"Effective legal writing calls not only for artistry but also for scientific understanding. Legal wordsmiths turned words and phrases into finely tuned aphorisms, just as van Gogh and Matisse turned blank canvases into brilliant combinations of color and light. Unlike most forms of art, however, effective legal writing serves primarily to explain and persuade. You cannot easily explain or persuade without considering how your intended audience will process your words. Thinking about the intended reader is natural. Is your brief going to a court overwhelmed by filings? Is the assigned judge likely to read the brief once or to reread it many times? Are opinions by the assigned judge long or short?"--

Published January 1, 2020