Chicago was the nation's deadliest city in 2001, recording 666 homicides. For lawyers in the Cook County Public Defender's Office Murder Task Force, that meant a steady flow of new clients. Eight out of ten people arrested for murder in Chicago are represented by public defenders. They're assigned the most challenging and seemingly hopeless cases, yet they always fight to win. One of those lawyers is Marijane Placek, a snakeskin boot-wearing, Shakespeare-quoting nonconformist whose courtroom bravado and sharp legal skills have made her a well-known figure around the courthouse. When an ex-convict was arrested on charges of killing a Chicago police officer that deadly year, Placek got the high-profile case, and her defense forms the hub around which the book's narrative revolves. Veteran journalist Kevin Davis reveals the compelling true story of a team of battle-scarred lawyers fighting against all odds. Unflinching, gripping, and full of surprises, Defending the Damned is an unforgettable human story and engaging courtroom drama where life and death hang in the balance. Davis explores the motives that compel these lawyers to come to work in this dark corner of the criminal justice system and exposes their insular and often misunderstood world. This groundbreaking work comes at a time when the country has seen how wrongful convictions have slipped through the system, that innocent people have been sent to death row, and that some police have lied or coerced suspects into confessing to crimes they did not commit. Such flaws drive these public defenders even harder to do their jobs, providing scrutiny to a long ignored and often broken system. Davis's reporting offers an unvarnished account of public defenders as never seen before. A powerful melding of courtroom drama and penetrating truecrime journalism, Defending the Damned is narrative nonfiction at its finest. Read more

About This BookSpeak Like a Lawyer: Write Like a Lawyer: Communicate Like a Top Legal Professional in the Digital Age, aims to provide readers with the essential communication skills necessary to excel as a top lawyer in the digital age, from arguing cases to presenting evidence and communicating with clients. Whether in the courtroom, during client consultations, or in written briefs, the power of well-crafted words can determine the outcome.For Law Students, Attorneys, Lawyers, and Paralegals. Clear, precise, and persuasive speaking has always been key in the legal profession. However, the shift to remote work has made virtual communication skills crucial. Lawyers must be adept at presenting arguments, conducting negotiations, and managing client relationships through digital means, where traditional cues like body language may be less evident. Furthermore, as law becomes more global, lawyers often deal with clients, colleagues, and legal systems from different countries.Speak Like a Lawyer: Write Like a Lawyer helps bridge cultural and linguistic gaps, ensuring legal advice and arguments are understood and respected across jurisdictions. Each chapter is packed with actionable advice, techniques, and real-world examples tailored to help you sharpen your skills. You’ll learn how to craft compelling arguments, present evidence clearly, and handle challenging situations with confidence.The intention behind Speak Like a Lawyer: Write Like a Lawyer is to make sophisticated legal concepts accessible and actionable. By applying the strategies outlined here, readers can enhance their ability to engage and persuade, paving the way for success in their legal careers. Read more

Limited EditionMaster Legal Writing in Use + Workbook + 100 Expert Email, Letter & Legal Memo Templates. Clear & Effective Legal Writing for Beginners & Law School Students: Contracts, Memos, Emails & Letters. Get your copyNOW."Get it right and keep it tight."Book Summary:"Master Legal Writing in Use + Workbook + 100 Expert Email, Letter & Legal Memo Templates. Clear & Effective Legal Writing for Beginners & Law School Students: Contracts, Memos, Emails & Letters" is a must-read for law students and beginner lawyers who want to improve their writing skills. This book provides a clear and effective approach to legal writing, with a focus on crafting compelling legal memos, emails, letters, contracts, and forms. It covers everything from writing in plain English, to more advanced areas of Legal English Writing, and key skills required to succeed in the legal field.This Legal Writing Toolkit includes:Introduction to legal EnglishClear and effective approach to legal writingComprehensive guide for law students and beginner lawyersCovers legal memos, emails, letters, contracts and legal formsFocuses on writing in plain Legal EnglishIncludes key skills for success in the legal fieldUnique writing strategies for lawyersLegal forms book for quick referencePractical examples and exercises for hands-on learning.Master the essentials of legal writing with this practical guide.Perfect for both native and non-native English-speaking lawyers, this book offers hands-on lessons in the language of legal writing.With a focus on clarity and concision, you'll learn the essentials of writing simple letters, powerful memoranda, compelling emails, and contracts. This book covers everything from emailing to advanced skills like managing your inbox, building rapport with clients, and writing simple, yet effective memos.Clear communication is the cornerstone of a successful legal career. It is what sets you apart as a professional, and it is what allows you to build trust and credibility with your clients and colleagues.Effective writing in the legal profession requires attention to detail, professionalism, and the ability to convey complex information in a concise and easily understandable manner.Legal Writing in Use:A Practical Guide for Lawyers, Paralegals, and Legal Professionals + 100 Expert Email & Letter TemplatesThis comprehensive guide is perfect for new lawyers, solicitors, paralegals, and legal secretaries looking to take their professional communication to the next level.With 100 downloadable expert email and letter templates, you'll have all the tools you need to write clear, concise, and effective writing. And with a focus on language clarity, this book is also great for non-native English speakers looking to improve their legal writing skills. Don't let poor email communication hold you back in your legal career - add "Master Legal Writing in Use" to your collection today. Read more

