Ten Steps to Better Judicial Writing
This online seminar develops ten surprisingly simple precepts that will revolutionize the way a court writes—all in the direction of clarity. Professor Garner works through jurisprudential examples to show how close reasoning works in practice, and how it can best be expressed for the intended readership.
This is a workshop for judges, judicial clerks, and staff lawyers who seek to improve the work product of courts. Professor Garner has presented it live to state and federal judges in Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C., as well as Melbourne, Australia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In learning techniques of first-rate judicial writers, participants examine the different methods for opening judicial opinions and investigate how and why the opening paragraphs determine the style of what follows. We show the most common ways that American judges begin their opinions and suggest which ones are most effective.
The seminar also demonstrates effective editing techniques: how to choose the best words, how to sharpen and tighten sentences, and how to achieve continuity throughout. Although some of the same principles are covered in Advanced Legal Writing & Editing and The Winning Brief, this workshop focuses on the unique writing problems faced by judges
LawProse Policy on CLE Credit
Want more focused training on specific legal-writing skills? Professor Bryan Garner has created over 40 hours here for you. Learn the skills of legal writing and take the mystery out of the art.
LawProse web seminars are approved for CLE credit in most states where allowed. A few states don’t yet approve web seminars. Please check with your state bar to see whether web seminars qualify.
We are accredited CLE providers for online training in California, New York, and Texas. We can issue a CLE attendance certificate for you for California and New York. And we can also report your completed seminar hours to Texas—please email (info@lawprose.org) us your name, the course you completed, the date you finished, and your bar number.
LawProse web seminars have been approved for CLE credit in most states where allowed—we do not maintain approval for all our courses for all these states. If you’re seeking credit in a state other than where we are accredited providers, please take the certificate of attendance from the program and submit it to the state bar you are seeking credit from. A few states don’t yet approve web seminars. Please check with your state bar to see whether web seminars qualify.
We are accredited CLE providers for online training in California and Texas.
Texas credit: Email your name, Texas Bar number, seminar name, and the date of completion to info@lawprose.org. We’ll report your credit within the next five days.
California certificate: Email your name, California Bar number, seminar name, and the date of completion to info@lawprose.org. We’ll send you a California CLE Certificate for your self-reporting records within the next five days.
If you’re seeking credit elsewhere, please take the certificate of attendance from the program to use as part of your application for credit to your state bar. Please check with your state bar to see whether web seminars qualify.
Discounts & Watching as a Group
Discounts are available for groups simultaneously viewing a self-paced online seminar using one computer connection. When one participant pays the full list price, each additional viewer pays for an additional-viewer license—again, if all registrants view on one screen together. You can register your group by calling LawProse at 214-691-8588 or emailing info@lawprose.org or directly on our e-learning site.
Please note that the list price is for the purchase of an individual license for a single viewing by a single viewer. You may purchase additional discounted additional-viewer licenses on our e-learning site or contacting us at 214-691-8588. We ask for your cooperation in protecting our intellectual-property rights. We’re happy to help direct you to any particular course topic you’re looking for, to discuss group pricing, and to answer any other questions you may have.
Please see our FAQs on Self-Paced Online Seminars.
