The Tao of Legal Writing » (New Edition)

Judith Stinson is a professor at Arizona State University College of Law, and the Director of their Legal Research & Writing Program.

The Tao of Legal Writing is designed for upper-level law students, paralegals, and practitioners. The book's goal is to help teach "the way" of legal writing in the Taoist style: legal writing becomes easier when you work with-rather than resist-what already exists in terms of expectations, structures, and resources. It is an advanced legal writing book, but one that focuses as much on concepts as on mechanics. Existing advanced legal writing books provide more detail than basic legal writing texts and could not be described as a "quick read" for someone wanting a refresher after several years of practice or for someone anticipating a summer clerkship during law school. The Tao of Legal Writing is that quick read; it includes concrete examples and descriptions, but the goal is to get the reader to think differently about writing. Rather than provide greater detail to drill in the same skills that are covered in first-year legal writing programs, the book attempts to give a reader who already has a basic understanding a new framework for viewing legal writing.