Let's be honest. Law school isn't just challenging; it's a relentless gauntlet designed to test your limits. From the Socratic terror of a 1L Contracts class at Berkeley to the marathon outlining sessions prepping for finals at HLS, the demands are immense. Now, add ADHD to the mix. Suddenly, managing slogging through Pennoyer feels impossible, staying focused during a three-hour Corporations lecture is a battle, and organizing your notes for the OCI race to land that coveted spot at a Wachtell or Susman seems insurmountable.You're not imagining it. The executive function demands of law school—intense focus, meticulous organization, long-term planning, working memory recall under pressure—can feel fundamentally incompatible with the ADHD brain. But what if you could turn perceived weaknesses into manageable challenges, even strengths? "Law School, ADHD & You" isn't your standard study guide. Penned with a deep understanding of both the high-stakes pressure cooker of elite legal education and the nuances of ADHD, this is your tailored toolkit. Forget generic tips; this book dives deep into:Decoding the Socratic Method: Strategies to prepare, engage, and survive cold calls without derailing.Taming the Reading Load: Active reading techniques for dense case law, specifically adapted for ADHD focus patterns.Building Bulletproof Outlines: Structuring complex legal concepts logically when your thoughts tend to scatter.Mastering Exam Performance: Issue-spotting and time management under pressure, leveraging accommodations effectively.Navigating Networking & OCI: Managing social anxiety and executive function demands during the high-stakes job hunt for Big Law or clerkships.Leveraging Hyperfocus: Channeling your unique ability to deep-dive into topics that ignite your interest (hello, Law Review note!).Self-Advocacy & Well-being: Protecting your mental health and securing the support you need, from Disability Services to mentors.Whether you're navigating the pre-OCI frenzy trying to network your way out of Columbia's Jerome Greene Hall, deciphering Stanford's Honors/Pass system while surrounded by future tech-GCs, trying to maintain UVA Law's famed collegiality amidst the stress of journal tryouts, or balancing Berkeley Law's commitment to social justice with the hunt for that elusive Big Law SA spot – this guide provides actionable, ADHD-specific strategies. Stop fighting your brain and start working with it. Transform your law school journey from a daily battle for survival into a platform for genuine success.Invest in your future. Click 'Buy Now' and get the strategies you need to thrive. Read more

Master Legal English for Lawyers: English Writing, Grammar & Punctuation for Law. Includes Expert Legal Documents & TemplatesThis book contains key grammar and language guidelines to help you significantly improve your legal communication and avoid issues.Since English is the language used by many lawyers worldwide, this book aims to help those whose first language is not English and native English speakers who would just like to improve their professional communication skills.We are not focusing on specialized legal vocabulary here, but instead, we are homing in on the language structures that tend to cause the most issues in real-world scenarios.We will also focus on practicing and perfecting the basic building blocks of clear, professional communication within a legal context to gain the confidence you deserve.You will learn how to write clear, direct, and well-polished sentences so that you make a good impression in writing from the start.About This Legal English BookYour writing is often the first and last impression you will leave in a professional interaction. While mastering it can open doors and make your path to success smoother, ignoring it can close doors and ruin potential opportunities for you. Your writing is too important to mess up when discussing legal and business matters. In the legal world, different levels of communication take place, each one requiring different styles and approaches. For example, drafting contracts does not require the same approach as writing an email or an opinion. This book will help you not only write more professionally by understanding the nuts and bolts of English within legal contexts, but it will also help you decide when and how to use each tool."Know your context as well as your audience." Like everything in life, not all writing is created equal. The same piece of writing can be a game-changing asset or a major liability, depending on when, where, and how we deploy it. We must always pay attention to context.When you approach a piece of writing in a legal setting, the first thing to do is to decide exactly what you want from the exchange and what the context is. This is particularly important because you don't have the benefit of body language or facial expressions when you write. People also tend to forget verbal exchanges more readily, but the written word is powerful."The pen is "mightier than the sword…" - Edward Bulwer-Lytton and people will judge you based on how you use your pen.Master Legal English for Lawyers: English Writing, Grammar & Punctuation for Law, provides a structured framework under which lawyers, law students, and other law professionals can significantly improve their knowledge of English to become more confident and effective writers.You will be taken through the language structures that tend to create the most problems in the real-world and encouraged to review them through highly targeted grammar exercises, which focus on developing, not only your grammar skills, but also your competence and confidence in international legal communication.The last section of this book, contains access to a large selection of legal templates to guide you through drafting contracts, letters, affidavits and many other documents. It will be an invaluable resource for your studies and career in the legal arena. Read more

