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Five Tips for a Great Legal Writing Assignment

September 25, 2012 By Lee Burgess 2 Comments

law assignment tips

  • Follow the format outlined by your professor. It is likely your legal writing professor has given you instructions for the overall format of your legal writing assignment. In addition, your professor may have given you formatting instructions for the body of your assignment, such as that you need to follow IRAC. Whatever the instructions, follow them . Sure, you may think it is an overly formal or a frustrating way to write—but to be honest, no one cares. You need to write for your professor . It is more important to write in the way your professor has outlined, than as you personally prefer. And it is not going to be the last time your writing will need to conform to someone else’s rules. As a working attorney you often need to write in the format requested by your boss or even by the court. So get used to it!
  • Remember, your writing doesn’t need to be full of legalese—the best legal writing is often simple! So many law students make the mistake of thinking that to “sound like a lawyer” they must use every possible legal term out there. This is just not the case. Often the most effective legal writing is very clear and concise and only uses legal terms or “legalese” when appropriate (say, when you are using a term of art). It is also important to work on writing in a clear, concise way because your assignments may have maximum word count. So using extra words to sound “more professional” won’t really help your grade in the end.
  • Answer the question asked by your assignment. Often students get so caught up in writing their assignment that they forget to focus on the question that was asked of them. It is important to read and re-read (and even read again) the assignment sheet. You don’t want to make a mistake and write something off topic. Remember, answering the question is key to getting a good grade!
  • Plan before you write. A great legal writing assignment is organized. And for most of us this means that you need to plan your paper just as you would plan an essay or any other project. Organization is key and it takes time to sit with the research and develop your answer. Make sure you build this time into your plan of how you are going to get your assignment done.
  • Proofread and double-check citations. As an attorney-in-training, it is very important to present yourself in a professional way. That means that you need to proofread your assignments to present yourself in a professional way to your professor as well. If your assignment is riddled with typos, it is distracting for the professor and likely will cause your grade to drop. Also, students often are lax when handling citations. You are typically graded on the accuracy of your citations. Citations are not hard, but you must be detail oriented and look things up! I have seen many a legal writing grade go down because students didn’t spend adequate time or energy on citations. Don’t let this happen to you.

Legal writing, like most things, gets easier the more that you do it. So do every practice assignment assigned and get as much feedback as you can. This will help you become an excellent legal writer, which is a critical skill in our profession.

Check out these other helpful posts:

  • Surviving the first weeks of law school .
  • Law school exam prep 101 .
  • Getting feedback on past exams is critical .
  • Pay attention in class, it can save you time !

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About Lee Burgess

Lee Burgess, Esq. is the co-founder of the Law School Toolbox , a resource for law students that demystifies the law school experience and the Bar Exam Toolbox , a resource for students getting ready for the bar exam. Lee has been adjunct faculty at two bay area law schools teaching classes on law school and bar exam preparation. You can find Lee on Twitter at @leefburgess , @lawschooltools , & @barexamtools .

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Thank very much for the tips i have just read they been beneficial to me because am a distance law school student.

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I need more guide to legal writing because am lecturing this course for Magistrates

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10 Strategies For Writing Law Assignments Like A Pro

10 Strategies For Writing Law Assignments Like A Pro

Are you a law student who’s struggling with writing law assignments? You’ve got a tough assignment coming up. You’re nervous, and you’re not sure how to write it.

Well, you’re not alone, most law students often struggle with law assignments and prefer to seek law assignment help . This is because law school assignments are quite different from other types of written work. They require in-depth research and a good understanding of the subject. Plus, you also need to present your ideas clearly and concisely in a way that made sense to the audience.

But don’t worry! We’ve got some great tips to help you write like a pro, no matter what type of law assignment you’re dealing with. Whether you’re learning about the law of torts, contract law, or property law, these strategies will help you tackle any type of legal assignment.

And best of all? They won’t take much time out of your busy schedule. So let’s start exploring proven strategies to write an outstanding law assignment!

