Customer Reviews

Writing a Legal Memo

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is an exceptional, no-nonsense guide to writing a legal memorandum that should be required reading for law students. As an attorney in a large DC law firm, I see a lot of written work from summer associates from Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Chicago. Every single one of those summer associates would have benefited from reading this book and taking to heart the author's tips about organization and style. I recommend it without reservation.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I fail to see what the other reviewers found in this book. I feel that the author might have been aiming for something along the lines of the Elements of Style, but fell drastically short. You will find little help here if you have taken a research and writing class within the last three years. Pages five through 18 are spent explaining the difference between the executive and legislative branches. I am not sure who this book is aimed at, but it is far too basic for someone looking to add serious shine to their writing. There are too many other good books on the subject for me to recommend this title to anyone. Look elsewhere.

on legal writing, this should be it. It is without a doubt a far more relevant and purposeful guide to writing a memo than one of those stale books you likely bought in law school as part of your legal writing class. I am a practicing attorney and the majority of my high stress assignments are simply to write a memo on a particular issue, and this is the book I turn to with confidence. Sadly I did not use this book in law school, but I do wish I had. If you know someone who is in the legal profession or about to enter - do them a favor and buy them this short, concise guide to memo writing. I believe some of the top-tier schools have started to use this book and that makes sense to me. It is the new standard for legal writing guides as far as I am concerned.