With Point Made, legal writing expert, Ross Guberman, throws a life preserver to attorneys, who are under more pressure than ever to produce compelling prose. What is the strongest opening for a motion or brief? How to draft winning headings? How to tell a persuasive story when the record is dry and dense? The answers are "more science than art," says Guberman, who has analyzed stellar arguments by distinguished attorneys to develop step-by-step instructions for achieving the results you want. The author takes an empirical approach, drawing heavily on the writings of the nation's 50 most influential lawyers, including Barack Obama, John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Ted Olson, and David Boies. Their strategies, demystified and broken down into specific, learnable techniques, become a detailed writing guide full of practical models. In FCC v. Fox, for example, Kathleen Sullivan conjures the potentially dangerous, unintended consequences of finding for the other side (the "Why Should I Care?" technique). Arguing against allowing the FCC to continue fining broadcasters that let the "F-word" slip out, she highlights the chilling effect these fines have on America's radio and TV stations, "discouraging live programming altogether, with attendant loss to valuable and vibrant programming that has long been part of American culture."Each chapter of Point Made focuses on a typically tough challenge, providing a strategic roadmap and practical tips along with annotated examples of how prominent attorneys have resolved that challenge in varied trial and appellate briefs. Short examples and explanations with engaging titles--"Brass Tacks," "Talk to Yourself," "Russian Doll"--deliver weighty materials with a light tone, making the guidelines easy to remember and apply.In addition to all-new examples from the original 50 advocates, this Second Edition introduces eight new superstar lawyers from Solicitor General Don Verrilli, Deanne Maynard, Larry Robbins, and Lisa Blatt to Joshua Rosencranz, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Judy Clarke, and Sri Srinvasan, now a D.C. Circuit Judge. Ross Guberman also provides provocative new examples from the Affordable Care Act wars, the same-sex marriage fight, and many other recent high-profile cases. Considerably more commentary on the examples is included, along with dozens of style and grammar tips interspersed throughout. Also, for those who seek to improve their advocacy skills and for those who simply need a step-by-step guide to making a good brief better, the book concludes with an all-new set of 50 writing challenges corresponding to the 50 techniques. Read more

Elegant Legal Writing helps attorneys elevate their writing from passable to polished. Drawing on ideas from cognitive science, stylistics, and litigation strategy, the book teaches practical techniques by example using fast-paced chapters. Readers will learn the essentials of effective legal composition:   Writing clear, efficient prose Crafting strong arguments Telling a client's story through a compelling narrative Overcoming procrastination and drafting more productively Readability, aesthetics, and argumentation are intertwined. Ryan McCarl shows how litigation documents that are easier and more pleasant to read are more likely to persuade judges and other busy readers. The book also discusses parts of legal writing that many guides overlook, including sentence mechanics, writing technology, and typography. Read more

“This easy-to-follow guide is useful both as a general course of instruction and as a targeted aid in solving particular legal writing problems.” —Harvard Law ReviewClear, concise, down-to-earth, and powerful—all too often, legal writing embodies none of these qualities. Its reputation for obscurity and needless legalese is widespread. For more than twenty years, Bryan A. Garner’s Legal Writing in Plain English has helped address this problem by providing lawyers, judges, paralegals, law students, and legal scholars with sound advice and practical tools for improving their written work. The leading guide to clear writing in the field, this indispensable volume encourages legal writers to challenge conventions and offers valuable insights into the writing process that will appeal to other professionals: how to organize ideas, create and refine prose, and improve editing skills.Accessible and witty, Legal Writing in Plain English draws on real-life writing samples that Garner has gathered through decades of teaching. Trenchant advice covers all types of legal materials, from analytical and persuasive writing to legal drafting, and the book’s principles are reinforced by sets of basic, intermediate, and advanced exercises in each section.In this new edition, Garner preserves the successful structure of the original while adjusting the content to make it even more classroom-friendly. He includes case examples from the past decade and addresses the widespread use of legal documents in electronic formats. His book remains the standard guide for producing the jargon-free language that clients demand and courts reward.“Those who are willing to approach the book systematically and to complete the exercises will see dramatic improvements in their writing.” —Law Library Journal Read more

