Aspen Handbook for Legal Writers: A Practical Reference (Aspen Coursebook Series)

The Aspen Handbook for Legal Writers, a brief and accessible reference on mechanics and style, is a useful companion to any legal writing text. Targeted at the needs of legal writers, the text focuses on the rules of grammar, style, and usage--with plenty of examples. A section on Legal Documents offers strategies to improve legal writing, with a sample letter, memorandum, trial brief and appellate brief. Numerous, helpful examples showcase both good and bad writing. This practical approach helps law students with common problems and dilemmas: substitutions for "legalese" lists of commonly used legal idioms, spelling tips, advice on organization and the legal writing process, proofreading, and document design. Modeled after handbooks used at the undergraduate level, the Handbook features a small trim size, comb-binding, clear organization, two-color printing, and helpful design elements to highlight important information. Distinctive features designed with the student in mind include Websites for each topic addressed, Tips and Strategies to highlight key topics, and Challenge Exercises in each chapter to test mastery. A brief Table of Contents on the inside front cover and Style Sheet on the inside back cover offer quick reference. Helpful appendices include Citation Form (including both Bluebook and ALWD examples), and glossaries of terms and usage. A CD-ROM with supplemental exercises is provided for instructors. The Third Edition features new and updated examples as well as fresh Website references throughout the text. More supplemental exercises appear on a companion web site.

Features:

• brief and accessible reference on mechanics and style, a useful companion to any legal writing text
• focus on the rules of grammar, style, and usage, targeted at the needs of legal writers
• includes a section on Legal Documents
  • offers tips and strategies to improve legal writing.
  • sample letter, memorandum, trial brief, and appellate brief included
• numerous, helpful examples of both good and bad writing
• practical approach helps with common problems and dilemmas
  • substitutions for "legalese"
  • lists of commonly used legal idioms
  • spelling help
  • advice on organization and the legal writing process
  • proofreading
  • document design
• modeled on undergraduate handbooks
  • small trim size
  • comb-binding
  • two-color printing
  • helpful design elements to highlight important information
• student-focused
  • Websites for each topic addressed
  • Tips and Strategies in each chapter to highlight key topics
  • Challenge Exercises in each chapter to test mastery
  • brief Table of Contents on the inside front cover and Style Sheet on the inside back cover for quick reference
• helpful appendices
  • Citation Form (including both Bluebook and ALWDexamples)
  • English as a Second Language
  • Glossary of Terms
  • Glossary of Usage
• CD-ROM with supplemental exercises

Thoroughly updated, the revised Third Edition presents:

• new examples throughout
• fresh Website references
• more supplemental exercises on a companion web site