The Legal Writing Workshop: Using Rhetoric to Make Your Strongest Case

From the Preface to the 2nd Edition: We wrote this book to help legal professionals write better, using knowledge based on our specialized expertise in rhetoric. Rhetoric is a discipline founded over 2500 years ago to help people plead their cases in court. The first teachers of rhetoric were Ancient Greeks and Romans who developed theories of how to use language, argument, and style to make effective arguments about any topic.

Today, you can use the same rhetorical principles to make the best possible arguments for your clients. Unlike other legal writing books, which focus primarily on revision and editing, we start at the beginning of the writing process-"invention"-to help you tackle any challenge. Our goal is to help lawyers develop a thorough system for writing and speaking, one that addresses a full spectrum of writing concerns, from beating writer's block with brainstorming strategies, to developing eloquent writing style, to arguing ethically for any given case.

As professors and speakers on law, rhetoric, and professional writing, we understand that good writing does not require a system of hard and fast rules, but rather an ability to adapt your writing to the occasion at hand. We use a unique combination of ancient techniques and cutting edge research on rhetoric, writing, and composition to give you the tools to write effectively.