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Discover how artificial intelligence can improve how your organization practices law with this compelling resource from the creators of one of the world’s leading legal AI platforms. AI for Lawyers: How Artificial Intelligence is Adding Value, Amplifying Expertise, and Transforming Careers explains how artificial intelligence can be used to revolutionize your organization’s operations. Noah Waisberg and Dr. Alexander Hudek, a lawyer and a computer science Ph.D. who lead prominent legal AI business Kira Systems, have written an approachable and insightful book that will help you transform how your firm functions.  AI for Lawyers explains how artificial intelligence can help your law firm: Win more business and find more clients Better meet and exceed client expectations Find hidden efficiencies Better manage and eliminate risk Increase associate and partner engagement Whether focusing on small or big law, AI for Lawyers is perfect for any lawyer who either feels uneasy about how AI might change law or is looking to capitalize on the evolving practice. With contributions from experts in the fields of e-Discovery, legal research, expert systems, and litigation analytics, it also belongs on the bookshelf of anyone who’s interested in the intersection of law and technology.   Read more

The Bluebook® provides the rules for legal citation, but can be intimidating and frustrating to use. With its simple building-block approach, this survival manual teaches how to understand and master the essential rules for legal practitioners. Rules are fully described and illustrated using: Clear explanations and illustrations of the basic components of legal citations; Step-by-step instructions for building citations to the most common authorities cited by legal practitioners; Detailed guidance for citing legal materials to both print and electronic sources; Examples, comparison charts, illustrations, and bullet-point explanations designed for quick mastery of basic Bluebook citation rules; Tips, hints, and cautions to help users avoid common citation errors; Cross references to the controlling Bluebook rules; and A user-friendly format gathering The Bluebook’s scattered rules for each authority into one place.For readers interested in further practicing their citation skills, Linda Barris created Mastering The Bluebook Interactive Exercises, an online learning tool. The new edition will coordinate with both Understanding and Mastering The Bluebook, Fourth Edition and The Bluebook, 21st Edition(both out summer 2020).Each copy of Understanding and Mastering The Bluebook, Fourth Edition includes a discount code for 20% off the purchase of Mastering The Bluebook Interactive Exercises.Contact [email protected] to receive your discount for accessing the Mastering The Bluebook Interactive Exercises. Read more

A dictionary is useless if you don’t have it when you need it. If the only law dictionary you own is a thick, bulky one, you’ll probably leave it at home most of the time—and if you need a definition while you’re at school, you’re out of luck! With Gilbert’s Pocket-Size Dictionary, you’ll have any definition you need, when you need it. Just pop Gilbert’s dictionary in your pocket or purse, and you’ll have over 4,000 legal terms and phrases at your fingertips. Gilbert’s dictionary also includes a section on law school shorthand, common abbreviations, Latin and French legal terms, periodical abbreviations, and governmental abbreviations. With Gilbert’s Pocket-Size Law Dictionary, you’ll never be caught at a loss for words! Read more

The ability to read law well is an indispensable skill that can make or break the academic career of any aspiring lawyer. Fortunately, the ability to read law well (quickly and accurately) is a skill that can be acquired through knowledge and practice. First published in 2005, Reading Like a Lawyer has become a staple on many law school reading lists for prospective and admitted students. The second edition includes the same critical reasoning and reading strategies, accompanied by hands-on practice exercises, that made the first edition such a success. It adds a valuable new chapter on a growing challenge for this generation of legal readers: how to read material that is presented on a screen with maximum efficiency and effectiveness. “Reading Like a Lawyer is a must-read for 1Ls.” — Sally Zusman, Director of Academic Achievement Programs at William Mitchell College of Law Read more

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'Chris is a powerful force for good in the national debate on criminal justice.' –The Secret Barrister'Extraordinary' – Krishnan Guru-MurthyChris Daw QC has been practising criminal law for over 25 years, navigating Britain's fractured justice system from within. He has looked into the eyes of murderers, acted for notorious criminals, and listened to the tangled tales woven by fraudsters, money launderers and drug barons. Yet his work takes place at the heart of a system at breaking point – one which is failing perpetrators, victims and society – and now he is convinced that something must change. Drawing on case histories and global reporting, and published with a new afterword on law in the global pandemic, Justice on Trial presents a radical set of solutions for crime and punishment. By turns shocking, moving and pragmatic, Daw's accountoffers rare inside access to a system in crisis and a roadmap to a future beyond the binary of good and evil.Updated with a new afterword on law and the global pandemic. Read more

