Legal Writing Form and Function

Every lawyer can be a good writer. According to Jane N. Richmond in her eagerly awaited new book, Legal Writing: Form and Function, legal writing does not have to be wordy, awkward, or convoluted. Instead, it can be direct, concise, clear, engaging, and persuasive. Even the most complicated concepts can be expressed clearly if the lawyer applies the principles of good writing style. Legal Writing: Form and Function is designed for lawyers at all levels of practice as well as for law students. More comprehensive than Richard Wydick's popular book, Plain English for Lawyers, Legal Writing: Form and Function contains detailed chapters on seven major topics: Style, Persuasion, Writing with Flair, Grammar, Punctuation, The Writing Process, and Paragraph Structure. In the Style and Punctuation chapters, Richmond includes 45 more topics than Wydick's book. Advance readers of Legal Writing: Form and Function claim that it is one of the most concise and easy-to-use guides available on the subject. Legal Writing: Form and Function contains more than 90 sets of exercises on topics ranging from the basics, such as choosing correct pronouns in a series, to the subtleties of gauging the tone of a brief. All examples in the book are drafted by practicing attorneys, and the materials come from writings related to practice such as memoranda, briefs, and letters. Throughout the book, Richmond helps students and attorneys identify gaps in their writing background, develop the skills to fill them, and write effectively with confidence.