The controversial prosecution of New York Mayor Eric Adams has a legal-writing silver lining: The Court asked for an amicus trial brief from Supreme Court brief-writer extraordinaire Paul Clement. Lurking within are five great writing tips for the rest of us along with choice excerpts for your inspiration at the
Read about the critical insights from a Florida federal judge who corrected dozens of errors in a routine motion, revealing common pitfalls even top legal writers make. Learn from four key examples, including the nuanced rules of capitalization for ‘Order’ and ‘Motion,’ the proper use of ‘Plaintiff,’ ‘Defendant,’ and ‘Court,’ the American standards for punctuating quoted material, and the correct use of ordinal numbers.
Wondering how to tackle possessives in legal writing? In Kansas v. Marsh, Justices Thomas and Souter clashed over “Kansas’ statute” vs. “Kansas’s statute.” Discover which approach prevails and why nearly all authorities side with Souter. Dive in to master this crucial aspect of legal style and keep your documents flawless!
Here are a few examples of how the Greats analogize and compare cases, facts, and contexts. Case citations have been replaced by “. . .” to shorten these passages and to allow you to digest them more easily. As in X, Y Example from Seth Waxman: “The Federal Circuit reasoned that
Split Infinitive What Is a Split Infinitive? A split infinitive involves placing an adverb or other word/phrase between the word “to” and an infinitive verb (e.g., “go”): “to boldly go.” Historically, there was a rule against splitting infinitives. However, the reasons for such a rule are antiquated and have no application to today’s
Does enumerating your supporting reasons with “First . . . Second . . . Third . . .” feel too stilted and wooden? Instead, try sprinkling in some of these transition phrases to increase flow and supply a conversational feel. Case citations have been replaced by “. . .” to
Chief Justice John Roberts is renowned for his exceptional brief writing. Discover five of his most effective techniques to enhance your legal writing, from using vivid facts to ending with impact. Learn how to apply these strategies to make your briefs stand out in our latest blog.
Feeling bogged down by grammar myths? You’re not alone. If you’ve ever hesitated to start a sentence with “but” or “because” or feared splitting an infinitive more than a root canal, this blog is your rescue remedy. Learn why starting a sentence with a conjunction is often preferred, and learn how splitting infinitives can enhance clarity and flow. Read on to liberate your legal writing from these outdated constraints!