How To Write Law Assignments Like A Pro?

Whether you’re a student or a lawyer, here are 10 strategies to help you write like a pro:

1.   Read, Take Notes, And Then Read Some More.

The first step in writing a law assignment is to read the question carefully. In order to write an effective answer, you need to understand the question first. Read it over and over again, looking at each word and phrase for meaning.

Look at the assignment instructions as well—are there any specific formatting requirements? What kind of format do you need to follow?

Read relevant case law, legislation, or other sources of information that might help make your argument stronger. It’s important to know where in these documents you can find what you need. So when it comes time for writing your own version of an argument, everything fits together nicely!

Take notes as you go along—this will help keep track of all those details about what was said where (and when). Then review those notes before moving on. Make sure they are clear enough so you can understand them without too much trouble too!

1.   Break It Down Into Steps And Set Yourself Deadlines.

In law school, assignments are often long and complicated. This makes it easy for us to get overwhelmed by the amount of work we have on our plates. To help stay organized and focused, break down your assignment into manageable steps and set yourself deadlines for each step.

Also, Be consistent with your writing style and tone. You don’t want your reader confused by whether they’re reading someone who’s trying really hard or someone who doesn’t care about their work or their audience at all.

2.   Use Different Sources And Be Critical Of Them.

If you’re writing a law assignment, it’s important to use multiple sources. This helps give you a balanced view of the material and makes sure that you get all sides of an argument. While this can sometimes feel like too much work, it will pay off in the long run by giving your reader access to an accurate representation of what happened in court cases or legislative debates.

You should also be critical when evaluating these sources: check their dates of publication. Make sure they were written by experts on their topic. Ensure they are unbiased (not taking sides). Determine if they’re credible (whether or not they have credibility within their field).

3.   Plan Your Essay Before You Start Writing.

When you’re writing an essay, it can be tempting to dive right in and start writing. But this is a mistake because it leads to writer’s block and procrastination. Instead, plan your professional law essay help before you start writing!

Planning helps you stay on track by giving your brain something familiar to focus on during the process of creating new sentences and paragraphs (instead of being stuck on one word). Planning also helps prevent writer’s block from happening. Once you have an outline for your paper or assignment, there are no more excuses for not being able to write anything else—you’re just doing what needs doing!

4.   Make A Schedule And Stick To It

Making a schedule and sticking to it is one of the most important things you can do when writing law assignments.

  • Make sure that you set aside time each day for writing. It’s easy to get distracted by other things, so make sure your schedule includes breaks in between writing sessions!
  • Don’t try to do too much at once—it’s more productive if you take breaks and spread out your workload over several hours or days instead of trying to complete everything all in one go (or even worse, procrastinating and ending up doing nothing).
  • One of the best ways to stay organized is by using a planner or calendar. This will help you plan out your assignments so that you don’t get overwhelmed by all the work that needs to be done.
  • It’s also important to make sure that your schedule takes into account any other commitments or responsibilities in your life—such as part-time jobs, etc.

5.   Take A Break And Come Back To It With Fresh Eyes.

You don’t have to keep writing until you finish the assignment. It’s fine if you take a break every few pages or so and come back with fresh eyes. There are many ways that taking breaks can help improve your writing.

First, it gives you time to think about what you’re doing and how it makes sense. Second, taking breaks allows writers to process information better than if they were just sitting behind their computers all day long trying desperately not to fall asleep.

When you’re writing, it’s easy to get distracted by social media or TV shows, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that these things will help you write better. Instead, use them as rewards after your work is done!

6.   Don’t Forget About The References!

References and citations are essential for your assignment. Make sure to format your references correctly and cite them correctly, too. Be sure to include citations in the body of the text, and use them correctly. For example, if you cite a case, put the citation in parentheses after the quote. If you cite an article, put it in square brackets after the quote.

