Amanda’s Archive
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Amanda’s Archive
Dear 1L: on “However, …”
Dear 1L: On Starting a Sentence with “However,”
Dear 1L: MSJ Primer
Dear 1L, Most of you are writing summary judgment briefs this spring. You approach…
Dear 1L: IRAC Outline – Standing
Dear 1L, Here is the start of an outline template for an IRAC exam…
Dear 1L: Interview Tips
Dear 1L, I have been conducting mock Zoom interviews of law students during the…
Recent Posts
7 Things to Do the Summer Before Law School
When I started helping law students 4 years ago I tried to read everything…
Shape Up Your Use of “This” and “That”!
Dear Legal Writer, Shape up your use of “this” and “that”! Stop switching back…
Is OCI Dead?
(And would that be good or bad?) 👉 Only 24% of 1Ls got their…
Never Put a Comma Before Beginning Parentheses
Dear Legal Writer, Never put a comma before beginning parentheses. It’s unnecessary and considered…
Don’t Use “While” to Mean “Although”
Dear Legal Writer, Don’t use “while” to mean “although.” Here’s two examples showing why:…
♥️❤️ Get My New Template—IRAC Essay
Dear 1L, I created a new IRAC template for you. (FYI: This is NOT…
The Book I Wish I Had in Law School
In 1993, I got the lowest grade of my life during law school. It…
What Law Schools Get Right
Lawyers on LinkedIn sure do bash law schools a lot. “They don’t teach students…
Be Careful With the Verb “Find”
Dear 1L, Be careful with the verb “find.” Do not use it to describe…
Cut Out the Expletives
Dear Legal Writer, When I review your writing, one of the first things I…
This Is a Mental-Health Check-in
Dear 3L, This is a mental-health check-in.Everyone assumes it’s the 1Ls with the most…
“Who vs. Whom”
Dear Legal Writer, I’ve got a MONSTER today: “who vs. whom” Truth is: I’ve been…
7 Ways to Take Ownership in Big-Law
Partners ought to do a better job explaining what it means to “take ownership.”…
Don’t Surprise the Court
Dear Legal Writer, Don’t surprise the court. Judges hate surprises. Like “surprise facts.” Those…
When Should the Word “Court” Be Capitalized
Dear 1L, When should the word “court” be capitalized? Here are the rules, and…
3 Legal Writing Questions
Dear Legal Writer, ▪️ What’s better in legal writing? “prior to” or “before”? ▪️…
Why Law Students Should Use LinkedIn
It’s the winter before you start law school. You’re excited but nervous. You’re not…
Stop Saying “The Same” in Legal Writing
“The same” wreaks havoc. To illustrate: 🔹 “She delivered the goods to the warehouse…