Advanced Judicial Writing

We’ve presented this two-day workshop to judges in Alaska, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington. We also offer a one-day version for judicial clerks and staff attorneys.

The seminar emphasizes the techniques used by first-rate judicial writers. Participants learn:

• The different ways to open judicial opinions.
• How and why those opening paragraphs determine the style of what follows.
• The 12 ways American judges typically begin their opinions.
• Which of those ways most effectively frame the determinative issues.

The seminar also demonstrates effective editing techniques: how to choose the best words, how to sharpen and tighten sentences, and how to bridge between paragraphs for better-flowing exposition. Some of the same principles are covered in Advanced Legal Writing & Editing and The Winning Brief, but this workshop focuses on the unique writing problems that judges face.

Advanced Judicial Writing is available exclusively as an in-house workshop; it isn’t offered as a public CLE program.

LawProse Policy on In-House CLE Credit

Under state-bar rules, the hosting group is the proper applicant for CLE accreditation. We will supply you with the necessary attachments CLE applications require.