The best way to avoid plagiarism is by following the proper citation method of author, title, page number(s), year published, and name of publisher or journal (if possible). For example: “Chapman & Hall Law Review article by Bhatia v. State of Texas (2016)”

The key is to ensure that when your reader looks at your paper they know where to find what you’re talking about. If ever you have any doubts about what a source says in its reference section then check it with another source first before quoting it directly.

7.   Proofread And Proofread Again.

Proofreading is the most important step in writing law assignments as a professional. It is a key part of writing and should be done before you submit your work for review

Make sure you have a good grasp of the material before proofreading and make sure to use a dictionary and grammar checker. If you’re not careful, your work could be riddled with errors that make it hard for the reader to understand what you have written.

You can ask a friend or family member to read your paper before your professor grade it. You can also pay someone else to do this work for you or maybe even hire an expert proofreader at an hourly rate!

8.   Know When To Ask For Help

If you’re struggling with an assignment, don’t hesitate to ask for help. It’s perfectly fine to reach out and ask your professor or classmates for assistance in completing the assignment. If there are no other options available, though, don’t hesitate to reach out to senior students who might have more experience than you do with this type of writing assignment.

Finally, think about taking advantage of resources outside of class. Library staff members will often feel happy simply by hearing from their peers that they need some extra help!

9.   Make Sure You Don’t Forget Your Priorities

It’s important to remember that you can’t always be writing . You also have to eat, sleep, and exercise—you need your body to be healthy so that it can do its job.

You should also make sure you’re not neglecting other important things like going out with friends or having fun!

If you find yourself struggling with writer’s block, don’t feel like it’s a sign of failure. It can happen to anyone, even professional writers. The most important thing is to remember that you’re not alone—and there are plenty of ways you can overcome it!

If possible, go back and check your research sources again before starting on your paper—you might find something new!

10. Turn Your Law Assignments From Nightmares Into Manageable Tasks.

The k step to turning your law assignments into manageable tasks is staying on top of things. You can do this by setting deadlines, sticking to them, and keeping everything organized—like your research material. As long as you keep focused and stay on top of things, you can turn your law assignments from nightmares into manageable tasks.

Here are some tips for managing your time effectively:

  • Keep track of when you’re going to write each assignment. This will also help prevent procrastination from creeping up on you!
  • If possible, try scheduling breaks during working periods instead of staring at a computer screen all day long. This will help keep your mind fresh and you can give proper attention to your task.

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How to Structure & Write A First-Class Law Essay: Key Tips

Writing a law essay can be a challenging task. As a law student, you’ll be expected to analyse complex legal issues and apply legal principles to real-world scenarios. At the same time, you’ll need to be able to communicate your ideas clearly and persuasively. In this article, we’ll cover some top tips to guide you through the process of planning, researching, structuring and writing a first-class law essay. By the end of this article, you’ll be better equipped to tackle your next writing assignment with confidence!

1. Start In Advance

Give yourself plenty of time to plan, research and write your law essay. Always aim to start your law essay as soon as you have the question. Leaving it until the last minute does not only create unnecessary stress, but it also leaves you insufficient time to write, reference and perfect your work.

2. Understand The Question

Do not begin until you fully comprehend the question. Take the time to read the question carefully and make sure that you understand what it’s asking you to do. Highlight key terms and annotate the question with definitions of key concepts and any questions that you have have. Think about how the question links back to what you’ve learned during your lectures or through your readings.

3. Conduct Thorough Research

Conducting thorough research around your topic is one of the most fundamental parts of the essay writing process. You should aim to use a range of relevant sources, such as cases, academic articles, books and any other legal materials. Ensure that the information you collect is taken from relevant, reliable and up to date sources. Use primary over secondary material as much as possible.

Avoid using outdated laws and obscure blog posts as sources of information. Always aim to choose authoritative sources from experts within the field, such as academics, politicians, lawyers and judges. Using high-quality and authoritative sources and demonstrating profound and critical insight into your topic are what will earn you top marks.

