Writing Matters
| Publication year | 2022 |
| Pages | 0068 |
| Citation | Vol. 27 No. 6 Pg. 0068 |
Five Tips for Writing Success as a New Lawyer or Law Student Clerk
This installment of "Writing Matters" shares tips designed to support newer lawyers and law clerks in finding legal writing success.
BY DAVID HRICIK AND KAREN J. SNEDDON
Our columns are usually designed to be of use and interest to writers of any experience level. This installment shares five tips designed to support newer lawyers and law clerks find legal writing success. Even if you are not a newly licensed lawyer, recent law school graduate, summer associate or law student clerk, this installment may still help you re-discover tips to become a more efficient and effective legal writer.
1 Ask for guidance and suggestions.
No one expects a newly licensed lawyer, recent law school graduate, summer associate or law student clerk to have tackled every project. Don't be afraid to ask the assigning lawyer for guidance and suggestions. That may be as simple as the question: What advice would you give to me to get you what you need?
Questions can come up after the initial assignment, and, if so, feel free to ask more questions then. Good lawyers know that what may be known or apparent to an experienced lawyer may be unknown or confusing to a newer lawyer. It's better to ask for guidance and suggestions instead of devoting hours of unproductive time spent preparing something that was not what was needed. As the project progresses, continue to ask questions. Asking questions is a sign of self-awareness, not insecurity.
2 Consult the form bank.
Guidance can be provided in a form bank. Reinventing the wheel is usually a bad idea in legal writing. Finding what has worked before is usually the best place to start, whether it is a contract, motion, brief or even a memorandum or letter to opposing counsel. Many lawyers maintain a form bank with examples of previous documents. Forms can also be found on court websites, online and in form books.
In addition to recognizing the benefit of forms, remember the pitfalls. Make sure that you are using the appropriate form for the particular project. Any form should be used only after carefully proofreading it and making necessary changes. For example, a will form may have been written for a female testator, and so pronouns or other words need to be changed. Or, a form for a motion may have been written for a single defendant case, but is needed for one...
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