Did you set a new year’s resolution this year?
Many people use this time of renewed energy to learn or improve a skill. Writing is such an important part of legal practice, now might be an excellent time to brush up on your know-how. In fact, the connection between strong writing skills and strong lawyering cannot be over-emphasized.
As Susan E. Rowe puts it:
“In addition to researching and analyzing your client’s problems, you have to communicate your solution to the client, supervisor, or judge. Much of this communication occurs in writing… Becoming a successful lawyer means becoming a professional writer.”
Yet, as LESA volunteer Heather J. Innes notes, there is significant literature supporting the view that the legal profession generally does not write well. Here are a few selected resources to help you improve your writing skills:
Effective lawyering: a checklist approach to legal writing and oral argument. 2nd ed. Parrish, Austen L. 2012 Carolina Academic Press Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press (2012)
Sandra Jean Oster. Writing shorter legal documents: strategies for faster and better editing. Chicago: American Bar Association, 2011.
Michael D Murray. Advanced legal writing and oral advocacy: trials, appeals, and moot court. New York,NY: Thomson Reuters/Foundation Press, 2009.
Paul Rylance. Writing and drafting in legal practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012
Linda Holdeman. Legal writing: process, analysis, and organization 5th ed. New York, NY: Aspen Publishers, 2010.
Louis J Sirico. Persuasive Legal Writing 3rd ed. New York, NY: Aspen Publishers, 2011.
Ted Tjaden. Legal research and writing 3rd ed. Toronto: Irwin Law, 2010.
Maureen F Fitzgerald. Legal problem solving: reasoning, research & writing 5th ed. Markham, Ont: LexisNexis Canada.
James C Raymond Clear Understandings: A Guide to Legal Writing (with Ronald L. Goldfarb, New York: Random House, 1983).
James C Raymond. Writing for the Court. Toronto: Carswell, 2010.