Start writing like a lawyer! Read our tips:

4. write a detailed plan.

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to plan your essay. When writing your plan, you’ll need to create an outline that clearly identifies the main points that you wish to make throughout your article. Try to write down what you wish to achieve in each paragraph, what concepts you want to discuss and arguments you want to make.

Your outline should be organised in a clear, coherent and logical manner to ensure that the person grading your essay can follow your line of thought and arguments easily.  You may also wish to include headings and subheadings to structure your essay effectively This makes it easier when it comes to writing the essay as starting without a plan can get messy. The essay must answer the question and nothing but the question so ensure all of your points relate to it.

5. Write A Compelling Introduction

A great introduction should, firstly, outline the research topic.  The introduction is one of the most crucial parts of the law essay as it sets the tone for the rest of the paper. It should capture the readers attention and provide the background context on the topic. Most importantly, it should state the thesis of your essay.

When writing your introduction, avoid simply repeating the given question. Secondly, create a road map for the reader, letting them know how the essay will approach the question. Your introduction must be concise. The main body of the essay is where you will go into detail.

6. Include A Strong Thesis Statement

Your thesis should clearly set out the argument you are going to be making throughout your essay and should normally go in the introduction. Your thesis should adopt a clear stance rather than being overly general or wishy-washy. To obtain the best grades, you’ll need to show a unique perspective based upon a critical analysis of the topic rather than adopting the most obvious point of view.

Once you’ve conducted your research and had a chance to reflect on your topic, ask yourself whether you can prove your argument within the given word count or whether you would need to adopt a more modest position for your paper. Always have a clear idea of what your thesis statement is before you begin writing the content of your essay. 

7. Present the Counter-argument

To demonstrate your deeper understanding of the topic, it’s important to show your ability to consider the counter-arguments and address them in a careful and reasoned manner. When presenting your counterarguments, aim to depict them in the best possible light, aiming to be fair and reasonable before moving on to your rebuttal. To ensure that your essay is convincing, you will need to have a strong rebuttal that explains why your argument is stronger and more persuasive. This will demonstrate your capacity for critical analysis, showing the reader that you have carefully considered differing perspectives before coming to a well-supported conclusion.

8. End With A Strong Conclusion

Your conclusion is your opportunity to summarise the key points made throughout your essay and to restate the thesis statement in a clear and concise manner.  Avoid simply repeating what has already been mentioned in the body of the essay. For top grades, you should use the conclusion as an opportunity to provide critical reflection and analysis on the topic. You may also wish to share any further insights or recommendations into alternative avenues to consider or implications for further research that could add value to the topic. 

9. Review The Content Of Your Essay

Make sure you factor in time to edit the content of your essay.  Once you’ve finished your first draft, come back to it the next day. Re-read your essay with a critical perspective. Do your arguments make sense? Do your paragraphs flow in a logical manner? You may also consider asking someone to read your paper and give you critical feedback. They may be able to add another perspective you haven’t considered or suggest another research paper that could add value to your essay. 

10. Proofread For Grammatical Mistakes

Once you’re happy with the content of your essay, the last step is to thoroughly proofread your essay for any grammatical errors. Ensure that you take time to ensure that there are no grammar, spelling or punctuation errors as these can be one of the easiest ways to lose marks. You can ask anyone to proofread your paper, as they would not necessarily need to have a legal background – just strong grammar and spelling skills! 

11. Check Submission Guidelines

Before submitting, ensure that your paper conforms with the style, referencing and presentation guidelines set out by your university. This includes the correct font, font size and line spacing as well as elements such as page numbers, table of content etc. Referencing is also incredibly important as you’ll need to make sure that you are following the correct referencing system chosen by your university. Check your university’s guidelines about what the word count is and whether you need to include your student identification number in your essay as well. Be thorough and don’t lose marks for minor reasons!

