Elegant Legal Writing

Ryan McCarl is a founding partner at Rushing McCarl LLP and an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School. Previously, he was a research fellow in AI law and policy at UCLA School of Law, where he designed and taught a course on advanced legal writing. He has given talks about litigation writing, motion strategy, and appellate advocacy to audiences that include the American Bar Association Litigation Section and the Texas Office of the Attorney General.

Contents

Acknowledgments 

Introduction 

PART I STYLE 
1. Core Principles of Legal Writing 
2. Concision 
3. Plain Language 
4. Strong Sentences 
5. Organization and Cohesion 
6. Tone and Professionalism 

PART II SUBSTANCE 
7. Briefs and Motions 
8. Using Legal Authority 
9. Legal Storytelling 

PART III PROCESS 
10. The Mental Game of Writing 
11. Writing with Technology 
12. Document Design 

Notes 
Other Resources 
Index