DESCRIPTION
“More Effective Writing Makes More Effective Lawyers”
Rick Horowitz, Discussion Leader
There’s what you know in your particular areas of the law – and then there’s how well you’re able to communicate that knowledge. Communicate it to a variety of different audiences, through a range of different documents, to accomplish many different goals.
That can be hard work. Even stressful work. Maybe you could use a little help.
Help is on the way! Join writing coach and former attorney Rick Horowitz at the Oklahoma Bar Association on Tuesday, October 24, for “More Effective Writing Makes More Effective Lawyers.” It’s sure to be a lively and highly practical workshop that will reintroduce you to your legal-writing toolbox, including a few tools you didn't know were in there.
We’ll explore the fundamentals (and the critical details) of creating clear, concise, well-organized, persuasive legal documents.?We’ll take a fresh look at some of the assumptions and habits that often lead lawyers down less-than-productive writing paths. And we’ll talk about other approaches that might be even better options for you in dealing with the variety of legal-writing tasks most lawyers face.
Briefs, memos, client letters, even daily correspondence all benefit from your deeper understanding of what goes into successful writing, so we’ll examine good and not-so-good writing to see what worked, what didn't, and why. Among the topics we might cover:
- When Lawyers Write: What Can Go Wrong?
- Knowing Your Goal(s), Knowing Your Audience(s)
- The Writing You Do Before You Start Writing
- Being Concise (1): “What’s In? What’s Out?”
- Overcoming “Blank-Screen Panic”: Those First Few Words...
- Organizing for Impact: “Where Do I Put It?”
- Being Concise (2): “How Do I Say It?”
- Being Precise: Catching Those Problems Before You Hit “Send”...
- Writing as a Team Sport: Smoothing Out the Rough Spots
- Tone & Voice: “How Does It Come Across?”
Disclaimer: All views or opinions expressed by any presenter during the course of this CLE is that of the presenter alone and not an opinion of the Oklahoma Bar Association, the employers, or affiliates of the presenters unless specifically stated. Additionally, any materials, including the legal research, are the product of the individual contributor, not the Oklahoma Bar Association. The Oklahoma Bar Association makes no warranty, express or implied, relating to the accuracy or content of these materials.