Legal Writing And Analysis In A Nutshell

Softbound - New, softbound print book.

Legal Writing in a Nutshell is the lawyer's handbook for writing more plainly, precisely, efficiently, and effectively. Provides keys to organizing legal memoranda and briefs; to crafting clear and concise sentences; to using legal language accurately; to proper use of grammar and punctuation; and to writing persuasively using classical rhetorical techniques. Describes a method for analyzing an individual writing style and improving it, including a sample analysis. Includes new material on Plain English and new samples of legal memoranda and briefs to illustrate effective writing techniques.

Common Units of Legal Writing: Questions, Facts, Rules, Analysis; Relationship Between Legal Reasoning and Writing; Inductive/Deductive Process; Large-Scale Organizational Principles; Law Office Memoranda; Persuasive Writing Techniques; Trial Court Memoranda and Appellate Briefs; Four Organizational Formats for Discussion; Sections of Memoranda and Briefs with Examples of Analogizing/Distinguishing Cases; Synthesizing Rule From Cases, Statutory Analysis; Client Letters; Use of Word Processing Techniques in Legal Writing; Paragraph and Sentence Structure for Clarity; Readability; Grammar and Language Mechanics; Choice of Legal Language.

This streamlined text offers a straightforward guide to developing legal writing and analysis skills for beginning legal writers. Legal Writing and Analysis, Fifth Edition by Linda Edwards, leads students logically through reading and analyzing the law, writing the discussion of a legal question, and writing office memos, letters, and briefs. The text includes chapters on citation form, writing style, professionalism, and oral argument. The book features special focus on forms of legal reasoning (rules, analogies, policies, principles, customs, inferences, and narrative) complete with examples and exercises. It teaches students to recognize rule structures and use them to organize their document. New to the Fifth Edition: Streamlined chapters and exercises Updated citation materials covering current editions of both citation manuals Product page featuring more material on professional letters and accessible coverage and use of legal theory Professors and students will benefit from: Contextual learning, including important legal method material Superior treatment of how to organize a legal discussion Clear, ample coverage of legal reasoning Practice-oriented approach Numerous examples and short exercises for formative assessment Strong coverage of professional responsibility

This concise text offers a straightforward guide to developing legal writing and analysis skills for beginning legal writers. Legal Writing and Analysis, Third Edition, leads students logically through reading and analyzing the law, writing the discussion of a legal question, writing an office memo and professional letters. The author then focuses on writing for advocacy and concludes with style and formalities and a chapter devoted to oral argument. The Third Edition features new material throughout on drawing factual inferences, one of the most important kinds of reasoning for legal writers, as well as additional examples on the book s companion web site. Among the features that make Legal Writing and Analysis a best-selling text : It tracks the traditional legal writing course syllabus, providing students with the necessary structure for organizing a legal discussion. The consistent use of the legal method approach, from an opening chapter providing an overview of a civil case and the lawyer s role, to information about the legal system, case briefing, synthesizing cases, and statutory interpretation. The emphasis on analogical reasoning and synthesizing cases, as well as rule-based and policy-based reasoning, with explanations of how to use these types of reasoning to organize a legal discussion. Coverage of the use of precedent, particularly on how to use cases. Superior discussion of small-scale organization, including the thesis paragraph. Numerous examples and frequent short exercises to encourage students to apply concepts. Many exercises focus on first-year courses and others focus on professional responsibility. The Third Edition offers: New material on drawing factual inferences, one of the most important kinds of reasoning for legal writers. Citation materials updated to cover the new editions of both ALWD and the Bluebook. Companion web site will include additional examples of office memos, opposing briefs, letters, and summary judgment motions.

Learning legal citation is one of the difficult (and sometimes admittedly annoying) tasks that students new to the law face. This book is designed to ease that task. It initially focuses on conventions that underlie all accepted forms and systems of legal citation. Building on that understanding and an explanation of the "process" of using citations in legal writing, the book then discusses and illustrates the particular rules of The Bluebook and the ALWD Citation Manual for citing cases, statutes, and all other major legal sources. Unique appendices provide useful comparative information for these two systems of citation.

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.