Brief Writing
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In-House Counsel, Litigators
A 16-Page Brief And A 15-Page Limit
What's the magic to making briefs fit page limits? Veteran litigator Mark Herrmann shares some tips. -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 03.16.15
* Last week in court, a murder suspect in Louisiana apparently pooped his pants during a case status hearing, wiped said poop all over his face, and muttered to himself that “life is like a box of chocolates.” Sorry about that crappy candy, dude. [New Orleans Advocate]
* According to early Am Law 100 data, New York’s most elite and prestigious firms have once again broken away from the rest of the pack when it comes to both revenue and partner profits. Biglaw’s best may be back to models and bottles. [Am Law Daily]
* Michelle Lee, the first woman to ever serve as director of the USPTO, was sworn in on stage at SXSW Interactive. Michelle Lee, who worked with the Girl Scouts to issue a patent patch (instead of more makeup and sewing patches), is pretty damn awesome. [Mashable]
* The federal judiciary has plans to decrease the word limit of appellate briefs from 14,000 to 12,500, and lawyers are pissed. Lawyers from Brown Rudnick say it could result in more acronyms, confusing construction, and less “punctilious citation,” oh my! [WSJ Law Blog]
* Lee Smolen, the ex-Sidley Austin partner who faked $69,000 in travel expenses while at the firm (and possibly $379K more), has been suspended from practice for one year and will have to undergo psychiatric treatment. [Legal Profession Blog via ABA Journal]
* Taking New York’s lead, California is considering requiring all would-be attorneys in the state to complete 50 hours of pro bono work within one year of being admitted. Leave it to people who don’t know what they’re doing yet to close the justice gap. [Los Angeles Times]
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In-House Counsel, Litigators
Linking To Briefs To Develop Business
Why does it make sense to share briefs you've previously written with the outside world?
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In-House Counsel, Job Searches
On Bragging Effectively (In Résumés And Briefs)
Wise advice from in-house columnist Mark Herrmann that's relevant to both résumé writing and brief writing. -
Books, In-House Counsel, Litigators
Proof That The Internet Did Not Destroy The Ability To Write
What is the secret to good writing? -
Books, In-House Counsel, Litigators
Expose Your Weakness -- Now!
How readable is your writing? In-house columnist Mark Herrmann tells you how to find out. -
Benchslaps, D.C. Circuit, Federal Judges, Laurence Silberman, Litigators, Litigatrix, Quote of the Day
Benchslap Of The Day: The D.C. Circuit Calls Out A Top Law School Professor
Which professor got publicly reprimanded, and why? -
In-House Counsel, Law Professors, Law Schools
On Legal Writing: Teaching The Rules, Or Teaching The Exceptions?
In-house columnist Mark Herrmann offers some thoughts on how to teach legal writing. 
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Antitrust, Benchslaps, Brett Kavanaugh, D.C. Circuit, Department of Justice, Laurence Silberman
A Benchslap Postscript: Mo' Words, Mo' Problems
These poor lawyers before the D.C. Circuit just can't catch a break. -
Antitrust, Benchslaps, Brett Kavanaugh, D.C. Circuit, Department of Justice, Laurence Silberman
Benchslap Of The Day: LMAO At D.C. Cir.
This is funny. You should read it. -
7th Circuit, Benchslaps, Federal Judges, Quote of the Day, Richard Posner
Judge Posner Rips Litigant A New One, Calls His Brief 'Pathetic'
When a federal judge uses the word "pathetic" to describe anything about you, you know you're in trouble. -
Biglaw, In-House Counsel, Litigators, Midsize Firms / Regional Firms, Practice Pointers, Small Law Firms
Are You A Crappy Litigator? A Self-Assessment Test!
Veteran litigator Mark Herrmann provides a test for litigators to take. -
Biglaw, Contract Attorneys, Craigslist, Depositions, Document Review
5 Threats Contract Attorneys Pose For Biglaw Associates
Contract attorneys are doing more than just doc review these days, and it's starting to encroach on traditional associate work.
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Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
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Biglaw, Blind Item, In-House Counsel, Litigators, Partner Issues
A Tale Of Two Edits
How can an editor enjoy revising one document and loathe revising another based solely on the anticipated responses to the edits? -
In-House Counsel, Jury Duty, Litigators, Trials
Never Tell A Small Child Not To Stick Peanuts Up His Nose
In-house columnist Mark Herrmann shares 3 aphorisms every litigator should know. -
Biglaw, General Counsel, In-House Counsel, Litigators
Overemphasizing The Value Of Good Writing
Is good writing overrated? Well, it depends on what you mean by "good writing," as in-house columnist Mark Herrmann explains. -
Biglaw, Career Center, Career Files, Job Searches, Law Students
From the Career Files: Talent Assessment at Law Firms
Noah Messing of Yale Law School, author of a new book on legal writing, explores how law firms might reassess how they select junior associates. -
Biglaw, In-House Counsel, Litigators, Partner Issues
Inside Straight: The Literary Genre Of 'Big Firm Mediocre'
What are the hallmarks of the "big firm mediocre" writing style? In-house columnist Mark Herrmann identifies them. -
Blogging, Books, In-House Counsel, Media and Journalism
Inside Straight: Writing For The Trash Or Writing To Be Read
Are you writing to have written, or writing to be read? In-house columnist Mark Herrmann explains the difference. -
7th Circuit, Frank Easterbrook, In-House Counsel, Litigators, Practice Pointers
Inside Straight: Breakfast With Easterbrook
Litigators, how should you NOT open a brief?
