A Practical Guide to Legal Writing and Legal Method provides complete coverage and analysis with the clarity and precision that has made it a classic in the field. Discussion, examples, and practice exercises teach students how to apply the concepts of legal writing and legal method to a written analysis or oral argument. The text not only provides a complete foundation for classroom instruction, but also supports independent study and review. Graduates will want to keep this text within reach as they enter legal practice. New to the Seventh Edition: Restructured format to emphasize common themes Consolidated and streamlined chapters that are even more accessible to both professor and students Expanded appendix on email communications Professors and student will benefit from: Accessible introductions that outline and explain legal method Examples of both effective and ineffective approaches to all of the topics covered Focused exercises to develop and practice the skills addressed in each chapter In-depth instruction on reading and understandingboth statutes and caselaw synthesizing cases and statutes applying the law to specific facts organizing and drafting a legal analysis the principles of objective writing for memoranda, client communications, and judicial opinion writing the principles of persuasive writing, including structuring an effective argument and writing for the court drafting traditional and shorter “summary of the law” memoranda drafting opinion letters drafting both trial and appellate court briefs Guidelines for using electronic communicationfor legal memoranda and correspondence—when it is appropriate, and strategies for effective communication in legal writing and practice Integrated treatment of ethics and professional conduct A sample case file in the appendices with memos in both traditional and email format, client letters, and trial and appellate court briefs

This concise, readily accessible text focuses the first-year law student on learning the basic principles of legal writing and analysis. Starting with a straightforward introduction to law and legal method and moving on To The basics of legal writing, The text then explores the specifics of writing memos and briefs. A classic in the field, A Practical Guide to Legal Writing and Legal Method, Third Edition, has been redesigned and updated to appeal to a new generation of law students. Among the features that make this carefully crafted text a success: flexibility -- the essential skills of legal reasoning and analysis are presented in a straightforward manner that allows each teacher¿and student¿to use the material in his or her own way integration -- students are taught legal analysis in tandem with legal writing, concentrating on the basic principles of legal method and how to apply those principles in legal writing accessibility -- legal reasoning and writing is presented in a simple and understandable manner, through the use of a series of accessible and simple guidelines; rigor -- focused exercises allow students to practice the guidelines presented in the text practicality -- extensive appendices with examples of office memos, trial briefs, and appellate briefs allow students to see how the lessons in the text are used to create the documents that they will write as lawyers Updated and redesigned, The Third Edition offers: new material on legal rules, synthesis, and organization of a legal discussion or argument new and updated examples throughout new user-friendly design and layout for enhanced accessibility an improved Teacher¿s Manual, significantly expanded to include additional exercises, teaching suggestions, and advice for new teachers

"Like the popular earlier editions, the fourth edition of A Lawyer Writes puts the reader in the place of a first-year attorney faced with real-life assignments. In doing so, it teaches law students not only how to succeed in law school, but also how to succeed in the practice of law. Using graphics and visual samples that demonstrate both effective and ineffective analytical techniques, this updated edition illustrates best practices for objective legal analysis and provides an overview of the transition from objective to persuasive writing. The content and examples in the fourth edition have been supplemented, updated, and reorganized to provide an easy-to-use, step-by-step approach for learning legal analysis and objective writing. A Lawyer Writes aims to provide clear and concrete instruction about each facet of legal analysis, using the same order students will follow when performing the tasks in legal practice. The textbook also provides the relevant theory and background behind the choices attorneys make in their legal writing, enabling students to transfer those techniques to future settings. Speaking to its readers in a straightforward manner, A Lawyer Writes communicates essential skills and theories students can use throughout a lifetime of legal practice"--

This concise, readily accessible text focuses the first-year law student on learning the basic principles of legal writing and analysis. Starting with a straightforward introduction to law and legal method and moving on To The basics of legal writing, The text then explores the specifics of writing memos and briefs. A classic in the field, A Practical Guide to Legal Writing and Legal Method, Third Edition, has been redesigned and updated to appeal to a new generation of law students. Among the features that make this carefully crafted text a success: flexibility -- the essential skills of legal reasoning and analysis are presented in a straightforward manner that allows each teacher¿and student¿to use the material in his or her own way integration -- students are taught legal analysis in tandem with legal writing, concentrating on the basic principles of legal method and how to apply those principles in legal writing accessibility -- legal reasoning and writing is presented in a simple and understandable manner, through the use of a series of accessible and simple guidelines; rigor -- focused exercises allow students to practice the guidelines presented in the text practicality -- extensive appendices with examples of office memos, trial briefs, and appellate briefs allow students to see how the lessons in the text are used to create the documents that they will write as lawyers Updated and redesigned, The Third Edition offers: new material on legal rules, synthesis, and organization of a legal discussion or argument new and updated examples throughout new user-friendly design and layout for enhanced accessibility an improved Teacher¿s Manual, significantly expanded to include additional exercises, teaching suggestions, and advice for new teachers

Designed for lawyers seeking to improve and strengthen their client relationships, this guide offers strategies for effectively communicating with clients. Top lawyers offer their own strategies for speaking and presenting themselves in a way that pleases clients and cultivates their practice. The importance of empathizing with a client's position is stressed and explained, as is creating a long-term business plan for a practice. How to conduct an efficient meeting, tips for creating an interactive legal presentation, and the ethical issues of selling and marketing a firm are also addressed.