12. Use Legal Terms Accurately

Always make sure that you are using legal terms accurately throughout your essay. Check an authoritative resource if you are unsure of any definitions. While being sophisticated is great, legal jargon if not used correctly or appropriately can weaken your essay. Aim to be concise and to stick to the point. Don’t use ten words when only two will do.

12. Create a Vocabulary Bank

One recurring piece of advice from seasoned law students is to take note of phrases from books and articles, key definitions or concepts and even quotes from your professors. When it comes to writing your law essay, you will have a whole range of ideas and vocabulary that will help you to develop your understanding and thoughts on a given topic. This will make writing your law essay even easier!

13. Finally, Take Care of Yourself

Last but certainly not least, looking after your health can improve your attitude towards writing your law essay your coursework in general. Sleep, eat, drink and exercise appropriately. Take regular breaks and try not to stress. Do not forget to enjoy writing the essay!

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The First-Year Law Student's Toolkit: Essential Resources and Tips

Are you a first-year law student looking for essential resources and tips to succeed in your studies? Look no further than our comprehensive toolkit, packed with everything you need to excel in your legal education.

Posted May 12, 2023

law assignment tips

Congratulations on your acceptance into law school! As you embark on this new journey, it's important to equip yourself with the tools and resources you'll need to succeed. The first year of law school is notoriously challenging, but with careful planning and preparation, you can set yourself up for success. In this article, we'll walk you through essential resources and tips to help you navigate your first year of law school.

Introduction: Navigating the First Year of Law School

Before we dive into specific tips and resources, it's important to understand the unique challenges that come with being a first-year law student. You'll be exposed to a completely new way of thinking and a new way of studying. Law school requires a great deal of reading, writing, and critical thinking, and you'll be expected to learn a vast amount of material in a short amount of time. Additionally, the academic environment can be highly competitive, which can be intimidating for some students.

One of the biggest challenges of the first year of law school is adjusting to the workload. You'll likely have multiple classes, each with their own reading assignments, case briefs, and legal writing assignments. It can be overwhelming at first, but it's important to stay organized and manage your time effectively. This may mean creating a study schedule or using a planner to keep track of deadlines.

Another challenge that many first-year law students face is imposter syndrome. It's common to feel like you don't belong or that you're not smart enough to succeed in law school. Remember that everyone feels this way at some point, and it's important to reach out to your peers, professors, or a counselor if you're struggling. You're not alone, and there are resources available to help you succeed.

Setting Goals and Expectations for Your First Year as a Law Student

One of the most important things you can do to prepare for your first year of law school is to set clear goals and expectations for yourself. Determine what you hope to achieve during your time in law school, both academically and personally. Break these goals down into manageable steps and create a plan for achieving them. This will help you stay focused and motivated throughout the year, even when things get tough.

Another important aspect to consider when setting goals and expectations for your first year of law school is to be realistic. While it's great to aim high, it's also important to be honest with yourself about what you can realistically achieve. Don't set yourself up for failure by setting goals that are too lofty or unrealistic. Instead, set goals that challenge you, but are also achievable with hard work and dedication.

Additionally, it's important to remember that your goals and expectations may change throughout the year. As you learn more about the law and your own strengths and weaknesses, you may need to adjust your goals and expectations accordingly. Be open to this process and don't be afraid to seek guidance from professors, advisors, or other students if you need help along the way.

Building a Strong Support Network: Finding Mentors and Peers

Law school can be overwhelming, but you don't have to go through it alone. Building a support network of mentors and peers can help you navigate the challenges of your first year. Seek out upperclassmen or professors who can offer guidance and advice. Additionally, connect with other first-year students to form study groups and provide emotional support.

Another way to build a strong support network is to get involved in extracurricular activities. Joining a student organization or participating in moot court can help you meet other law students who share your interests and goals. These activities can also provide opportunities to network with practicing attorneys and judges.

It's important to remember that building a support network takes time and effort. Don't be afraid to reach out to others and ask for help when you need it. And remember to pay it forward by offering support and guidance to others who may be struggling.

