Legal research and legal writing: Essential skills for success in the world of law The new edition of How to think, write and cite provides students who are new to law with clear and practical guidance on mastering essential skills which will be key to success in their assignments and examinations, and which will also be invaluable in the workplace after graduating. Key features * Developed by experienced Irish academics and researchers specifically for Irish law students * Easy-to-follow, practical advice * Explanations of how to read legislation and court judgments * Step-by-step instructions for accessing online legal databases * Explains effective legal writing for exams and essays, including sample answers and essays * Explains when and how to cite in essays * Includes a detailed citation manual for Irish materials based on the internationally-accepted OSCOLA system New to the second edition * Up-to-date information on how to use online databases * Expanded section on use of software to automate and simplify referencing * New section on completing assignments * Discussion of expanding role of clinical legal education * Detailed discussion of different research methods, including doctrinal, historical and socio-legal research * Suggestions for further reading * Second edition of OSCOLA Ireland The book is accompanied by a companion website, which will provide supplementary exercises and interactive quizzes which students can use to self-test at their own pace, or module co-ordinators can use to assess the work of students over the course of the module. (Please note that this website, while complementary to the book, is an independent endeavour by the authors. The book is sold as a stand-alone text.) The authors Jennifer Schweppe, School of Law, University of Limerick; Dr Ronan Kennedy, School of Law, National University of Ireland, Galway; Lawrence Donnelly, School of Law, National University of Ireland, Galway

With a practical focus on persuasive writing strategies, Advanced Legal Writing: Theory and Strategies in Persuasive Writing explores three classical techniques: logos, pathos, and ethos, and provides students with a thorough introduction to the elements of rhetorical style. Unlike many other advanced legal writing texts, which tend to focus on a document-specific approach, this unique coursebook focuses on classical writing strategies that students can apply to a wide range of settings. The depth and scope of this text make it appropriate for upper-level legal writing courses. The Third Edition has been expanded to include the use of movies and other popular culture media in chapters dealing with literary references. There have also been substantial revisions to the chapter on policy. Features: Comprehensive coverage of the technical aspects of rhetorical style: metaphor, literary allusion, and figures of speech. Emphasizes theory as well as practice, building on three basic strategies of persuasive legal writing: Logos: Logic and rational argument. o Pathos: Value-based argument. Ethos: Establishing credibility. Highlights interdisciplinary contributions to persuasive writing from diverse fields, including cognitive psychology, classical rhetoric, and morality theory. Presents effective strategies that extend beyond the trial or appellate brief to a broad range of documents and settings. Covers new developments in cognitive psychology, pathos, persuasion, and the role of metaphor in persuasive legal writing. Depth and scope appropriate for upper-level legal writing classes. Thoroughly updated, the revised Third Edition offers: Substantial revisions to the chapter on policy. Expanded chapters on literary references now include other media, e.g., movies and other pop culture platforms.

Legal research is a fundamental skill for all law students and attorneys. Regardless of practice area or work venue, knowledge of the sources and processes of legal research underpins the legal professional’s work. Academic law librarians, as research experts, are uniquely qualified to teach legal research. Whether participating in the mandatory, first-year law school curriculum or offering advanced or specialized legal research instruction, law librarians have the up-to-date knowledge, the broad view of the field, and the expertise to provide the best legal research instruction possible. This collection offers both theoretical and practical guidance on legal research education from the perspectives of the law librarian. Containing well-reasoned, analytical articles on the topic, the volume explains and supports the law librarian’s role in legal research instruction. The contributors to this book, all experts in teaching legal research, challenge academic law librarians to seize their instructional role in the legal academy. This book was based on a special issue of Legal Reference Services Quarterly.

With examples drawn from legal writing & student papers, this guide walks students through the writing process & helps them refine their skills in exercises throughout the book. The Second Edition features a reorganized Part I, including three new chapters that help students gain proficiency in reading & analyzing legal materials so they can write more effectively. Part II includes a systematic approach to legal writing; understanding your context; getting organized; writing clearly; writing effectively; & reviewing & editing. Part III covers the process of writing a legal memorandum & an appellate court brief. This Second Edition includes two examples of memoranda, an interoffice memo & a memo of points & authority; a streamlined appendix that provides an overview of English sentence structure; & many enhanced writing exercises.

With a consistent emphasis on precision and good organization, Legal Writing and Other Lawyering Skills, Fifth Edition, shows students how to draft memoranda, opinion letters, pleadings, briefs, and other legal documents. But because communication in the practice of law occurs in specific contexts, authors Nancy L. Schultz and Louis J. Sirico, Jr . teach other valuable lawyering skills, such as client counseling, negotiating, and how to present an oral argument before the court, in this timely and student-friendly text. Now with a more contemporary look that reflects a new publisher and revisions requested by users of the text, the Fifth Edition of Legal Writing and Other Lawyering Skills features: a straightforward and student-friendly approach, framed and supported by a logical organization streamlined coverage that focuses on basic communication skills in practice complete coverage of legal writing--with outstanding chapters on writing style and how to write a memo in-depth instruction on legal analysis, oral argument, and how to write an appellate brief a helpful preliminary overview of the American legal system refreshed, updated, and carefully honed practice exercises expanded coverage of electronic research new coverage of electronic communicationformat, etiquette, ethics, and liability thoroughly up-to-date court citations, cases, and sample documents generous use of sample documents within the text and in the Appendices The focused exercises and examples in Legal Writing and Other Lawyering Skills, Fifth Edition, simulate the tasks performed by lawyers in practice and reflect the authors' forward-looking, practice-based approach to teaching writing and lawyering skills to law students

Academic literacy is no longer considered a by-product of academic socialization but a complex set of skills that need to be developed actively. This book addresses the questions of how academic and professional writing skills can be fostered in our multilingual and multicultural societies and how these skills can be measured.