Writing For The Legal Audience

Author : Wayne Schiess
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 164 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2003
Category : Law
ISBN : STANFORD:36105063274356

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Writing for the Legal Audience by Wayne Schiess Pdf

This book teaches lawyers how to adjust their writing to accommodate twelve different legal audiences. Each chapter addresses a different audience for legal writing, including consumers, supervisors, and trial judges. First, each chapter defines the needs of a specific audience. Next, the chapter offers tips designed to improve legal writing for that audience. Finally, Schiess cites examples of poor legal writing and includes explanations of why the poor examples should be fixed and how to do it. Readers will find sentence structure advice, as well as advice on organization, tone, format, and document design. Using a short, clear, and easy-to-read format, this book is ideal for practicing lawyers or law students who want to improve their writing. "Wayne Schiess knows his stuff, and it shows in this superb book. Any lawyer or paralegal who wants to write better - and therefore succeed more of the time - should keep this book close at hand." -- Bryan A. Garner, President, LawProse, Inc. "A fine book filled with sound, progressive advice about writing for many different legal audiences. Schiess is squarely on the side of plain English--bless him. He will show you the way to better legal writing." -- Joe Kimble, Thomas Cooley Law School "Wayne Schiess makes many superb suggestions for improving your writing by considering your audience's needs and sensibilities." -- Richard K. Neumann, Jr., Hofstra Law School "The writing tips in this book work... It is easy to read, easy to use, and -- especially considering the type of book it is -- surprisingly enjoyable." -- TRIAL, January 2004

Author : Cheryl Stephens
Publisher : Lulu.com
Page : 154 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2008-07
Category : Law
ISBN : 9780557014507

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Plain Language Legal Writing by Cheryl Stephens Pdf

A complete guide to clean, precise and understandable legal writing So many books give you advice that turns out to be hollow: "know your audience," "structure your writing." The real strength in Plain Language Legal Writing is how, throughout, Stephens provides clear instructions on how to accomplish what she's recommending. Instead of just telling you to plan what you're going to write, she walks you step-by-step through the planning. Instead of telling you to consider your audience before writing, she describes in detail the sorts of audiences a legal document might have (more than you'd expect!) and how to best meet their needs. Plain Language Legal Writing will help you produce documents that people are willing to read and able to understand. More: PlainLanguageLegalWriting.comOther versions: e-book

Author : Terri LeClercq,Karin Mika
Publisher : Aspen Publishing
Page : 178 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2011-02-11
Category : Law
ISBN : 9781454860242

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Guide to Legal Writing Style by Terri LeClercq,Karin Mika Pdf

This concise paperback focuses on the nuances of legal writing style and provides novice legal writers with the skills they need to polish their writing. Guide to Legal Writing Style, Fourth Edition, intended as an ancillary to any basic legal writing text, expands what students learn in their first-year courses by providing additional techniques and style tips that will help make their writing more precise, readable and elegant. This highly regarded paperback, specifically directed at legal writers, offers crisp, pointed advice written in a personal and humorous style lucid organization that helps students find the information they need most, including practice with basic skills and helpful advice on organization, sentence structure, word choice, punctuation, and formatting an emphasis on legal ethics throughout, with most of the examples and exercises focusing on ethical issues a chapter on organization that compares and contrasts undergraduate terms and goals with those expected by a legal audience a guide that helps students guard against plagiarism short, end-of-chapter exercises, with the answers at the back of the book, that strengthen skills and provide opportunities for self-testing Special features in the Fourth Edition include: an updated interactive CD-ROM with multiple exercises to reinforce the materials in the book, which includes updated and expanded tests of basic skills and click-on answers and explanations a new chapter testing common errors in professional writing, with explanations as well as succinct answers new checklists that reinforce essential advice of each chapter

Author : Michael K. Romano,Todd A. Curry
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 194 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2019-08-30
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780429867866

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Creating the Law by Michael K. Romano,Todd A. Curry Pdf