Essential Reading Materials: Understanding the Law School Curriculum

One of the biggest challenges of law school is the heavy reading load. To stay on top of your coursework, it's essential to familiarize yourself with the key texts used in your classes. This may include casebooks, textbooks, and relevant articles. Make a point to read thoroughly and take detailed notes on each reading assignment. This will help you better understand the material and contribute to class discussions.

Additionally, it's important to understand the structure and organization of the law school curriculum. Most law schools have a set of required courses that cover foundational legal concepts, such as contracts, torts, and civil procedure. These courses are typically taken in the first year of law school. In the second and third years, students have more flexibility to choose elective courses that align with their interests and career goals. It's important to carefully consider your course selections and seek guidance from professors and advisors to ensure you're on track to meet your academic and professional objectives.

Strategies for Effective Time Management and Prioritization

Law school requires exceptional time management skills. With so much reading, writing, and studying to do, it's important to find a system that works for you. Consider using a planner or calendar to schedule your days and weeks. Prioritize your assignments based on their due dates and level of difficulty. And don't forget to schedule time for self-care and relaxation!

Another effective strategy for time management is to break down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. This can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and make it easier to stay on track. Additionally, try to eliminate distractions during study time, such as social media or phone notifications. Finally, don't be afraid to ask for help or seek out resources, such as tutoring or study groups, if you're struggling with a particular subject or assignment.

Tips for Effective Note-Taking and Briefing Cases

During class, you'll be expected to take detailed notes and brief cases. Effective note-taking can help you identify important concepts and ideas, while briefing cases can help you analyze and synthesize the information presented in class. Develop a system for taking notes and briefing cases that works for you. Consider using shorthand and abbreviations to save time.

It's also important to review and organize your notes regularly. Set aside time after each class to review your notes and fill in any gaps. Consider using color-coding or highlighting to help you quickly identify key information. Additionally, create a system for organizing your notes and case briefs, such as using a binder or digital folder. This will make it easier to study and review the material later on.

Utilizing Legal Research Tools: A Comprehensive Guide

As a law student, you'll be introduced to a variety of legal research tools, including online databases and legal dictionaries. Take the time to familiarize yourself with these tools and use them to your advantage when conducting research for your assignments. Additionally, make use of your law school's library and librarian resources.

It's important to note that legal research tools are not one-size-fits-all. Different tools may be more effective for different types of research. For example, if you're researching a specific case, you may want to use a case law database, while if you're researching a legal concept, a legal encyclopedia may be more helpful. Don't be afraid to experiment with different tools to find what works best for you.

Exam Preparation Techniques: Maximizing Your Performance

The culmination of your first year of law school will be your final exams. Effective exam preparation is key to performing well. Consider preparing a study schedule in advance, seeking out old exam questions for practice, and working with study groups to review key concepts. Additionally, make sure to take care of your physical and mental health in the days leading up to your exams.

Another important aspect of exam preparation is to stay organized. Keep track of important dates, deadlines, and exam formats. This will help you to prioritize your study time and ensure that you are adequately prepared for each exam. You may also want to consider creating study aids, such as flashcards or outlines, to help you review key concepts and information.

Finally, it is important to stay focused and avoid distractions during your study time. Find a quiet and comfortable study space, turn off your phone and other electronic devices, and limit your access to social media and other distractions. By staying focused and disciplined, you can maximize your performance on your final exams and set yourself up for success in your future legal career.

Balancing Work, Life, and School: Avoiding Burnout

Law school can be all-consuming, but it's important to maintain a healthy balance between work, life, and school. Schedule time for hobbies and activities that bring you joy outside of your coursework. And don't forget to prioritize self-care practices like getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and getting regular exercise.

It's also important to seek support from friends, family, and classmates. Law school can be a challenging and stressful experience, and having a support system can make all the difference. Consider joining a study group or reaching out to a mentor for guidance and advice. Remember, you don't have to go through law school alone.

