Chardonnay.

You might think when I left Biglaw in 2016, the problem would have left me, too.

But it only got worse.

Suddenly, with 24 hours of unscheduled time available to me each day, filling it became all too easy.

Yet I see people use it regularly.

I now want you to put it in the trash.

⬇️

Instead, try “Even though.”

It is shorter and so much smoother.

Rejection letters lined my wall.

A reporter came to our college career office to do a story about the recession and the bleak hiring market.

The segment aired a few days later on ABC News World News Tonight with Peter Jennings.

(AND make it more persuasive).

3 ways:

1️⃣ Use more interesting, image-evoking words.

Instead of: The defendant quickly left the courtroom.
Try: The defendant bolted from the courtroom.

🔹 STEP 1

Identify the BIG ISSUES.

Isolate each relevant claim and affirmative defense as a “Big Issue.”

—A CLAIM is a cause of action like battery, breach of contract, burglary, etc. Label the person asserting a claim as plaintiff (P).

 ➡️ “is not required to” —> “need not.”

For example—

Instead of:

“The defendant is not required to disprove the plaintiff’s claims.”

I moved cities, bought my own apartment in NYC, and set out to do life as a “career woman.”

(That was what we called women who didn’t marry and just had careers back in 1996.)

Today, you might say I was in full-on, Miley Cyrus, I-can-buy-myself-flowers mode.

It took me a while to consider.

Here is how I responded:

Dear Mary,

You put into words what so many law students—and honestly, so many lawyers—are questioning right now:

“Working on my daughter’s Easter basket. I thought I would send this to you and make you chuckle.

. . . I think I’m going to read it first 🙂.”

Me:

AWWW. What a joyous gift to receive.
Thank you!!! 🙏🏻

So here are all-star 1L oral argument tips, updated for 2025, but first I want to tell you the story of how they came to be.

(Because if you know me, you know I was much more an on-paper advocate!)

“Evergreen” is a term you might recognize from the plant world—it refers to trees that remain green through winter.

But in writing, it means something more: a piece that surpasses its immediate purpose and audience, keeping its usefulness over time.

here’s a radical idea—for law students, but all legal peeps might care—
⬇️

start following Jillian Richardson 👋and Nick Power

 try it for kicks

because i predict your time on linkedin will get more fun fast

I.e. and e.g. are everywhere in legal writing, and too many people mix them up.

In fact, it’s one of the top 5 mistakes Grammar Girl (Mignon Fogarty) says she sees when editing technical documents. (GrammarGirl .com).

You should just learn them now so you don’t have to look them up or guess every time.

When I started helping law students 4 years ago I tried to read everything I could to learn. My daughter was applying to law school at the time, too, so I was really motivated. I asked for advice from lawyers on LinkedIn: what should she do to prepare?

Here are the top 7 tips I’ve distilled for you:

1️⃣ Enjoy it!

Stop switching back and forth indiscriminately.

Choosing between the two words comes up a lot when you need to describe the other side’s argument before explaining why it is wrong. You’ll then want to refer back to that argument without having to repeat the full description again.

Should you refer to it as “this” argument or “that” argument?