But we legal writers MUST use it, even where others don’t.

RULE: DO use a comma before “and” or “or” in a list or series that has 3 or more.

❌ A, B and C
🟢 A, B, and C

❌ He walked home, ate dinner and went to bed.
🟢 He walked home, ate dinner, and went to bed.

I’ve been saying those things for 4 years.

I’ve put up maximum resistance to anyone and everyone who’s tried to get me to venture outside the LinkedIn pool.

The truth is, I’ve been too scared.

And I’m still scared.

But:

Dear 1L, I don’t give out model cover letters for a reason.

A “model” is the antithesis of what a cover letter should be.

Instead, your cover letter should scream:

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

—What’s that you say? “However, . . .” is grammatically correct?

Yeah, yeah, I know.
I still cringe.

Here’s why you should reconsider using it:

🟦 Your reader is bored.

So while I have networking tips for you below, I am mostly writing to tell you I am thinking about you.

I don’t think this fall-2025-recruiting gambit is either good or fair, and I really wish you didn’t have to be its guinea pig.

But adjust, we must.

Some firms are already interviewing 1Ls.
Others open Dec 15.
This is for 2L summer jobs.
Sound nuts? It is.

Stunned is how I felt coming out of Monday’s BigLaw recruiting panel (four major firms, hosted by Summer Associate Hub—thank you, Albert Tawil, for doing this!).

✔️ Defendants ask the Court to reconsider.
❌ Defendants request the Court to rule in their favor.
❌ Defendants move the Court to grant summary judgment.

You may “ask” the court “to” do something.
But you should NEVER “request” or “move” the court “to” do anything.

I’m sending all my 1Ls so much positive energy during this, THE hardest month of law school. 💌

Brandon Farrow

J.D. Candidate at University of Baltimore School of Law I B.A. in Political ScienceJ.D. Candidate at University of Baltimore School of Law I B.A. in Political Science

By prioritizing efficiency over mentorship, have we created a culture where editing is mechanical and learning is minimal?

I submit: Yes.

🔹 In the past, legal writing growth demanded active engagement:

So I’ve written him this ditty—a show of loving support.
May this rhyme bring him luck, for his big day in court.

He’s got not one case to argue, but back-to-back: TWO.
And that is a feat that he’s long yearned to do.

Replace her rule with this new, refined rule for legal writing, and get your words right in your memo:

🔷 1: Do NOT vary the substantive words of your case.

Before we had redlines, that’s how partners communicated their edits on our drafts—

(often with little notes scribbled in the margins, up on the side, and over onto the back page (and sometimes on to a side rider)).

Here’s a checklist of common errors I see in memos every year (so you can avoid them).

Save + put on your wall!

Please save this checklist—and share to help more 1Ls ♻️

(—even though I said I’d never do this again.)

Dear 1L, If I were savvy at sales, I’d make you give me an email address to get this attachment. But you have no time for that, so here it is, no strings.

—She doesn’t know any of the facts in the hypothetical.
—He doesn’t know any of the cases you’ve found in your research.
—They don’t know any of the legal principles you’ve found for your analysis.

NOTHING.