The Best Legal Writing eBooks of All Time

The leading guide to clear writing—and clear thinking—in the legal profession for more than two decades, now newly updated. Admirably clear, concise, down-to-earth, and powerful—all too often, legal writing embodies none of these qualities. Its reputation for obscurity and needless legalese is widespread. Since 2001, Bryan A. Garner’s Legal Writing in Plain English has helped address this problem by providing lawyers, judges, paralegals, law students, and legal scholars with sound advice and practical tools for improving their written work.

Now the leading guide to clear writing in the field, this indispensable volume encourages legal writers to challenge conventions and offers valuable insights into the writing process: how to organize ideas, create and refine prose, and improve editing skills. Accessible and witty, Legal Writing in Plain English draws on real-life writing samples that Garner has gathered through decades of teaching experience. Trenchant advice covers all types of legal materials, from analytical and persuasive writing to legal drafting, and the book’s principles are reinforced by sets of basic, intermediate, and advanced exercises in each section. For this third edition, Garner has retained the structure of the previous versions, with updates and new material throughout. There are new sections on making your writing vivid and concrete and on using graphics to enhance your argument. The coverage and examples of key topics such as achieving parallelism, avoiding legalese, writing effective openers and summaries, and weaving quotations into your text have also been expanded. And the sample legal documents and exercises have been updated, while newly added checklists provide quick summaries of each section. Altogether, this new edition will be the most useful yet for legal professionals and students seeking to improve their prose.

With Point Made, legal writing expert, Ross Guberman, throws a life preserver to attorneys, who are under more pressure than ever to produce compelling prose. What is the strongest opening for a motion or brief? How to draft winning headings? How to tell a persuasive story when the record is dry and dense? The answers are "more science than art," says Guberman, who has analyzed stellar arguments by distinguished attorneys to develop step-by-step instructions for achieving the results you want.

The author takes an empirical approach, drawing heavily on the writings of the nation's 50 most influential lawyers, including Barack Obama, John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Ted Olson, and David Boies. Their strategies, demystified and broken down into specific, learnable techniques, become a detailed writing guide full of practical models. In FCC v. Fox, for example, Kathleen Sullivan conjures the potentially dangerous, unintended consequences of finding for the other side (the "Why Should I Care?" technique). Arguing against allowing the FCC to continue fining broadcasters that let the "F-word" slip out, she highlights the chilling effect these fines have on America's radio and TV stations, "discouraging live programming altogether, with attendant loss to valuable and vibrant programming that has long been part of American culture.". Each chapter of Point Made focuses on a typically tough challenge, providing a strategic roadmap and practical tips along with annotated examples of how prominent attorneys have resolved that challenge in varied trial and appellate briefs. Short examples and explanations with engaging titles--"Brass Tacks," "Talk to Yourself," "Russian Doll"--deliver weighty materials with a light tone, making the guidelines easy to remember and apply. In addition to all-new examples from the original 50 advocates, this Second Edition introduces eight new superstar lawyers from Solicitor General Don Verrilli, Deanne Maynard, Larry Robbins, and Lisa Blatt to Joshua Rosencranz, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Judy Clarke, and Sri Srinvasan, now a D.C. Circuit Judge. Ross Guberman also provides provocative new examples from the Affordable Care Act wars, the same-sex marriage fight, and many other recent high-profile cases. Considerably more commentary on the examples is included, along with dozens of style and grammar tips interspersed throughout. Also, for those who seek to improve their advocacy skills and for those who simply need a step-by-step guide to making a good brief better, the book concludes with an all-new set of 50 writing challenges corresponding to the 50 techniques.

Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals emphasizes the skills and issues that paralegals encounter in practice. Thoroughly up-to-date, the Ninth Edition continues to combine clear text with visual aids, writing samples, tips, and pointers. Designed specifically for paralegal students, Deborah Bouchoux s classroom-tested approach teaches cutting-edge research skills, writing style, and proper citation form to equip students with an essential skill set and well-founded confidence. The author s logical and comprehensive approach enhances students understanding.

Part I covers Primary Authorities, Part II discusses Secondary Authorities, and Part III covers the basics of Legal Writing. In addition, Bouchoux integrates writing strategies into each research chapter to demonstrate the link between the two processes. Thorough coverage of electronic research includes chapters on both internet research and fee-based services. Bouchoux thoroughly explains proper citation form and the process of updating/validating legal authorities. The Legal Writing section includes samples of legal writing, such as letters, a court brief, and a legal memorandum. New to the Ninth Edition:. New Sidebar feature in all research chapters that provides quick tips showing how the material in that chapter applies to computer-assisted legal research systems, such as Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law.Discussion of GovInfo, which provides free public access to official and authenticated publications from all three branches of the federal government.Coverage of new tools used for cite-checking, including EVA and Bestlaw.Discussion of Westlaw Edge, Westlaw s new research platform.Extensive new coverage of the increasing use of artificial intelligence in legal research and writing.Discussion of new sources that provide free public access to the law, including Harvard s Caselaw Access Project and CourtListener.New sections on preparing email letters and email memoranda, including assignments.All new Research Questions and Internet Legal Research Assignments have been included for each chapter.Professors and students will benefit from:. Pedagogy designed to enhance the accessibility of the material, including helpful charts and diagrams that synthesize complex topics, Practice Tips offering realistic and helpful suggestions for workplace success, and Ethics Alerts in every chapter.Targeted and ample exercises help students learn how to use a wide range of research sources.Charts and practice tips, updated for this edition, that help students apply what they have learned.Tips on how to effectively use electronic resources are included throughout the text.Conscientious revision ensures that the book has the most up-to-date material, presented in a readable and accessible format.