Academic Legal Discourse and Analysis


Book Description

This book introduces international students to the characteristics of legal education in the United States and helps them develop the linguistic, analytical, and cultural skills to thrive at a U.S. law school. Part I focuses on the academic legal writing skills needed to write in law school. It guides students in reviewing their own writing skills and helps them to adapt to the conventions of academic legal writing at the whole text, paragraph, and sentence levels. It also gives students guidance in effectively presenting their ideas in writing so that a reader can quickly grasp their reasoning and meaning. Part II introduces students to common law and legal analysis. Following a brief introduction to the U.S. legal system, the book focuses on the skills required to read, discuss, and write about legal cases in a U.S. law class. Cases in torts and criminal procedure law provide an opportunity to apply these skills while also teaching high-frequency legal vocabulary. Throughout the book, students can read clear and concise explanations and practice the skills they are acquiring with detailed practice exercises. Professors and students will benefit from: Clear explanations of academic legal writing expected of law students on written assignments, such as exams and papers Straightforward definitions and explanations about how the common law system in the U.S. works Guidelines and practice in reading, discussing, and writing about legal cases Authentic tasks and exercises for all key concepts







Legal Reasoning, Research, and Writing for International Graduate Students


Book Description

Legal Reasoning, Research, and Writing for International Graduate Students, Fifth Edition, helps international students understand and approach legal reasoning and writing the way law students and attorneys do in the United States. With concise and clear text, Professor Nedzel introduces the unique and important features of the American legal system and American law schools. Using clear instruction, examples, visual aids, and practice exercises, she teaches practical lawyering skills with sensitivity to the challenges of ESL students. New to the Fifth Edition: Streamlined presentation makes the material even more accessible. Chapters are short, direct, and to the point. Five chapters on reasoning and writing, including exam skills, office memos, and rewriting. Full chapters on contract drafting and scholarly writing. New flowcharts provide a concise, visual overview for each chapter. Citation coverage updated to new 21st edition of The Bluebook. Simplified examples and exercises. Three thoroughly revised chapters on legal research, including non-fee legal research and technological changes in the practice of U.S. law. Professors and student will benefit from: Comparative perspective informs readers about the unique features of American law as compared to civil law, Islamic law, and Asian traditions. Explanations of practical skills assume no former knowledge of the American legal system. U.S. law school necessary skills explained immediately: case briefing, creating a course outline, time management, reading citations, and writing answers to hypothetical exam questions. Short, lucid chapters that reiterate major points to aid comprehension. Clear introductions to writing hypothetical-based exams, legal memoranda, contract drafting and scholarly writing. An integrated approach to proper citation format, with explanation and instruction provided in context. Discussion of plagiarism and U.S. law school honor codes. Practical skill-building exercises in each chapter. Research exercises are primarily Internet-based Charts and summaries that are useful learning aids and reference tools




U.S. Legal Reasoning, Writing, and Practice for International Lawyers


Book Description

This comprehensive legal writing text for international LL.M. students reflects the author's experience as a lawyer, professor of legal writing to international LL.M. students, and applied linguist who taught academic English as a Second Language to international university students. The book has a unique set of features: It introduces the common-law system in the U.S. and contrasts it with the civil-law system, while teaching legal reasoning and writing skills that international students need, such as how to draft memos, contracts, emails, and letters to clients, opposing counsel, and colleagues, as well as how to do legal research; It teaches law-school skills such as how to read cases and write case briefs and outlines, and how to take final exams; It helps students to address their second-language difficulties with targeted material that provides specific advice related to common student grammar issues, legal English vocabulary, the use of plain English, and the rhetorical style of U.S. legal writing; It discusses current legal practice, by describing the culture, hierarchy, and economics of law firms, what partners expect from associates, and how to communicate with colleagues; and It provides an extensive selection of real writing samples redacted from actual attorney work product. The eBook version of this title features links to Lexis Advance for further legal research options. PowerPoint slides are available to professors upon adoption of this book. Dowload sample slides from the full 119-slide presentation here. If you have adopted the book for a course, please contact [email protected] to request the PowerPoint slides.







