A Legal Brief Should Be Evergreen

Dear 1L, A legal brief should be evergreen.

“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.

This means your brief should include EVERYTHING necessary for a reader to understand it without relying on:

-Background context of the facts of your case,
-Knowledge of the applicable law, or
-References to other materials.

Imagine your reader has zero familiarity.

In fact, forget about your professor who assigned the brief.

Instead, write for EVERY potential legal reader:

-a judge,
-a law clerk,
-a law student in another class,
-an associate who stumbles upon your brief 3 yrs from now.

***

The best briefs aren’t just about passing an assignment.

They can educate and persuade us all.

And I am sending you SO much good luck!!

Amanda

#Dear1L
#DearLegalWriter

Have you heard the term “evergreen” used about brief-writing?