. In a single 30-day period, the article enjoyed readers from 13 countries.

In June of 2026, George will be releasing an expanded and updated version in book form titled The New Science of Scientific Writing.

Lifetime Achievement

Plaque from the Legal Writing Institute for their Golden Pen Award recognizing the lifetime achievement of professional writing consultant George Gopen.

In 2011, the Legal Writing Institute presented George with their lifetime achievement award, The Golden Pen, for his outstanding lifelong efforts to improve the quality of legal writing.

View full-sized award image here. Read the plaque inscription here. Read his acceptance speech here.

Publications

George has published five books, 80 articles, and a 15-hour video series. In February of 2026, he signed a three-book contract with Anthem Press in London which will include 17 translations of his expanded The New Science of Scientific Writing. Read about all three new books.

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