Dear 1L: OCI Advice Recap
Dear 1L,
In case you’ve been away, here’s a recap on advice to help you get a job at a law firm.
FIRST: I’ve added to my website a free, 16-point checklist to help you self-edit your legal writing. You can download from my Writing Law Tutors website. (See link at top of my profile, and DM any questions.)
SECOND: Since May, I’ve written more than a dozen tips for you on how to get a job for next summer and beyond. Posts cover:
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perfecting your legal writing samples;
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preparing for law-firm interviews; and
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networking with lawyers on LinkedIn.
Please let me know if you have trouble finding anything.
THIRD: Here are top reminders for your OCI writing sample.
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PAGE NUMBERS
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Start page 1 on the first page of the brief or memo itself.
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Your cover memo and any full title/caption page, table of contents, etc. do not count in the page limit and should not be numbered.
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This should go without saying, but always number pages in anything you write with 2+ pages.
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THE PARTIES
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If you omit the introductory sections of a larger work in an excerpt for your writing sample, you must reintroduce and define who’s who at the start of your writing sample. Otherwise, your new Reader will be lost.
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THE DEFINED TERMS
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If you define a term—e.g., the school’s student-athlete search policy (the “Policy”)—do not repeat the long phrase, “the school’s student-athlete search policy,” again in your writing sample. Just write “the Policy.”
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THE COURT
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You must capitalize the word “court” any and every time you refer to the United States Supreme Court.
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Unless otherwise instructed, you should capitalize the word “court” when referring to the specific court where your case is pending.
5. YOUR READER.
We are tired, busy, and bleary-eyed. We may only read the beginning to decide if the rest is worth our time. We know nothing about your case. We may even be reading your brief on a phone. Anything you can do to make the reading job easier will win you points.
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I hope you’ve been having the most wonderful summer. You have certainly earned it!
Fondly,
Amanda
July 20, 2022
P.S. Follow —> #Dear1L (1,350 followers) to receive future letters.
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