Written opinions are the primary means by which judges communicate with external actors. These sentiments include the parties to the case itself, but also more broadly journalists, public officials, lawyers, other judges, and increasingly, the mass public. In Creating the Law, Michael K. Romano and Todd A. Curry examine the extent to which judges tailor their language in order to avoid retribution during their retention, and how institutional variations involving intra-chamber dynamics may influence the written word of a legal opinion. Using an extensive dataset that includes the text of all death penalty and education decisions issued by state supreme courts from 1995–2010, Romano and Curry are the first to examine the connection between retention incentives and language choices. They utilize text analysis techniques developed in the field of communications and apply them to the text of judicial decisions. In doing so, they find that judges write with their audience in mind, and emphasize duelling strategies of justification and persuasion in order to please diverse audiences that may be paying attention. Furthermore, the process of drafting a majority opinion is a team exercise, and when more individuals are involved in its crafting, the product will reflect this complexity. This book gives students the tools for understanding how institutional variation affects judicial outcomes and shows how language relates to decision-making in the judiciary more specifically.

Author : Anne Enquist,Laurel Currie Oates
Publisher : Aspen Publishers
Page : 352 pages
File Size : 41,9 Mb
Release : 2001
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : STANFORD:36105062951996

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Just Writing by Anne Enquist,Laurel Currie Oates Pdf

Like other forms of writing already known To The first-year law student, clear writing for law contains good grammar, punctuation and organization. it is with that in mind that this text was created For The legal writing novice. JUST WRITING takes what the student already has familiarity to and bridges those concepts into the world of law. The transition into legal authorship becomes easier as the seemingly complicated design of legal works is unraveled, As well as when an understanding of the audience is attained. In JUST WRITING: Grammar, Punctuation, and Style For The Legal Writer, students will gain an understanding of: what the legal audience expects in style the A,B,Cs of legal writing: accuracy, brevity, and clarity general principles in writing and how they manifest themselves in strong legal writing vital skills for every aspect of the law JUST WRITING also features: a special section designed to assist legal writers for whom English is a second language easily navigable chapters and sections that cover everything from introduction to revision descriptions of the most effective ways to get your point across in legalese Recommended for every student in a first-year legal writing course, JUST WRITING: Grammar, Punctuation and Style For The Legal Writer covers all the bases. Students will learn what type of writing to avoid and what writing habits it is best to employ for maximum effect. JUST WRITING is the most efficient, cogent and complete title to guide you through the difficult field of legal writing.

Author : Michael D. Murray
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 448 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2006
Category : Law
ISBN : STANFORD:36105063835289

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Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis by Michael D. Murray Pdf

This book is designed for a typical first semester Legal Research and Writing program that focuses on legal research, objective legal writing, and legal analysis. Murray and DeSanctis employ the TREAT paradigm and the doctrine of explanatory synthesis that are designed with reference to rhetorical theory to maximize the effectiveness of audience-directed legal writing. This book has sample research plans for tight budgets in terms of time or expense.

Author : Louis J. Sirico Jr.,Nancy L. Schultz
Publisher : Aspen Publishing
Page : 360 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2015-01-30
Category : Law
ISBN : 9781454860785

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Persuasive Legal Writing by Louis J. Sirico Jr.,Nancy L. Schultz Pdf

Persuasive Legal Writing offers complete instruction, exercises, and examples to teach students how to frame and assert arguments. Starting with an introduction to classical rhetorical devices and the psychology of persuasion, the authors explore every aspect of persuasive writing, from structuring sentences and paragraphs to writing style, tone, storytelling, audience analysis, the ethics of argument, and citing authorities. This concise books features consistent emphasis on the three keys to persuasive writing: writing simply and clearly; arguing ethically; writing for the audience and offers information on how to use all parts of a brief to frame and assert an argument. Key New Features A new chapter on applying storytelling principles to legal argument A new chapter on using visuals in support of persuasive arguments New examples of empirical studies and analysis that support the lessons throughout the book New examples of particularly appealing use of language in Appendix A

Author : Bryan A. Garner
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 285 pages
File Size : 54,7 Mb
Release : 2013-08-26
Category : Law
ISBN : 9780226031392

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Legal Writing in Plain English by Bryan A. Garner Pdf