This concise, readily accessible text focuses the first-year law student on learning the basic principles of legal writing and analysis. Starting with a straightforward introduction to law and legal method and moving on To The basics of legal writing, The text then explores the specifics of writing memos and briefs. A classic in the field, A Practical Guide to Legal Writing and Legal Method, Third Edition, has been redesigned and updated to appeal to a new generation of law students. Among the features that make this carefully crafted text a success: flexibility -- the essential skills of legal reasoning and analysis are presented in a straightforward manner that allows each teacher¿and student¿to use the material in his or her own way integration -- students are taught legal analysis in tandem with legal writing, concentrating on the basic principles of legal method and how to apply those principles in legal writing accessibility -- legal reasoning and writing is presented in a simple and understandable manner, through the use of a series of accessible and simple guidelines; rigor -- focused exercises allow students to practice the guidelines presented in the text practicality -- extensive appendices with examples of office memos, trial briefs, and appellate briefs allow students to see how the lessons in the text are used to create the documents that they will write as lawyers Updated and redesigned, The Third Edition offers: new material on legal rules, synthesis, and organization of a legal discussion or argument new and updated examples throughout new user-friendly design and layout for enhanced accessibility an improved Teacher¿s Manual, significantly expanded to include additional exercises, teaching suggestions, and advice for new teachers

"A Practical Guide to Legal Writing and Legal Method continues to provide complete coverage of basic legal writing and analysis with the clarity and precision that has made it a classic in the field. The text is concise and flexible, teaching students to apply legal method concepts to a written or oral argument through a combination of introductory exposition, extensive examples, and practice exercises. Offering great teaching opportunities in the classroom, the lessons and examples also support independent study and review. A valuable text that students will want to keep as practitioners."--

This book is for law students and practitioners who want to learn, or be reminded of, the fundamentals of legal writing and oral advocacy. Effective Lawyering concisely describes useful, yet often neglected, writing techniques. The book has pithy discussions of:(1) ways to avoid recurring, yet frequently overlooked, writing problems;(2) sensible approaches to writing common legal documents; and(3) methods for preparing an oral argument.In addition, it provides the reader with a series of checklists to turn to when undertaking a writing project or preparing for oral argument. The authors have designed the book for practicing attorneys as well as law students. The book is an ideal supplement for first-year and advanced legal writing courses, for upper-division skills courses, and for students participating in law journals or moot court programs. Short and to-the-point, the book's unique check-list approach will help law students and practitioners improve their writing methodically.

A Practical Guide to Legal Writing and Legal Method continues to provide complete coverage of basic legal writing and analysis with the clarity and precision that has made it a classic in the field. The text is concise and flexible, teaching students to apply legal method concepts to a written or oral argument through a combination of introductory exposition, extensive examples, and practice exercises. Offering great teaching opportunities in the classroom, the lessons and examples also support independent study and review. A valuable text that students will want to keep as practitioners. Key Features: Expanded coverage includes: A new chapter on reading & understanding statutes to help students deconstruct and comprehend legislation and administrative rules. A new chapter on summary of the law memoranda to teach students how to draft a document increasingly being used in modern law practice to answer the question what is the law on . . . or when a full analysis of a legal issue is not needed. Two new appendices provide examples of a summary of the law memorandum in both email and traditional memo format. Improved structure and organization: New emphasis on objective writing as the foundation for in-house memoranda and client communications. New emphasis on guidelines for the use of email for legal memoranda and client correspondence, including the determination of whether email is the appropriate medium and strategies for effective communication. Unparalleled number of examples and exercises, including numerous examples of good and bad writing appear throughout. Clear explanations detail the advantages and disadvantages of each. Unique coverage of the shorter summary of the law memo that lawyers are frequently asked to write under a variety of circumstances. when a full analysis of a legal issue is not appropriate.

The second edition of Legal Writing by Design remains unique in demonstrating how to transform thoughts into writing by explaining the link between thinking and writing. It doesn't just tell the reader to "argue by analogy" or to "apply the rule" -- it explains the design of the thinking involved in those processes and shows how to transform that design into writing. Through easily understandable hypotheticals, outlines, graphics, exercises, and writing samples, many garnered during the authors' combined forty-plus years of teaching legal writing and appellate advocacy to law students, Legal Writing by Design comprehensively demonstrates how to transform ideas into exceptional writing. It demystifies the writing process by explaining the design of (1) deductive and inductive reasoning, (2) analogical thinking, and (3) relevancy. Once that design is understood, writing becomes easy. Writing with liberal doses of humor, the authors provide clearly readable charts, examples, and templates throughout this second edition. All chapters include a chapter review, and many also provide writing prompts. In addition to chapters explaining the fundamentals of writing legal memos and briefs, Legal Writing by Design contains sections on (1) clear and effective writing; (2) the appellate process, including an easily understandable explanation of standards of review; (3) oral argument techniques and practice; (4) the writing and editing process; (5) case briefing; and (6) professionalism in the practice of law. Exercises corresponding to the principles explained are included throughout most chapters, with answers provided in a separate Teacher's Manual. Successfully used for over ten years by thousands of law school students, Legal Writing by Design is the perfect tool for anyone -- attorneys, legal assistants, pro se litigants, undergraduate students, or the public -- who seeks the ideal way to analyze issues, to write clearly, and to write persuasively.