Please know that the court cases you’re dealing with are NOT “simple and easy.”

(In the back of my mind, I confess, I was also hoping I’d find a job working for someone else.)

That was in September 2021.

Well, I did find law students. 🙂

I am all for that, of course, but could we get something straight first?

👉 What does “networking” even mean?

That was up from 23% in 2022!

—This number is according to Reuters, in a recent article about new data from the National Association for Law Placement, Inc. (NALP).

New lawyers “don’t know how to write.”

▪️ The law firms blame the law schools.

▪️ The law schools blame the colleges.

I’m trying to create a timeline to give current 1Ls some perspective. I hope it will ease some anxiety.

Please tell me what you’re hearing and seeing so I can modify and recirculate:

That’s the name of a new newsletter you should check out.

It is monthly (to start), and it will (big surprise) contain 3 bullets.

▪️ 1 tip for legal writers,
▪️ 1 tip for law-student writers,
▪️ 1 tip for LinkedIn writers.

I don’t give out model cover letters for a reason. A “model” is the antithesis of what any cover letter should be. Instead, the letter should scream:

“I'm different; I’m better; you want me; you want only me.”

I’ve been scared to talk about my book on LinkedIn:

—What if it isn’t good?
—What if it isn’t successful?
—What if it is really nothing at all?

I’ve always been a downplayer.

—I don’t like to create expectations.

it can be hard to decide if law school’s right for you.

But there’s at least one student like that who’s determined to get the inside scoop.

No, he is not reading ‘getting to maybe’ or any of the other, usual suspects.

This is unscripted, so please excuse the format, and I literally just thought of this now, but wow, this has got to be a low part of the year.

-you’ve sent in a million applications for summer internships
-you have no idea where you’re going to be over the summer

Dear 1L,

Yes and no.

To start, the reason most people don’t send notes with their connection requests is that they want you to accept.

When you find a case with facts and issues similar to those in your spring LRW assignment:

Pull the underlying briefs from the real-life lawyers from the cases.

These lawyers were discussing the EXACT SAME issues you have to write about in your brief.

Today’s message is inspired by a (Nick Bullard) post from last week and a new book called Elegant Legal Writing out tomorrow by (Ryan McCarl).

Nick’s post said: “Friends don’t let friends use TNR in legal briefs.”

Most 1Ls do this:

- they read the question,
- try to figure out the answer, and
- then write an essay to justify that answer.

Instead, do this: