Posted by Writing Specialist
Blog
08/30/2010 at 01:24 PM
"Writing" Down the House
Sure, some of your casebooks are chock full of long sentences and archaic language, forsooth. But that doesn't mean your writing has to get bogged down with such legalese. Your writing can be lean and mean.
To see funny examples of legalese and a plain English translation, check out this website, The Party of the First Part, written by Adam Freedman. His "Legalese Hall of Shame" is priceless.
Mr. Freedman has written the "Legal Lingo" column for the New York Law Journal Magazine since 2002 and was a litigator in New York City before joining a major investment bank,...
Posted by Writing Specialist
Blog
08/27/2010 at 11:16 AM
"Writing" Down the House
Check out an interesting interview with author Charles Kipps about his writing process at the blog Writers on Process by Professor Benjamin Opipari.
Professor Opipari interviews all types of writers, including songwriters, poets, and novelists. The most recent begins:
"Trivia question: what do Aretha Franklin, Peter Criss (Kiss drummer), Chris Noth (of Law and Order fame), and Bill Cosby all have in common?"
His interview will give you the answer!
Posted by Writing Specialist
Blog
08/25/2010 at 04:37 PM
"Writing" Down the House
The English Language is very nuanced. Words can have multiple definitions in different contexts. They can also have multiple connotations, the meaning given to them by individual experience.
One resource I have found that explains these nuances in detail is Bryan Garner's daily "Usage Tip of the Day," published in a daily free subscription by Oxford University Press.
Bryan Garner is the Editor-in-Chief of Black's Law Dictionary and one of the country's most esteemed legal writing experts. Additionally, Mr. Garner is the author of my favorite legal writing...
Posted by Writing Specialist
Blog
08/23/2010 at 03:24 PM
"Writing" Down the House
We all make proofreading errors. We miss the obvious. We don't leave enough time before a deadline. Some errors even make us cringe. But all have potential implications especially when dealing with the law. Or the local school department . . . Don't let this happen to you!
PROOFREAD your documents. More than once!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20100811/od_yblog_upshot/behold-ame...
Posted by Writing Specialist
Blog
08/19/2010 at 02:52 PM
"Writing" Down the House
Students often ask me to suggest ways they can improve their writing. Believe it or not, one of my first responses is READ! Yes, there are many writing exercises you can do to improve writing skills. But do not overlook the power of reading to improve your vocabulary and to see how good writers put sentences together.
Interestingly, many lawyers are not only good legal writers, but they are also novelists (think Grisham) and poets. Yup. Poets.
So if you love good writing, check out the website below, Strangers to Us All: Lawyers and Poetry for a comprehensive...
Posted by Writing Specialist
Blog
08/18/2010 at 12:02 PM
Does Grammar Matter?
Welcome to “Writing” Down the House. In this, my first attempt at blogging, I want to offer a buffet menu of blog items related to writing: practical tips to improve your writing, as well as fun and interesting tidbits, such as court cases decided based on grammar and good/bad writing; interviews with musicians, poets, and novelists about their writing process; and maybe even some quotes by writers and a provocative poem. And I welcome your conversation about any of the blog entries.
The blog name derives from the 1983 musical hit “Burning Down the House” by the Talking...
