Legal Writing Skills: The Key to Getting Recruited in Top Law Firms

Summary

Legal firms are constantly on the lookout for lawyers with excellent writing skills. Writing is an integral part of legal practice and without it, legal professionals would be unable to effectively express their client's legal rights and obligations. Good writing stands out in a crowd and firms are willing to hire new lawyers who are capable of expressing themselves clearly and concisely.

Writing skills are incredibly important in the legal profession. Lawyers are required to translate complex legal concepts into simple language that their clients can understand and to create documents that accurately reflect those concepts. Legal documents must be accurate, precise, and consistent. Therefore, legal writing skills are the key to success in the legal profession.

When lawyers are looking to join a firm, they must demonstrate strong writing abilities. A resume with good writing skills is likely to be preferred over one that lacks these qualities. Additionally, writing sample essays, as well as suggesting content for the firm's website and blog, can showcase a lawyer's proficiency.

The ability to write effectively is also a valuable asset while in practice. A lawyer must be able to write legal documents, such as briefs and memorandums, that are persuasive, organized, and articulate. They should also be able to rely on their writing skills to effectively convey points during oral arguments and settlement negotiations.

Good writing skills can benefit lawyers in many ways. They can help lawyers understand their clients' legal rights and obligations and make persuasive arguments. Additionally, having excellent writing capabilities will make lawyers more attractive to potential employers and provide them with an edge over their competitors.

Therefore, it is evident that writing skills are an essential requirement in the legal profession. For lawyers looking to establish a successful legal career, developing strong writing skills is essential. With the right writing skills, lawyers are more likely to be taken seriously and seen as credible legal professionals.
 

Writing Skills are Crucial for Legal Firms

Writing skills are essential to any potential legal job seeker. Employers in many legal firms look for people who can write clearly and concisely, with correct grammar and punctuation. Having strong writing skills will help you to stand out from the competition and make you more attractive to employers. A well-written resume and cover letter can demonstrate the quality of your writing skills.
 

Developing Writing Skills

It is important to practice and develop your writing skills. Many college and university courses include modules on legal writing, which provide essential guidance and tips. In addition, reading and research can help to improve your understanding of the subject matter, which is essential for any form of legal writing.
 

The Importance of Editing

Editing is an important part of any legal writing task. Poorly edited documents can contain errors that may not be immediately evident, but can reflect badly on you as a potential employee. Always triple check your work to ensure that it is error-free and of a professional standard.
 

Research is Key

Research is essential for any legal writing task. You should strive to be as thorough as possible and stay up to date with all the latest legal developments. This means researching current laws and regulations, as well as understanding the history and context of any law or policy that you may be writing about.
 

The Benefits of Good Writing Skills

Good writing skills can be invaluable in legal professions. They can open up many opportunities for future employment, promotion, and career success. Having a good understanding of legal writing techniques is an invaluable asset for anyone looking for a career in a legal firm.

<<"I wish I could say I had this highly refined sense of what was important in a law firm," said Mr. Charlson, firmwide recruiting chair at Heller Ehrman, LLP. "At the time, I really didn't. I always remember this when I'm trying to recruit associates from law school. A lot of kids don't know that much about different law firms and why one might be better or different than another."

Mr. Charlson, also a securities litigation shareholder at Heller Ehrman, recommends applicants consider everything from their ease with potential co-workers to the firm's mission and overall atmosphere.

Based in the firm's Silicon Valley office in Menlo Park, CA, Mr. Charlson joined Heller Ehrman in 1986 and became a shareholder (the firm's equivalent of partner) in 1992. He also spends time at the New York City office.

Q: What do you look for when hiring associates?

A: We look for indications that a person has the raw intelligence to do the job. We like to take on some very, very difficult cases. They take creativity; they take solid thinking—strategic and tactical. Good writing skills are extremely important. Beyond that, we look for people who want to do the kinds of things we do. If a person wants to do family law, they're not going to be happy here.

Q: What are the common stumbling blocks for new associates?

A: From my perspective as a litigator, the biggest thing I see is that young associates don't do a particularly good job of being evocative writers. Their writing, even when they're writing a brief, tends to read more like a research memorandum. They'll anticipate arguments that could be made the other way. They'll present the law in a way that is simply not as forceful as it could be in advocating our client's position. That's something law school tends to push. You tend to look at all sides of an issue. That's not a bad thing. But when you present things to a court, you have to remember there's another side whose job it is to present their argument.

Some associates are better able to take the assignments they get and make something of them, even if the assignment, on its face, might appear to be somewhat dull. Document review is perhaps the best example. It is a given that document review is going to be pushed disproportionately toward the junior people. You can bemoan that fact and think, "Gee, I'm not going to be a real lawyer," or you can look at that as an opportunity to understand the case thoroughly and make yourself indispensable to all the things coming down the pike—the depositions, the oral arguments. The most successful associates are those who take personal responsibility for their own professional development.

Q: What was your most humbling experience as a new lawyer?

A: When I was a summer associate, I had a job at Newsweek in their legal department. I was given this file and told, "Please extinguish our security interest in this set of copyrights." I didn't have the foggiest idea what security interest was. Once I figured that out, I went back to the attorneys involved and said, "What do I need to do?" They said you just have to file a UCC form. I had no idea what that meant. I found out I could go to a stationery store and get a UCC form. So I went, and the stationery guy said, "What state are you talking about?" I had to go back and look at the file and figure out the states. Then, when I filed the form, I got it wrong four times before I finally got something the state of New York would accept. That was pretty humbling because a normal securities paralegal could do this in about 10 minutes. It took me about eight weeks.

Q: How can new lawyers handle that frustration?

A: It's important to remind yourself that you've made it through law school and you've actually passed the bar exam, so you can't be a complete idiot. That's probably not the right word to use, but there's some reason you are where you are. The main thing I would have done well to do is not feel like I needed to know everything the first day I walked out of law school and not feel like I was stupid to ask for help from people who had been around the block.

The other thing that is really important is doing it once yourself. One of the things that's easy to have happen in a big law firm is there are people who do things for you—for example, a citation check or getting a motion on file. These are things a paralegal or a secretary might do for you. In my experience, it's really important that I know how to do it. If you have an appreciation for the process, it'll mean you won't be doing things like editing a brief at five minutes to 4 and being upset that your paralegal wasn't able to get it on file on time.

Q: Who is your favorite lawyer in film, literature, or television?

A: I was always a fan of Atticus Finch, but I also kind of like "My Cousin Vinny." I used to like "Perry Mason" when I was a kid. I always thought the lawyer who was going for the underdog was a very sympathetic character. I'm not sure I'm in that position these days. But in my pro bono work, maybe I've got that role.