Leaders in Legal Research and Writing
In this issue of Emory Law Insights, we are sharing excerpts from three great books by Emory Law faculty. The publications explore a wide range of topics in the field of legal research and writing, including transitioning from civil to common law, strengthening legal writing skills, and developing legal literacy. These are just three books of many important contributions from Emory Law faculty this year. For more, check out our scholarship news archives and faculty pages.
Helping Lawyers Transition from International Civil to U.S. Common Law
Nancy Daspit’s book, A Student-Friendly Guide to Move from Civil Law to U.S. Common Law, provides an overview of the differences in the practice of law for international LLM students looking to transition from their home country’s civil law legal system to the U.S. common law system. The text covers an overview of American common law, legal education in the U.S., researching legal authorities, the tenets of excellent legal writing, as well as how to “think like a lawyer” and successfully argue a case. Daspit’s guide also includes exercises and examples of a lawyer’s work product, with the goal of helping students who may feel overwhelmed adjust to a different legal education.
Preparing Students for the “Auspicious Journey” of Legal Writing
In The 1L Guide to Legal Writing, Kamina Pinder provides students with a straightforward, no-frills text on legal writing concepts. Her book is organized into three sections: the predictive memorandum, writing persuasively through the appellate brief, and examples to assist students in legal writing beyond classroom assignments. For simplicity’s sake, all the examples in the book build from the same fact pattern. As Pinder explains, her book is designed to prepare students to “get behind the wheel” and feel prepared to compose their own, well-crafted legal writing assignments.
Developing a Strong Grasp on Legal Literacy
According to Jennifer Romig, “legal literacy” means having the skills to grasp what the law is and how it works – and to use this grasp for personal and professional advancement. In her book, Legal Literacy and Communication Skills: Working with Law and Lawyers, Romig discusses how legal literacy can empower anyone whose life or work is affected by the law. She not only guides readers in developing such skills but also explains how to understand legal information and communicate it with confidence, thus becoming a “coproducer” of law itself. Read on for excerpts from these three great books!
We hope you enjoy this survey of recent Emory Law scholarship. To see more from our professors who ranked among the top 20 for scholarly impact, please visit our faculty scholarship page.