book data
64 ratings,
3.84
average rating, 18 reviews
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published
April 28th 2008
by Thomson West
binding
Hardcover, 269 pages
isbn
0314184716
(isbn13: 9780314184719)
description
In their professional lives courtroom lawyers must do these two things well: speak persuasively and write persuasively. In this noteworthy book, two o...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 162)
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avg 3.84
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
Legal writing expert Bryan Garner and Justice Antonin Scalia combined forces to produce this book about the art of legal argumentation, both written and oral. While it will probably be of interest mostly to lawyers, it still has a lot of useful material for anyone who makes a living by either spoken or written persuasion. It is clearly written and offers numerous practical tips on how to best make your case. The non-lawyer readers can just skip over the stuff that is obviously intended specifica...more
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This book came out right before my first state supreme court argument. As much as I dislike Scalia's politics and Garner's self-importance, it's a great little reference book. It's a quick read and actually fairly entertaining.
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Read in September, 2008
I enjoyed reading this book because it highlighted some important aspects of writing and arguing as a lawyer. It gave practical advice about how to write a great brief and argue before a judge. I found the details about grammar and vocabulary to be incredibily helpful because some lawyers prefer for young lawyers to write one way yet law school and this book teaches you another way. For example, Justice Scalia states that you should make a complex subject simple by using clear short sentences...more
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Read in January, 2009
Add a star if you're a law student or lawyer, subtract one if you're not. A pretty solid advice manual about law things -- worth it primarily for Justice Scalia's rant against contractions in legal briefs (I disagree with him, in this point as in many others, but he is certainly an expert in making his point forcefully!).
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Justice Scalia is the most conservative Supreme Court Justice in recent history, and if this book teaches me how to persuade someone like him, it's worth the read!
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Definitely a must-read for anyone in law school or graduated. Helps you learn how to "hone-in" on your audience, usually a judge for your legal briefs and presentations. Helps you to prepare a concise and well-researched legal case. I'm reading it because it looked interesting. (I've been reading a few of Adam's law books here and there -- the one on Tort law was also interesting.)
Scalia is just a brilliant man with a biting wit. I've read a few of his supreme court c...more
Scalia is just a brilliant man with a biting wit. I've read a few of his supreme court c...more
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For me this book is the new "Stephen King on Writing". While it is not a writing guide or a style manual, watching a master wordsmith bring his A game to the court day after day is mad instructional. Again, let me stress that I think his political leanings are nightmarish, but god, I really am in hearts with his writing. I love his clean, cheeky, dynamic style and nuanced consideration that goes into writing at this well. I love reading his decisions; always have, so this book was a re...more
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Read in October, 2008
Antonin Scalia isn't one of my favorites as Supreme Court justices go, "originalist" that he is. However, as I'm reading this book, I'm coming to see how much goes into the development of case law, and what is expected when one presents a case before appellate courts. It offers insights into the thinking and processes of adjudication, and how one can present compelling arguments, not only before the bench, but in almost any situation.
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great for me, but non-attys won't find much here. i keep it at the office, i think the oral argument section will be helpful to review in preparation for them.
Read all the way thru now and picked up for parts of it since. If you are an appellate attorney, read it....otherwise, read about Scalia, more entertaining!
Read all the way thru now and picked up for parts of it since. If you are an appellate attorney, read it....otherwise, read about Scalia, more entertaining!
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05/21/08
Dave
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The best concise book I've read on what arguments, techniques, and briefing formats are most persuasive to judges. Anyone more interested in a more complete treatment of good briefing practices should also read Garner's "The Winning Brief." I've already assigned them both to our interns this summer to read.
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Good advice. Some is obvious, some insn't. But all of it is stuff that legal people should be reminded of now and again. And by legal people I mean people who make the law their career, not as in opposed to illegal people because that is a whole separate topic.
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I was surprised at the format of this book. It's organized as a reference book rather than a narrative. Extremely helpful for all stages of the process, from writing a brief to the oral argument. I wish I'd had it during my first year of law school.
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
law students, lawyers, writers in general
I read this book three times in a two week period...research for work. It is really well done, obviously not for everyone. Very simple and concise, but it leaves you with an enormous bibliography if you want to delve deeper.
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Read in July, 2008
Not happy. Certainly that is because I have (1) read all of Garner's books and (2) read many of Scalia's opinions. Because of that, this was mostly repetitive and, sadly, watered-down to reach a larger audience.
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Read in October, 2008
A great handbook to appellate advocacy. But a handbook can only get you so far without lots and lots of practice.
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Read in July, 2008
recommended to Samira by:
Professors Telfeyan and Moylanrecommends it for: Law students and practitioners
The book was informative, humorous and easy to read.
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Read in June, 2008
recommended to Lauren by:
Dad
Well written, clear and concise, like a good argument.
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