Dear 1L,

Imagine the Reader of your Memo will be someone who just graduated law school—a 4L.

That’s someone just a few years above you.

{—Of course you must follow all your professor’s rules and style preferences, but otherwise, forget them as your Reader.}

I’m going to tell you about the 4L you’re writing to.

They:

🔹 have never heard the facts of your case.

🔹 have no knowledge of the law governing your case.

🔹 have not even heard of your case.

Your first job is thus to EDUCATE.

If your writing is not clear, it will not educate.
If it does not educate, it will not persuade.

🔸 Give your Reader a smooth path to learning.

🔸 Anticipate the timing of your Reader’s logical questions & answer them.

🔸 Make it easy for your Reader to agree that the position you take in your Memo is sound.

You must know by now how frustrating it is to read
court decisions that are ambiguous & confusing.

📍 You don’t want your 4L to be frustrated reading your Memo.

So please make your Memo as clear and simple as possible.

✏️ Clarity and simplicity go hand in hand, and they are the cornerstones of powerful legal writing.

Fondly,

💌 Amanda

P.S. I’m remembering how hard it is to find one’s “voice” in a new genre this morning in particular. So I commiserate.

But just explain what you want to say as if you’re talking to someone around your age who just graduated.

GOOD LUCK!!!

#Dear1L
#dearlegalwriter
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