PAR 211 - Legal Writing

3 Credits, 3 Contact Hours
3 lecture periods 0 lab periods

Principles and techniques of legal writing. Includes writing style, editing and proofreading, legal analysis, legal brief types, and applications of legal writing for memoranda, litigation documents, and correspondence.

Prerequisite(s): PAR 103 , PAR 202  and WRT 102 .

1. Describe types of legal documents and characteristics of the legal writing style.
2. Explain the structural components and process of legal writing.
3. Explain the process of editing and proofreading.
4. Summarize and give examples of the process of legal analysis.
5. Demonstrate the legal writing process by preparation of a variety of legal documents and correspondence.
6. Describe the legal assistant’s role in preparation of a legal brief.

1. Introduction to Legal Writing
   1. Types of legal documents
   2. Elements and characteristics of legal writing
   3. Differences between legal writing and other writing styles
   4. Role of the legal assistant in legal writing
   5. Review of legal research
2. Writing Style
   1. Structural components
      1. Sentence
      2. Paragraph
      3. Grammar
      4. Legal jargon
   2. Process
      1. Outline
      2. Draft
      3. Final form
3. Editing and Proofreading
   1. Content
   2. Structure, detail and style
4. Legal Analysis
   1. Case briefing
      1. Determining question of law addressed by the court
      2. Determining the facts upon which the court decision relied
      3. Determining the law upon which the court decision relied
   2. Applying the law to the facts to explain the court’s decision
   3. Analysis of statutes
      1. Defining the scope and applicability of a statute
      2. Applying the statute to the facts
   4. Synthesis of legal authority
5. Legal Writing Applications
   1. Writing memoranda
      1. Internal office memoranda
      2. External memoranda of points and authorities
   2. Litigation documents*
      1. Review of court rules
      2. Pleadings
         1. Claim documents
         2. Response documents
      3. Motions
   3. Correspondence
      1. Format
      2. Types
         1. Demand letter
         2. Transmittal letters
         3. Confirming letters
         4. Opinion letters
         5. Settlement letters
6. Legal Brief Types
   1. Form and content
   2. Role of the legal assistant
      1. Cite checking
      2. Proofreading
      3. Procedural formatting

*Discovery documents are taught in PAR 202.