Tactics of Legal Reasoning


Book Description




Legal Reasoning and Legal Writing


Book Description

The Sixth Edition of this respected and popular text remains grounded in the premise that legal reasoning and legal writing are best learned when they are taught together. Building on that foundation, Neumann continues to offer complete, clear, and timely coverage of how to form a legal argument and how to write an effective legal memorandum. Streamlined in its Sixth Edition, Legal Reasoning and Legal Writing features : comprehensive coverage of legal writing: the office memo the motion memo the appellate brief eminently readable text, including an exceptionally lucid explanation of the reasoning behind the proof of a conclusion of law a thoughtful treatment of all aspects of legal reasoning student-friendly instruction on the process of writing, The mechanics of style, and grammar up-to-date examples and exercises sample documents in the Appendices, including an office memo, motion memo, and two appellate briefs Highly regarded author Richard K. Neumann, Jr. presents, In tandem, smart, in-depth coverage of legal writing and legal reasoning, supported by examples, writing samples, and extraordinarily clear and lucid exposition.







Thinking Like a Lawyer


Book Description

Law students, law professors, and lawyers frequently refer to the process of "thinking like a lawyer," but attempts to analyze in any systematic way what is meant by that phrase are rare. In his classic book, Kenneth J. Vandevelde defines this elusive phrase and identifies the techniques involved in thinking like a lawyer. Unlike most legal writings, which are plagued by difficult, virtually incomprehensible language, this book is accessible and clearly written and will help students, professionals, and general readers gain important insight into this well-developed and valuable way of thinking. Updated for a new generation of lawyers, the second edition features a new chapter on contemporary perspectives on legal reasoning. A useful new appendix serves as a survival guide for current and prospective law students and describes how to apply the techniques in the book to excel in law school.







The Force of Logic


Book Description

Have you ever read a legal opinion and come across an odd term like the fallacy of denying the antecedent, the fallacy of the undistributed middle, or the fallacy of the illicit process and wondered how you missed that in law school? You’re not alone: every day, lawyers make arguments that fatally trespass the rules of formal logic—without realizing it—because traditional legal education often overlooks imparting the practical wisdom of ancient philosophy as it teaches students how to “think like a lawyer.” In his book, The Force of Logic: Using Formal Logic as a Tool in the Craft of Legal Argument, lawyer and law professor Stephen M. Rice guides you to develop your powers of legal reasoning in a new way, through effective tips and tactics that will forever change the way you argue your cases. Rice contends that formal logic provides tools that help lawyers distinguish good arguments from bad ones and, moreover, that they are simple to learn and use. When you know how to recognize logical fallacies, you will not only strengthen your own arguments, but you will also be able to punch holes in your opponent’s—and that can make the difference between winning and losing. In this book, Rice builds on the theoretical foundation of formal logic by demonstrating logical fallacies through the use of anecdotes, examples, graphical illustrations, and exercises for you to try that are derived from common case documents. It is a hands-on primer that presents a practical approach for understanding and mastering the place of formal logic in the art of legal reasoning. Whether you are a lawyer, a judge, a scholar, or a student, The Force of Logic will inspire you to love legal argument, and appreciate its beauty and complexity in a brand new way.




An Introduction to Law and Legal Reasoning


Book Description

Now in its Third Edition, An Introduction to Law and Legal Reasoning continues to be the ideal go-to for the first year law student. It is a short, practical book that introduces beginning law students and others to contemporary law and legal reasoning. By presenting these topics through various discussions of cases and examples, it provides students with a solid source to reference for years to come.




Methods of Legal Reasoning


Book Description

Methods of Legal Reasoning describes and criticizes four methods used in legal practice, legal dogmatics and legal theory: logic, analysis, argumentation and hermeneutics. The book takes the unusual approach of discussing in a single study four different, sometimes competing concepts of legal method. Sketched this way, the panorama allows the reader to reflect deeply on questions concerning the methodological conditioning of legal science and the existence of a unique, specific legal method.




Legal Reasoning and Legal Writing


Book Description

A leading text in legal writing, Legal Reasoning and Legal Writing explores the nuts and bolts of writing an office memo, a motion memo, and an appellate brief. In addition, chapters are included on oral argument and client letters. Well-known and highly regarded authors deliver the best explanation available on the reasoning underlying the proof of a conclusion of law. Thoughtful coverage of all aspects of legal reasoning goes from rule-based analysis to the strategy of persuasion. Helpful instruction on the process of writing accompanies a study of the mechanics of style and grammar. Examples and exercises throughout the text provide needed practice. The presentation of the Seventh Edition is tighter with a more open page design that is even easier to read. Coverage has been fine-tuned in response to user feedback. There are now new chapters on email memos and a new appendix on document design. Additional insight is given on the writing process as well as the process of persuasion, all with updated examples and exercises. Chapters on briefing cases, interviewing clients, and writing exam answers, as well as appendices on basic legal usage and rules of punctuation have been moved to the website for easy access. Features comprehensive coverage office memos motion memo appellate briefs oral argument client letters best explanation available on the Paradigm for Organizing a Proof of a Conclusion of Law thoughtful coverage of all aspects of legal reasoning, from rule-based analysis to the strategy of persuasion careful instruction on process of writing, as well as mechanics of style and grammar examples and exercises included throughout. well-known and highly regarded authors Thoroughly updated, the revised Seventh Edition presents: tighter presentation and with an open page design making the material more accessible new chapters on email memos updated examples and exercises fine-tuned coverage in response to feedback from users new material on the writing process additional insight on the process of persuasion new appendix on document design material on briefing cases; obtaining fact; writing exam answers; and appendices on basic legal usage and Rules of Punctuation moved to the website for greater convenience




Legal Reasoning and Legal Theory


Book Description

What makes an argument in a law case good or bad? Can legal decisions be justified by purely rational argument or are they ultimately determined by more subjective influences? These questions are central to the study of jurisprudence, and are thoroughly and critically examined in Legal Reasoning and Legal Theory, now with a new and up-to-date foreword. Its clarity of explanation and argument make this classic legal text readily accessible to lawyers, philosophers, and any general reader interested in legal processes, human reasoning, or practical logic.