The Guide to U.S. Legal Analysis and Communication


Book Description

The purchase of this ebook edition does not entitle you to receive access to the Connected eBook on CasebookConnect. You will need to purchase a new print book to get access to the full experience including: lifetime access to the online ebook with highlight, annotation, and search capabilities, plus an outline tool and other helpful resources. Designed primarily for the international lawyer and international law student, this one-of-a-kind text introduces readers to legal analysis and communications used in the U.S. With customized exercises, examples, and illustrations, the authors, who together have more than seven decades of experience teaching legal writing, provide detailed instruction on the types of legal writing that international lawyers are most likely to engage in with U.S. lawyers. Organized for optimizing skills-building, the text begins with a contextual overview of the court system and the civil litigation process in the U.S., and then moves to structuring and communicating an objective analysis, briefing a case, and doing statutory analysis. The text delivers practical guidance on writing client letters, demand letters, office memos, and electronic correspondence. The authors emphasize structure, planning, and ethics in educating about the legal writing process. New to the Third Edition: New co-author Katrina Lee, Clinical Professor of Law, Director of LL.M. Legal Writing, Director of Program on Dispute Resolution, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law; and former President of the Association of Legal Writing Directors Reorganized and streamlined chapters for a stronger and more concise presentation Expanded coverage of legal writing skills related to how to structure and formulate an objective legal analysis; how to write a formal office memo, client letters, and demand letters; and how to write professional emails and e-memos New mini TOCs at the start of each chapter that provide a handy "roadmap" of topics covered Updated material throughout Professors and students will benefit from: Detailed and summary table of contents, plus chapter roadmaps Glossary of terms for international readers Overviews of the U.S. government and court system, the common law system, and the civil litigation process Clear exposition supported by numerous exercises that cover the types of legal writing international lawyers are most likely to use Emphasis on an ethical, thorough, and structured writing process




Legal Writing


Book Description

This new Legal Writing textbook guides first year law students and those new to legal writing through the thinking and writing process used in the legal profession. It builds skills gradually and introduces students to reading and briefing cases, gathering facts using various methods, drafting memoranda and client communications, and writing for the court. This book covers both predictive and persuasive writing in a way that is accessible to students. Students will also learn to edit their work and the work of others for style and substance. The text gives examples for students to use as models and has many interactive exercises through which students can test their newly acquired skills. The online text has links to the cases that students will need, definitions, videos, and exercises to help them hone their writing skills. In addition to learning about written documents and how to communicate in the U.S. common law system, the authors provide an international perspective. Students will learn about civil law traditions through the comparative exercises included in this text. The text also addresses ways to stay focused and reduce stress during law school and in legal careers through the concept of mindful lawyering. Examples in writing and on video showing how judges and lawyers stay focused and mindful are linked in the text. Students should enjoy working with this material and the online components of the text and will benefit from the unique features this interactive casebook offers.




Advanced Legal Writing


Book Description

With a practical focus on persuasive writing strategies, Advanced Legal Writing: Theory and Strategies in Persuasive Writing explores three classical techniques: logos, pathos, and ethos, and provides students with a thorough introduction to the elements of rhetorical style. Unlike many other advanced legal writing texts, which tend to focus on a document-specific approach, this unique coursebook focuses on classical writing strategies that students can apply to a wide range of settings. The depth and scope of this text make it appropriate for upper-level legal writing courses. The Third Edition has been expanded to include the use of movies and other popular culture media in chapters dealing with literary references. There have also been substantial revisions to the chapter on policy. Features: Comprehensive coverage of the technical aspects of rhetorical style: metaphor, literary allusion, and figures of speech. Emphasizes theory as well as practice, building on three basic strategies of persuasive legal writing: Logos: Logic and rational argument. o Pathos: Value-based argument. Ethos: Establishing credibility. Highlights interdisciplinary contributions to persuasive writing from diverse fields, including cognitive psychology, classical rhetoric, and morality theory. Presents effective strategies that extend beyond the trial or appellate brief to a broad range of documents and settings. Covers new developments in cognitive psychology, pathos, persuasion, and the role of metaphor in persuasive legal writing. Depth and scope appropriate for upper-level legal writing classes. Thoroughly updated, the revised Third Edition offers: Substantial revisions to the chapter on policy. Expanded chapters on literary references now include other media, e.g., movies and other pop culture platforms.