law practice

ALL of Garner's books are excellent, but lawyers who want to be more persuasive should also get a practical book on trial advocacy, "Common Sense Rules of Advocacy for Lawyers" (also a wonderful book for 3Ls and new lawyers who want to learn how to be effective advocates). The author, Keith Evans, practiced as a British barrister for a decade and as a California trial lawyer for many years. He also lectured regularly to many American Inns of Court.

However, be warned: Common Sense Rules of Advocacy is NOT a book for litigators, but for advocates.

What others have said about Evans book:

"Valuable review for the old timers and an excellent primer for those who are starting the climb."
-- Jacob A. Stein, Stein, Mitchell & Mezines, Washington, DC

"Superb how-to book ...that is refreshingly readable."
-- Karl Tegland, author, "Courtroom Handbook on Washington Evidence"

"A wonderful 'Bible' for the trial lawyer who wants to win. If only we had had this in law school!"
-- Browne Greene, Greene, Broillet, Panish & Wheeler, Santa Monica, CA

"Even the most experienced trial lawyer can pick up some new techniques here."
-- Frederick C. Moss, Professor, Dedman School of Law, Southern Methodist University

"Valuable insights and practical lessons for anyone who advocates for a living."
-- Steve Clymer, J.D., mediator, arbitrator, and facilitator with ACCORD Dispute Resolution Services, Inc.

"Remarkable compendium of useful advice."
-- Roxanne Barton Conlin, Roxanne Conlin & Associates, Des Moines, IA (first woman President of Association of Trial Lawyers of America)

"Great introduction for the new lawyer and a wonderful learning tool for the advocate with experience."
-- Sherman L. Cohn, Professor, Georgetown University Law Center (first national President of American Inns of Court)

"Terrific guidebook."
-- Philip H. Corboy, Corboy & Demetrio, Chicago, IL

You can see more testimonials and more information about Evans' book on Amazon - search for ISBN 1587330059.

I'm a former paralegal currently in law school, and one of the more difficult things about dealing with the law is making your writing sparkle... in the most succinct way possible. This book can help. With countless examples and snippets of wisdom culled from top legal minds, Bryan Garner has put together a fantastic resource. He takes the reader through the entire process of writing to the court, from brainstorming to the million (or 100, at least) ways to polish a document.

This isn't a book that rehashes writing tips you'll find in more general guides--it is specifically geared toward the delicate craft of legal writing. Admittedly, this is a somewhat pricey tome, but it's worth every penny.

This volume is by far the best work available on legal writing. Most of Prof. Garner's advice applies not merely to briefs but to memos, letters, and other persuasive or analytical forms. His chapters take you through every step of writing, from the earliest, painful efforts to collect your thoughts, through outlining, issue-framing, structuring an argument, and finally the specifics of sentence structure, word choice, and punctuation. Unlike many writing manuals, this book places emphasis where it is really needed: not on mechanics, but on the large structural tasks that can make or break a project. While some of Prof. Garner's formatting suggestions may not be acceptable in many jurisdictions, his more general advice -- the real reason for buying this book -- will be helpful everywhere.