Writing and Analysis in the Law

by Helene S. Shapo, Marilyn Walter, Elizabeth Fajans

A standard-setter in American legal education, Writing and Analysis in the Law provides a guide to legal writing, focusing on the importance of thoughtful, thorough analysis and clear organization in written communications. Developed as a textbook for a first-year law school course and successful in courses for foreign LLM students, the book introduces law students to analyzing and writing about legal authority in cases and statutes. It discusses the structure and persuasive techniques of effective argumentation. The book makes effective use of high-quality and illustrative examples and writing exercises. Lucid, compact, and up-to-date, this work consistently draws acclaim in law schools across the country.

The 7th edition has a new chapter on exam writing; a new section on the small-scale organization that focuses on case synthesis, case comparison, and counter-arguments; an expanded chapter on appellate briefs that adds material on the standard of review, theory of the case, persuasive writing techniques, and affirmative statements of law; new examples and exercises; and a new closed universe sample office memorandum and a new sample appellate brief.

Genres: Law, Writing, Legal, Nonfiction

560 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1989

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed, I cried, I lost my hair, my scruples and my dignity.

[Lilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lawyering process was such a painful class and this book made it worse

[Victoria]

Meh

[Fonda Lilly Wilkinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

if I had to read this whole book in a semester, it’s getting added to my end of year wrap up

[sologdin · Rating 1 out of 5]

y'all are killing me with this stuff. one of the worst lawyer school courses. this text, were it perfect, probably couldn't change that.