The Memo is a Bear

Dear 1L, These weeks with the memo were the most brutal of 1L for me.
The memo is a bear for everyone, every year.

I know many of you are struggling out there. Please know I think of you EVERY day.

You will get past this memo. And you will be ok.

Just think of all the 2Ls and 3Ls you know. They made it through, and you will, too.

🔹 Tomorrow I will share a final self-editing checklist for you, so be on the lookout.

But for today, here’s just one substantive tip:

🔹 At the start and end of paragraphs, you will have a lot of topic sentences and summary sentences. Usually these sentences talk about whether a legal test is met.

Try to frame these sentences around what one side must “show” or “prove”

— instead of writing what must “exist,” “be shown,” or “be present.”

You will avoid a lot of passive voice, “to be” verbs, and complex sentence structures if you do it the way I suggest.

I also find it much more straightforward to wrap my head around things when I’m not talking about what abstract “state” must exist for something to “be shown.”

I thought the idea might help you, too.

I’m sending you extra hours in every day. And LOTS of positive mojo.

Always,
💌 Amanda

#Dear1L
#lawstudents
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