Networking Opportunities: Building Relationships with Legal Professionals

Networking is an essential part of building a successful legal career, and it's never too early to start developing these skills. Attend networking events hosted by your law school or local legal organizations. Seek out opportunities to meet practicing attorneys and judges. And consider joining student groups related to your interests within the legal profession.

Pro Bono Opportunities and Internships: Gaining Experience in the Legal Field

Gaining practical experience in the legal field is essential to preparing for a successful career. Look for pro bono opportunities and internships that align with your interests and career goals. These experiences can help you develop valuable skills and gain exposure to different areas of law.

Preparing for Career Success: Resume Building and Interview Tips

Ultimately, the goal of law school is to prepare you for a successful career in the legal field. Take advantage of career services offered by your law school to develop your resume, cover letter, and networking skills. Additionally, prepare for job interviews by researching potential employers, practicing your interviewing skills, and developing strong talking points about why you are the best candidate for the job.

Conclusion: Mastering the First Year of Law School

With careful planning, determination, and the tips and resources outlined in this article, you can successfully navigate your first year of law school. Remember to stay focused on your goals, ask for help when you need it, and maintain a healthy balance between work, life, and school. Good luck!

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How to write a case brief for law school: Excerpt reproduced from Introduction to the Study of Law: Cases and Materials ,

Third edition (lexisnexis 2009) by michael makdisi & john makdisi.

C. HOW TO BRIEF

The previous section described the parts of a case in order to make it easier to read and identify the pertinent information that you will use to create your briefs. This section will describe the parts of a brief in order to give you an idea about what a brief is, what is helpful to include in a brief, and what purpose it serves. Case briefs are a necessary study aid in law school that helps to encapsulate and analyze the mountainous mass of material that law students must digest. The case brief represents a final product after reading a case, rereading it, taking it apart, and putting it back together again. In addition to its function as a tool for self-instruction and referencing, the case brief also provides a valuable “cheat sheet” for class participation.

Who will read your brief? Most professors will espouse the value of briefing but will never ask to see that you have, in fact, briefed. As a practicing lawyer, your client doesn’t care if you brief, so long as you win the case. The judges certainly don’t care if you brief, so long as you competently practice the law. You are the person that the brief will serve! Keep this in mind when deciding what elements to include as part of your brief and when deciding what information to include under those elements.

What are the elements of a brief? Different people will tell you to include different things in your brief. Most likely, upon entering law school, this will happen with one or more of your instructors. While opinions may vary, four elements that are essential to any useful brief are the following:

(a) Facts (name of the case and its parties, what happened factually and procedurally, and the judgment)

(b) Issues (what is in dispute)

(c) Holding (the applied rule of law)

(d) Rationale (reasons for the holding)

If you include nothing but these four elements, you should have everything you need in order to recall effectively the information from the case during class or several months later when studying for exams.

Because briefs are made for yourself, you may want to include other elements that expand the four elements listed above. Depending on the case, the inclusion of additional elements may be useful. For example, a case that has a long and important section expounding dicta might call for a separate section in your brief labeled: Dicta. Whatever elements you decide to include, however, remember that the brief is a tool intended for personal use. To the extent that more elements will help with organization and use of the brief, include them. On the other hand, if you find that having more elements makes your brief cumbersome and hard to use, cut back on the number of elements. At a minimum, however, make sure you include the four elements listed above.

Elements that you may want to consider including in addition to the four basic elements are:

(e) Dicta (commentary about the decision that was not the basis for the decision)

(f) Dissent (if a valuable dissenting opinion exits, the dissent’s opinion)

(g) Party’s Arguments (each party’s opposing argument concerning the ultimate issue)

(h) Comments (personal commentary)

Personal comments can be useful if you have a thought that does not fit elsewhere. In the personal experience of one of the authors, this element was used to label cases as specific kinds (e.g., as a case of vicarious liability) or make mental notes about what he found peculiar or puzzling about cases. This element allowed him to release his thoughts (without losing them) so that he could move on to other cases.

