Chapter 9 - Legal Writing: Motions, Notices, & Briefs

9.3

Briefs

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  • Image of a Trial Brief

    INTRODUCTION


    For your final written assignment, you will spend most of your time on the trial brief. It argues your client's point.













    Lecture Notes . . .

    THE TRIAL BRIEF
    A Trial Brief is sometimes called a Memorandum of Law, or (on rare occasions) Points and Authorities.

    One note. The most common error made by students when drafting a trial brief is that they fail to make the transition from researcher to advocate. No matter what you have found in your research, when you write, you argue forcefully on behalf of your client's position.

    The more forceful and confident you are in your writing, the more likely you are to end up with a document that advocates your client's position convincingly.

    Use the examples in the manual, and (again) the Legal Writing Labs. You can use either the combined form (Motion, Notice, & Brief combined) or you can create three separate documents. (Unless your instructor gives you other directions.)


    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A TIME SHEET that automatically adds up your billable hours. You should keep track of any research or writing you perform on behalf of your client, including training exercises and assignments in this program.