“This easy-to-follow guide is useful both as a general course of instruction and as a targeted aid in solving particular legal writing problems.” —Harvard Law Review Clear, concise, down-to-earth, and powerful—all too often, legal writing embodies none of these qualities. Its reputation for obscurity and needless legalese is widespread. For more than twenty years, Bryan A. Garner’s Legal Writing in Plain English has helped address this problem by providing lawyers, judges, paralegals, law students, and legal scholars with sound advice and practical tools for improving their written work. The leading guide to clear writing in the field, this indispensable volume encourages legal writers to challenge conventions and offers valuable insights into the writing process that will appeal to other professionals: how to organize ideas, create and refine prose, and improve editing skills. Accessible and witty, Legal Writing in Plain English draws on real-life writing samples that Garner has gathered through decades of teaching. Trenchant advice covers all types of legal materials, from analytical and persuasive writing to legal drafting, and the book’s principles are reinforced by sets of basic, intermediate, and advanced exercises in each section. In this new edition, Garner preserves the successful structure of the original while adjusting the content to make it even more classroom-friendly. He includes case examples from the past decade and addresses the widespread use of legal documents in electronic formats. His book remains the standard guide for producing the jargon-free language that clients demand and courts reward. “Those who are willing to approach the book systematically and to complete the exercises will see dramatic improvements in their writing.” —Law Library Journal

Author : Veda Charrow,Myra K. Erhardt,Robert P. Charrow
Publisher : Aspen Publishing
Page : 509 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2014-10-30
Category : Law
ISBN : 9781454837855

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Clear and Effective Legal Writing by Veda Charrow,Myra K. Erhardt,Robert P. Charrow Pdf

In its Fourth Edition, Clear and Effective Legal Writing continues to give students a classic introduction to legal analysis and legal writing. Concise and accessible, the text focuses on memo and brief writing while reinforcing key writing skills. This proven teaching tool provides the student with excellent examples and numerous skill-honing exercises. Offering comprehensive coverage from case synthesis and case briefing to preparing Supreme Court briefs, this text: starts with an overview of legal analysis, and then walks students through the writing process: understanding context, organizing effectively, writing clearly and effectively, and reviewing and editing describes differences between legal language and ordinary discourse, and the linguistic theory underlying the origins of legal language seamlessly combines legal reasoning with legal writing and helps the student understand the relationship between the two provides straightforward rules for writing effective legal documents, with scores of examples of the good, the bad, and the humorous includes numerous exercises throughout the book to help students reinforce their skills dissects and annotates actual trial court memoranda and Supreme Court briefs highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each example provides an insightful interview with the Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States on what the Court expects to see in brief and the assistance that his office provides to all litigants appearing before the Court shows how to transform a memorandum into an advocacy document provides guidance for writing well in an appendix with overview of English sentence structure New to the Fourth Edition: updated examples throughout an updated legal process portion taking into account changes in law and updating examples a new set of Supreme Court briefs with annotations additional material addressing how the Internet is affecting court filings and formatting

Author : Louise Mailhot,James D. Carnwath
Publisher : Cowansville, Québec : Éditions Y. Blais
Page : 150 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 1998
Category : Law
ISBN : 2894512376

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Decisions, Decisions by Louise Mailhot,James D. Carnwath Pdf

Author : Diana Donahoe
Publisher : Aspen Publishing
Page : 600 pages
File Size : 54,8 Mb
Release : 2015-01-28
Category : Law
ISBN : 9781454831662

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Experiential Legal Writing by Diana Donahoe Pdf

Experiential Legal Writing: Analysis, Process, and Documents discusses the documents first-year law students are introduced to, including memos, briefs, and client letters, as well as documents that are used in upper-class courses, such as scholarly writing and pleadings. Based on the online legal writing materials available at TeachingLaw, this straightforward text is designed to be used either as an aid to instructors and students working in the electronic environment of TeachingLaw or on its own as a primary or supplementary textbook. Covering the entirety of the writing process, from analysis to citation form, this text Offers a clear instructional approach to legal analysis, legal documents, and the writing process, as well as to legal grammar and usage and to citation style for both ALWD and the Bluebook. Breaks down the analytical and writing processes into manageable tasks and provides students with strategies, examples, and exercises. Introduces each type of legal document with "Purpose, Audience, Scope, and View" bullet points, providing an at-a-glance overview. Employs maps, diagrams, text boxes, and tables to summarize material and provide visual interest. Includes multiple documents annotated with in-depth commentary to help students identify key parts, understand the arguments being made, and understand the strengths of each document. Provides abundant, thorough study aid materials Quick References and Checklists that reinforce and test students' understanding of the material Quizzes and Self-Assessments that allow students and teachers to test students' understanding of the material

