Two Strategies for Effective Written Advocacy

Two Strategies for Effective Written Advocacy

by | Writing

The Legal writing Prof Blog has mention of a short article in The Missouri Bar’s newsletter, Precedent, on persuasive writing for generalist judges. Judges in general jurisdiction courts also may not initially be as familiar as counsel with the substantive law...
Not Going Through the Motions

Not Going Through the Motions

by | Professional Development

The baby was crying again. It’s 5:15 AM this morning or 2 hours sitting on the tarmac in Boston or rushing through LaGuardia or flying over West Virginia or pulling into the driveway at home at 12:30 am. Mixed up schedules, cancelled flights, weather delays...

Out of Office, But Not Out of Mind

by | Site News

Thought I might have time to update while on the road but traveling and schedule has been too hectic (I snuck away for a minute to the Littlest Bar and am posting this from my iPhone). That being said, Boston is beautiful right now. 75 degrees and breezy which is much...
Address Incongruities

Address Incongruities

by | Professional Development

There is often a gap between the way things function and the way things ought to function. Law firms are bastions of doing things “the way they’ve always been done.”  Change is often not welcome within the legal field. See the continuous stream of...

Be Temperate

by | Writing

In the last post I noted that lawyers should avoid hyperbole at all costs. But what happens when opposing counsel resorts to hyperbole and bombastic prose in their brief? Be temperate. Do not lash out at opposing counsel in your own brief. Do not waste words pointing...
Avoid Hyperbole

Avoid Hyperbole

by | Writing

There is nothing worse than reading a brief that is filled to the brim with over-the-top exposition and exploitative narrative detail. It does not bolster your argument – it dampens your argument. Forcing a reader to navigate sentimental adjectives and impassioned...