Legal Writing Workshop.

1. Legal Writing Workshop
Source:An article in the Bulletin published by the National Association for Law
Placement by author David James.

2. Creative/Journalistic/Legal
Creative-Fiction Based, non regulated,
non referenced, non analytical.
Journalistic- General Fact Based,
regulated, not openly referenced, Non
analytical.
Legal-Law/legal fact based, regulated,
openly referenced, Analytical.

3. Legal Writing
Academic Legal
Writing
Legal Essays/Articles/Case
Com. /Legislative comments
Legal Drafting
Plaints/Appeals/Applications/
Petitions/SLP’s.

4. General/CCSR-David James
 General Rule: The document should frame the issue,
analyze the issue and come to some sort of conclusion
based upon the analysis.
 The CCSR Rule:
 Clear
 Concise
 Structured
 Referenced
EXAMPLE

5. Case/Legislative Comment
 Overarching legal Issue
 Facts
 Judicial History
 Procedural History
 Specific Legal Issues
 Judgement
 Analysis-Right/wrong/Better interpretation?/How
should the law have developed?
 Conclude

6. Plagiarism
 Basic Rule: Acknowledge every source.
 Every Fact/Figure
 Every Idea -Onus upon writer to check if his idea is
original. Innocent infringement is no defense.
 Every Assertion.
 Every Quote and
 Every Academic Comment.
 More than 3 lines even with acknowledgement
constitutes plagiarism-Please Paraphrase.
 Even paraphrasing cannot be continuous.

7. Basic Formating.
Footnoting
Page Number
Header/Footer
Page/Section Break
Text font-Shift+F3

8. Harvard Bluebook
 Format Examples

9. Research Resources.
 Primary Sources: Legislation/Acts/Case Laws
 Where?
 Online-Westlaw/LexisNexis/Manupatra
 Print- AIR Reporter, SCC Reporter
 Secondary Sources:
 Manuals
 Commentaries-Particular Act or area of law.
 Research Papers-
 Print Journals-Air Journal, Law Review
 Online Databases-
 Jstor/Westlaw/LexisNexis/SCC Online

10. Editorial Experiences

11. Questions?