Author : Ruth Anne Robbins,Steve Johansen,Ken Chestek
Publisher : Aspen Publishing
Page : 469 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2018-11-06
Category : Law
ISBN : 9781543805406

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Your Client's Story by Ruth Anne Robbins,Steve Johansen,Ken Chestek Pdf

Your Client’s Story: Persuasive Legal Writing centers on the foundations of advocating for a client, with a focus on ways to persuade the reader to grant the relief each client seeks. That sets it apart from other legal writing textbooks, which mainly organize around parts of an appellate brief. Organized to reflect the client-advocacy process that results in written documents, the text begins with meeting the client, moves to investigating the facts, and then provides guidance on analyzing and choosing the appropriate persuasive strategy. The material is rooted in concepts of narrative theory, brain science, and cognitive psychology. The book is written in an easy-to-read, conversational style to guide students through an explanation that classical rhetoric and modern persuasion theory provide the foundation for memorable legal writing. Coverage includes both the trial and appellate levels. By focusing on the process of persuasion, Your Client’s Story: Persuasive Legal Writing creates strong connections between the first-year objectives and the upper-level skills, externship, and clinic courses. Editable versions of the sample briefs appear in the appendices so that professors can tailor them to individual needs. New to the Second Edition: A new chapter on logical fallacies, unique among legal coursebooks, categorizing and describing 16 common logical fallacies, providing examples and guidance on how to spot and avoid them A new chapter on reasoning with facts (inferential reasoning), covering fact synthesis, weight of facts, and drawing negative inferences from the absence of critical facts Expanded coverage of how to write a powerful conclusion to your brief Professors and students will benefit from: This book focuses on the question, “How can the lawyer persuade the audience through legal writing?” rather than “What does a brief look like?” This book puts the facts first. It is the only text on the market to devote several chapters to factual research, fact synthesis, and reasoning with facts. The client-centered focus makes this textbook unique in the legal writing market. By learning how to effectively tell “Your Client’s Story,” this book helps students stay grounded in client-based advocacy. The book includes more extensive coverage of visual design than competing books, including a discussion of visualized legal reasoning. The authors have individually and collective written germinal legal scholarship about legal narrative and legal document design. The authors are all prior presidents of the Legal Writing Institute. One of them is the co-editor-in-chief of the legal journal devoted to publishing persuasive-writing articles for practicing attorneys.

Author : Richard H. Weisberg
Publisher : Aspen Publishers
Page : 360 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 1987
Category : Law
ISBN : STANFORD:36105043962021

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When Lawyers Write by Richard H. Weisberg Pdf

Designed with the realities of modern legal practice in mind, WHEN LAWYERS WRITE can be used for specific help on a particular problem or for general guidance to refresh or refine legal writing skills. Weisberg stresses the crucial element of audience awareness throughout, and offers proven techniques to reinforce good writing habits, showing you how to: Convey pertinent information at the outset Apportion research and writing Assume a fully attentive reader Keep the subject in mind Make verbs active Choose the appropriate degrees of directness, informality, and simplicity Tailor our tone To The case at hand Know when to use jargon Avoid unplanned shocks To The reader and open a coherent path through sentences and paragraphs. General correspondence, memoranda, contracts, conveyances, wills, briefs, and other forms of legal writing are covered in depth. All the common writing difficulties lawyers face are examined in detail -- with practical suggestions for overcoming them.

Author : Bryan A. Garner
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 990 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2001
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 0195142365

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A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage by Bryan A. Garner Pdf

A comprehensive guide to legal style and usage, with practical advice on how to write clear, jargon-free legal prose. Includes style tips as well as definitions.

Author : Stephen V. Armstrong,Timothy P. Terrell,Jarrod F. Reich
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 510 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 2021
Category : Legal composition
ISBN : 1402437722

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Thinking Like a Writer by Stephen V. Armstrong,Timothy P. Terrell,Jarrod F. Reich Pdf