Practical Guide to Legal Writing and Legal Method: [Connected eBook with Study Center]

by John C. Dernbach, Richard V. Singleton, Cathleen S. Wharton, Catherine J. Wasson

Overview

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A Practical Guide to Legal Writing and Legal Method provides complete coverage and analysis with the clarity and precision that has made it a classic in the field. Discussion, examples, and practice exercises teach students how to apply the concepts of legal writing and legal method to a written analysis or oral argument. The text not only provides a complete foundation for classroom instruction, but also supports independent study and review. Graduates will want to keep this text within reach as they enter legal practice.

New to the Seventh Edition:

• Restructured format to emphasize common themes
• Consolidated and streamlined chapters that are even more accessible to both professor and students
• Expanded appendix on email communications

Professors and student will benefit from:

• Accessible introductions that outline and explain legal method
• Examples of both effective and ineffective approaches to all of the topics covered
• Focused exercises to develop and practice the skills addressed in each chapter
• In-depth instruction on
  • reading and understandingboth statutes and caselaw
  • synthesizing cases and statutes
  • applying the law to specific facts
  • organizing and drafting a legal analysis
  • the principles of objective writing for memoranda, client communications, and judicial opinion writing
  • the principles of persuasive writing, including structuring an effective argument and writing for the court
  • drafting traditional and shorter “summary of the law” memoranda
  • drafting opinion letters
  • drafting both trial and appellate court briefs

• Guidelines for using electronic communicationfor legal memoranda and correspondence—when it is appropriate, and strategies for effective communication in legal writing and practice
• Integrated treatment of ethics and professional conduct
• A sample case file in the appendices with memos in both traditional and email format, client letters, and trial and appellate court briefs  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781543825237
Publisher:	Wolters Kluwer Law & Business
Publication date:	02/23/2021
Series:	Aspen Coursebook Series
Edition description:	Seventh Edition
Pages:	592
Sales rank:	737,123
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.20(d)

Table of Contents

Part I Introduction to Law

1. Rules and Policies
2. Sources of Law
3. Case Analysis and Case Briefs
4. Precedent and Stare Decisis

   Part II Basic Concepts of Legal Method

5. Understanding Legal Rules
6. Identifying and Selecting Issues for Analysis
7. Common Law Analysis
8. Statutory Analysis
9. Reaching a Conclusion

   Part III Basic Concepts of Legal Writing

10. Organization
11. Describing the Law
12. Explaining the Analysis
13. Signposting
14. Drafting the Discussion
15. Revising and Editing

    Part IV The Office Memorandum

16. Elements of an Office Memorandum
17. The Discussion
18. Statement of Facts for a Memorandum
19. Questions Presented

    Part V Briefs

20. Elements of a Brief
21. The Argument
22. Point Headings
23. Statement of Facts for a Brief
24. Briefs to a Trial Court
25. Briefs to an Appellate Court

    Appendices

    Appendix A Sample Office Memorandum

    Appendix B Defendant¿s Brief to the Trial Court

    Appendix C Plaintiff¿s Brief to the Trial Court

    Appendix D District Court Opinion

    Appendix E Appellant¿s Brief to Court of Appeals

    Appendix F Appellee¿s Brief to Court of Appeals

    Appendix G Selected Books on Style and Grammar

    Bibliography Sources of Law