2024 | Dear 1L | Dear 2L | Legal Writing
My “Harry Potter” Scar
When I was 3 years old, a drunk taxi driver ran a stop sign…
Don’t Use “As” to Mean “Because”
Dear Legal Writer, Don’t use “as” to mean “because” in legal writing. “As” has…
Read It Aloud
Before you hand in that draft, read it aloud. Not to yourself.Not in your…
I’ve Never Understood
I’ve never understood why law firms don’t give new associates a self-editing checklist. It…
The em-dash How-to
Dear Legal Writer: Spice up your prose with the EM-DASH. Here’s a full how-to:…
Dear 1L,
There’s a growing problem in the legal industry: New lawyers “don’t know how to…
2024 | Dear 1L | Legal Writing
I’ve written a book!
There’s a growing problem in the legal industry: “New lawyers don’t know how to…
3 Rules on “phrasal adjectives”
My LinkedIn tagline says “legal writing coach,” but wait— Instead, should it say, “legal-writing…
Vary your sentence length
Dear Legal Writer, Some experts advise, “Keep most sentences short.” Others say, “Aim for…
Sample Sentences for Summary Judgment Briefs — PLUS: a rare video appearance
Dear 1L, I’m not too good at this making-movies-of-myself thing, but I got up…
Transition Phrases
Dear 1L, These are some words and phrases I used to use as transitions…
Be careful how you define a term in a brief—a joint post with Lindsey Lawton.
Dear Legal Writer, I was reviewing a few 1L fall memos this week, and…