New lawyers are generally not prepared for the rigorous practice of law. Why? They simply do not yet have the practical and efficient legal writing skills required for a litigation or transactional practice. New attorneys must develop the actual skills necessary to write sound motions, briefs, memos, letters, and documents (like contracts and trusts) in …

Should Law Firms Provide Training in Legal Writing to New Lawyers? Absolutely. Read More »

Neither Law Firms, the Paralegals There, Nor their Clients Want Paralegals to Work Only on Routine Projects. Paralegals do not wish to push paper all day, only.  Lawyers do not assume that their paralegals should perform rote tasks only.  Clients, frankly, would like to get the most out of a firm’s paralegals because paralegals bill …

Should Law Firms Invest in Training to Improve Their Paralegals’ Writing Skills? Of Course. Read More »

The Power-Packed Paragraph™* In legal writing, if you do not wish to lose your reader immediately, you must write in power-packed paragraphs.  What is a power-packed paragraph? It is a phrase I coined, for law, after learning the expression from one of my excellent high school English teachers!  She used the expression to describe the …

How Important is the Paragraph Structure in Legal Writing? It’s Everything. Read More »

BEV: Hello and welcome Paul Samakow (Sam-a-ko) to Legal Writing Launch™. This is Bev Meyers, the Founder, and I am privileged today to have Paul Samakow who has developed The Legal Merry Go Round Podcast. . . . PAUL: . . . Thank you for having me. The Legal Merry Go Round Podcast BEV: . …

Interview with Paul Samakow, Founder of The Legal Merry Go Round Podcast, and Longtime Attorney Read More »

Sound reasoning and legal writing skills are key for paralegals (including legal assistants) to advance in their workplace and careers. As a Deputy Attorney General, in a litigation practice and law professor, I have worked with and taught paralegals for over 30 years.  The great ones do extremely well in their careers—obtaining supervisorial positions, assisting …

Should Paralegals Care About Legal Writing Skills? Yes. A Lot. Read More »

This is the second part of an interview with Bev Meyers, Founder of Legal Writing Launch, and Monica Ager Jacobsen, Attorney Adviser in the Office of the Legal Adviser, Office of Human Rights and Refugees, in the U.S. Department of State.  In this part of the interview, attorney Agers Jacobsen discusses the following areas: Law …

Interview with Monica Ager Jacobsen, U.S. Department of State (Part 2) Read More »

This is the first part of an interview with Bev Meyers, Founder of Legal Writing Launch, and Monica Ager Jacobsen, Attorney Adviser in the Office of the Legal Adviser, Office of Human Rights and Refugees, in the U.S. Department of State.  In this part of the interview, attorney Ager-Jacobsen discusses the following areas: Current Position …

Interview with Monica Ager Jacobsen, U.S. Department of State (Part 1) Read More »

This is the second part of an interview with Bev Meyers, Founder of Legal Writing Launch, and  Jim Humes, Presiding Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Division One.  This part of the interview discusses the following areas: Writing a Sound Motion Eliminating Passive Voice in Legal Writing Legal Writing in Legal Memos and Demand …

Interview with Justice Jim Humes on Legal Writing (Part 2) Read More »

This is the first part of an interview with Bev Meyers, Founder of Legal Writing Launch, and Jim Humes, Presiding Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Division One.  This part of the interview discusses the following areas: Clarity in Briefs and the Editing Process Grammar in Legal Writing Legal Writing by Law Clerks or …

Interview with Justice Jim Humes on Legal Writing (Part 1) Read More »

Students frequently believe that because email is email, they can draft a business email informally in a legal environment. This is not true. Students should use a business email format. Writing an email for a law firm, governmental office, or public interest law setting requires good and structured writing. So, write only tight and intelligent …

Drafting a Strong Business Email in a Legal Setting Read More »