How To Organize And Write A Legal Memorandum

"This book explains how to organize and write legal memoranda that will communicate information to the reader clearly and effectively. It is written primarily for first-year law students, but upper-class law students and practicing attorneys can also use it, to produce more effective legal memoranda or written legal analyses generally"--

Law firm hiring partners and training supervisors agree that new lawyers should be able to draft basic legal memos quickly. But until now, even the best training courses have treated memo-writing as just a question of writing law and analysis, rather than also of having the right organizational habits. Now, at last, in this CLE book, legal writing expert Mary Campbell Gallagher, J.D. (Harvard), Ph.D., teaches junior lawyers how to build their memo-writing skills "like a sport . " Using six of the simulated law office memorandum tasks, sample answers, and analyses from her book Perform Your Best on the Bar Exam Performance Test (MPT), the tasks developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) for the MPT part of the bar exam, and adapting the unique systems she created for the MPT to the conditions of law practice, Dr. Gallagher helps lawyers develop the habits needed to research, organize, and draft their basic legal memos efficiently.

This powerful how-to guide focuses exclusively on the proper way to write legal memos. Equally useful for independent study or alongside any standard Legal Writing text, JUST MEMOS: From The Legal Writing Handbook, gives first-year students the extra help they need to master this critical skill.This short paperback text offers instruction that has been proven effective in the classroom: - the text is adapted from the authors' THE Legal Writing HANDBOOK, one of the bestsellers in the field - the authors explain the features unique to memo writing, plus how to apply them in practice - introductory chapters explain the basics of the American legal system and the difference between common and enacted law - a chapter on reading and analyzing statutes and cases is followed by three chapters on how to write a memo and an all-new concluding chapter covers client letters - helpful examples of both simple and more complex memoranda give students insight into the expectations for the finished product - uses the straightforward, step-by-step approach that has made the authors' texts so successfulWhen you want information on memo writing, why use a text that covers other material? Direct your students to Just Memos: From The Legal Writing Handbook, by the authors who are known for their exceptional abilities in this area, and see how effective this new reference can be.

The Legal Research and Writing Handbook by Andrea B. Yelin and Hope Viner Samborn offers a time- tested introduction to the basics of this essential paralegal skill With clear explanations, examples, and visual aids, The Legal Research and Writing Handbook offers complete coverage of a complex subject in a student-friendly, accessible text. In this thoroughly updated new edition, Yelin and Samborn continue to keep pace with legal research, citation, and technology in today’s law firms. This practical text focuses on efficient research processes and techniques for both traditional and electronic sources, along with step-by-step instruction through each stage of the legal writing process, from prewriting strategies, to revising. The authors provide in-depth coverage of the IRAC method, as well as how to write legal memoranda and legal correspondence. Throughout, the text focuses on the practical skills paralegals need to know. The text is enhanced with examples and visual aids, expert writing and practice tips, hands-on exercises, ethics alerts, up-to-date web resources, and easy-to-navigate page design. Excellent exercises are provided to reinforce student learning. New to the Ninth Edition: Coverage of electronic resources is updated and expanded, reflecting how paralegals do research today. Includes new and expanded coverage of Online Topical Classifications Systems and Researching Statutes Online. Thoroughly updated, with latest information on research sources and methods Streamlined chapter on Research Strategy, focused on how paralegals conduct research today New and refreshed exhibits Revised exercises in each chapter Professors and students will benefit from: Thoughtful revision that reflects how paralegals do research today Detailed discussion of how to use legal authorities in legal communications and how to synthesize them and present them to attorneys. Exhibits, practical tips, updated exercises, and web resources in every chapter. Excellent pedagogy for students includes Net Notes, Ethics Alerts, and Practice Pointers included throughout Examples that provide useful models for students Subheadings provide quick access to topics Helpful appendix on Citation

Combining two groundbreaking texts for predictive and persuasive writing in one volume, The Mindful Legal Writer: Mastering Predictive and Persuasive Writing, raises awareness of important elements in the legal writing process—such as pacing, purpose, context, analysis, logic, and clarity. Progressing from a mastery of the basics to a professional level of legal communication in client representation and advocacy, Heidi K. Brown’s classroom-tested pedagogy illustrates the pivotal role of written communication for lawyers.

Learning to write like a lawyer requires more than passive reading and listening to lectures; it requires active learning. Legal Analysis and Writing: An Active-Learning Approach demystifies the process of analyzing a fact pattern and translating that analysis into succinct and objective writing. This book’s scaffolded approach emphasizes an incremental presentation of the best practices of legal writing while offering a wide variety of features to help rising lawyers master the form and function of the documents they will compose in practice. Professors and students will benefit from: Study guide questions for each chapter to help students focus their reading Detailed explanations throughout the book, allowing students to understand the writing process Check-in exercises enabling students to test their understanding Plentiful writing examples to provide students with models for good writing Templates, worksheets, and checklists to help students analyze the law and assess their writing A detailed glossary to help students master key terminology In-class application exercises, quizzes, and more Support for flipped classroom and/or team-based learning models of instruction

With the authors’ effective step-by-step approach, The Legal Writing Handbook: Analysis, Research, and Writing walks students through each of the stages of the writing process from pre-writing, drafting, and editing, to the final draft. A leading text for generations of law students, the Eighth Edition gives students a head start as they move into practice. The Legal Writing Handbook offers a complete resource on legal writing. Part I provides students with an introduction to the U.S. Legal System; Part II gives an overview of legal research, with both an introduction to sources and to research strategies; Part III introduces students to predictive memos, e-memos, and client letters; Part IV covers motion briefs; Part V offers an overview of appellate briefs; Part VI introduces oral advocacy; Part VII is a guide to effective writing; Part VIII is a guide to correct writing; and Part IX focuses on the needs of ESL writers. With a new streamlined organization and completely updated content, this is the only book on legal writing students will ever need. New to the Eighth Edition: Streamlined organization with chapters focused on key topics New appendix with easy reference to all the Quick Tips to improve legal writing Updated and added discussion throughout the book on the role of bias in legal language and argumentation A new chapter introducing rhetoric and bias Professors and student will benefit from: Given the breadth of coverage, the book can be easily adapted for two-, three-, or four-semester programs. Multiple examples and sample documents—­this text demystifies legal writing. Helpful overview of the American legal system Step-by-step instruction on how to write formal memos, e-memos, and opinion letters Step-by-step instruction on how to write motion and appellate briefs In-depth instruction on how to write and edit effectively and correctly Resources for ESL law students With online Connected Coursebook access, students receive additional exercises with sample answers and other helpful resources.