Legal writing exercises : a practical guide to clear and persuasive writing for lawyers / E. Scott Fruehwald.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fruehwald, Edwin Scott, 1955- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Legal composition.

Law--United States--Language.

Law.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (156 p.)

Edition:

1;1.

Place of Publication:

Cleveland : American Bar Association, 2015.

Chicago, Illinois : American Bar Association, [2014]

Summary:

Like nothing else, writing is an essential skill for every lawyer. This handy, easy-to approach guide will strengthen any lawyers writing skills through a series of specialized exercises. You'll learn to write more concise, powerful sentences; eliminate un-needed words; and structure and combine sentences and paragraphs to create clear and persuasive documents, letters, and more. It's perfect for lawyers and associates, even non-lawyers, anyone looking for an effective way to improve their writing skills.

Contents:

Title Page; Dedication; Contents; Preface; Chapter 1: Introduction: General Principles of Writing and Editing; Chapter Goals; The Three Stages of Writing; The Pre-writing Stage; The Editing Stage; A Holistic Approach to Writing; Retrieval Exercises; Conclusion; Chapter 2: Active and Passive Sentences and Writing with Verbs; Chapter Goals; Use the Active Voice; Write with Verbs; Don't Overuse the Verbs "To Be" or "To Have"; Avoid Complex Verb Constructions; Chapter 3: Editing for Wordiness; Chapter Goals; Edit Wordy Expressions; Eliminate Unnecessary Repetitions

Eliminate "There" or "It" ConstructionsEliminate Long Descriptive Phrases; Eliminate Wordy Negative Expressions; Shorten Introductory Phrases; Conclusion; Chapter 4: Emphasis, Clarity, and Specificity; Chapter Goals; Emphasis; Make Lists Clear; Avoid Clichés and Legal Jargon; Be Specific; Conclusion; Chapter 5: Combining Sentences and Editing Paragraphs; Chapter Goals; Recognizing Sentence Patterns and Combining Sentences; Eliminate Redundant Sentences; Don't Tread Water; Paragraph Editing Exercises; Do Not Overuse Particular Words within a Paragraph; Avoid Abrupt Verb Tense Changes

ConclusionChapter 6: Organizing Paragraphs and Creating Coherence; Chapter Goals; Introduction; Paragraph Unity; Organizing Paragraphs; Creating Coherence and Flow; Conclusion; Chapter 7: The Small-Scale Paradigm; Chapter Goals; Small-Scale Paradigm Defined; Small-Scale Paradigm Outline; Conclusion; Law; Application; Small-Scale Paradigm and Paragraphing Outline; More Complex Paradigm Outline; Finding Problems in the Small-Scale Paradigm; Counterargument and the Small-Scale Paradigm; Conclusion; Chapter 8: Large- and Medium-Scale Organization; Chapter Goals

Organization of a Discussion or Argument SectionExample: Negligence; Example: Intentional Infliction of Emotional Harm; Example: Intentional Infliction of Emotional Harm; Example: Fair Use Statute (Copyright); Example: Fair Use; Articulating the Organization; Introduction; Headings and Subheadings; Thesis Paragraphs; Closure; Conclusion; Bringing It Together; Other Types of Medium- and Large-Scale Organization; Creating Continuity and Flow Between Paragraphs, Subsections, and Sections; Chapter 9: Review; The Keys to Clear Legal Writing; Wrap Up; Glossary; Copyright

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Description based on print version record.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (EBook Central, viewed July 5, 2024).

ISBN:

1-62722-893-4

OCLC:

959845543