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Regardless of whether you are fresh out of law school or have worked for a law firm your entire career, launching your very own practice can be a difficult, nerve-wracking endeavor. A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Successful Law Practice From the Ground Up has all the answers you've been looking for in the quest to launch your own law firm. Step by step, you'll learn how to do the following: * Choose an area of law to pursue * Attract a quality pool of potential clients * Build effective legal systems * Understand the ins and outs of digital marketing * Efficiently manage your firm's finances * Purchase the right software, equipment and furnishings * And so very much more! Matthew Driggs began his law firm with the clear goal of building a dedicated community of empathy, understanding, and philanthropy centered around the idea that the needs of the clientele are paramount above all else. His ambitions resulted in the founding of the successful Advocates law firm. Over 25 years ago in Salt Lake City, Matthew began in firm of Driggs, Bills & Day P.C., also know as The Advocates. Today, the firm has over two dozen experienced attorneys spread across 5 different states who have, in the intervening years, helped compensate their clients to the tune of $300,000,000 million dollars and counting. When Matthew isn't representing personal injury clients, he spends his time with his wife and five wonderful children. Matthew's bucket list is packed full of adventure, with a goal of traveling to every continent, including Antarctica, and seeing every Wonder of the World. Read more

Best practices for legal writing in the workplace and for students of law. BarCharts, Inc was founded on our law guides created by the owner, designed to understand the significance of details within the larger scheme of the law, as a daily refresher, and to review before the Bar Exam. Twenty five years later we keep those guides up to date for students of law and criminal justice, paralegals and practicing lawyers to have the most handy legal reference to the most important points of the law possible in 6 laminated pages.   6-page laminated guide includes:Essentials of a Legal MemorandumCreating the HeadingExplaining the FactsDrafting the Question PresentedDrafting the Brief Answer SectionDrafting the Discussion SectionDrafting the Conclusion SectionMore Complex Organization PlansBest Practices for Editing & RevisingTypes of Legal LogicPlain English Translation TableSuggested uses:Students – keep your legal writing in check with a quick review plus constant refreshers before classes and examsProfessionals – keep your legal writing in check long after passing the Bar examBar Exam – great review tool before for taking the exam Read more

Legal writing is hard. Learning about it shouldn’t be.In Dear 1L, a collection of nurturing letters, tactical how-to’s, and advanced legal-writing tips, legal-writing coach Amanda Haverstick answers all the questions you didn’t know you need to know.How do you avoid a dicta trap when writing the fall memo? What’s the winning formula for an IRAC essay? A legal brief? A lawyer’s resume? And what’s the “TICTAC comma,” anyway? Get the cheat codes on these topics and more that still trip up 1Ls every year.Dear 1L gives you a witty, insightful preview of what to expect during 1L. What’s more, the writing tips you’ll learn come from decades of BigLaw-litigation experience, and they’ve been “blessed” by thousands of lawyers and law students online. This book is a trusted supplement you’ll refer to throughout law school and beyond. Read more

Master the Bar Exam & Ace Law School Exams: Unlock the Secrets to Legal SuccessEmpower yourself with the ultimate guide to conquering the bar exam and acing law school exams. This comprehensive book will teach you:- How to craft exceptional essay answers using the IRAC method- The art of writing clear, rule-based lawyerly responses- Strategies for tackling multiple-choice questions, like those on the bar exam- Techniques for memorizing and understanding the vast array of legal rules- The hidden structure and logic behind the lawStop feeling overwhelmed by the seemingly chaotic world of law, and discover the inner logic that governs it all.The author, a distinguished legal scholar, brings a wealth of experience to the table:- Served as a paid research assistant at Harvard Law School- Awarded multiple Fulbright law scholarships- Taught law at renowned European universities- Fluent in French, German, Russian, and ChineseTransform Your Legal Journey TodayTake control of your future by clicking the "Look Inside" button. Sneak a peek at the invaluable tips and insights that await you, without spending a dime. Experience the quality of this essential guide before you decide to make it your trusted companion on your path to legal success.The clock is ticking. You're seated at your law exam or preparing for the bar. What happens next is up to you. Invest in your future – buy this book today! Read more