In addition to these elements, it may help you to organize your thoughts, as some people do, by dividing Facts into separate elements:

(1) Facts of the case (what actually happened, the controversy)

(2) Procedural History (what events within the court system led to the present case)

(3) Judgment (what the court actually decided)

Procedural History is usually minimal and most of the time irrelevant to the ultimate importance of a case; however, this is not always true. One subject in which Procedure History is virtually always relevant is Civil Procedure.

When describing the Judgment of the case, distinguish it from the Holding. The Judgment is the factual determination by the court, in favor of one party, such as “affirmed,” “reversed,” or “remanded.” In contrast, the Holding is the applied rule of law that serves as the basis for the ultimate judgment.

Remember that the purpose of a brief is to remind you of the important details that make the case significant in terms of the law. It will be a reference tool when you are drilled by a professor and will be a study aid when you prepare for exams. A brief is also like a puzzle piece.

The elements of the brief create the unique shape and colors of the piece, and, when combined with other pieces, the picture of the common law takes form. A well-constructed brief will save you lots of time by removing the need to return to the case to remember the important details and also by making it easier to put together the pieces of the common law puzzle.

D. EXTRACTING THE RELEVANT INFORMATION: ANNOTATING AND HIGHLIGHTING

So now that you know the basic elements of a brief, what information is important to include under each element? The simple answer is: whatever is relevant. But what parts of a case are relevant? When you read your first few cases, you may think that everything that the judge said was relevant to his ultimate conclusion. Even if this were true, what is relevant for the judge to make his decision is not always relevant for you to include in your brief. Remember, the reason to make a brief is not to persuade the world that the ultimate decision in the case is a sound one, but rather to aid in refreshing your memory concerning the most important parts of the case.

What facts are relevant to include in a brief? You should include the facts that are necessary to remind you of the story. If you forget the story, you will not remember how the law in the case was applied. You should also include the facts that are dispositive to the decision in the case. For instance, if the fact that a car is white is a determining factor in the case, the brief should note that the case involves a white car and not simply a car. To the extent that the procedural history either helps you to remember the case or plays an important role in the ultimate outcome, you should include these facts as well.

What issues and conclusions are relevant to include in a brief? There is usually one main issue on which the court rests its decision. This may seem simple, but the court may talk about multiple issues, and may discuss multiple arguments from both sides of the case. Be sure to distinguish the issues from the arguments made by the parties. The relevant issue or issues, and corresponding conclusions, are the ones for which the court made a final decision and which are binding. The court may discuss intermediate conclusions or issues, but stay focused on the main issue and conclusion which binds future courts.

What rationale is important to include in a brief? This is probably the most difficult aspect of the case to determine. Remember that everything that is discussed may have been relevant to the judge, but it is not necessarily relevant to the rationale of the decision. The goal is to remind yourself of the basic reasoning that the court used to come to its decision and the key factors that made the decision favor one side or the other.

A brief should be brief! Overly long or cumbersome briefs are not very helpful because you will not be able to skim them easily when you review your notes or when the professor drills you. On the other hand, a brief that is too short will be equally unhelpful because it lacks sufficient information to refresh your memory. Try to keep your briefs to one page in length. This will make it easy for you to organize and reference them.

Do not get discouraged. Learning to brief and figuring out exactly what to include will take time and practice. The more you brief, the easier it will become to extract the relevant information.

While a brief is an extremely helpful and important study aid, annotating and highlighting are other tools for breaking down the mass of material in your casebook. The remainder of this section will discuss these different techniques and show how they complement and enhance the briefing process.

Annotating Cases

Many of you probably already read with a pencil or pen, but if you do not, now is the time to get in the habit. Cases are so dense and full of information that you will find yourself spending considerable amounts of time rereading cases to find what you need. An effective way to reduce this time is to annotate the margins of the casebook. Your pencil (or pen) will be one of your best friends while reading a case. It will allow you to mark off the different sections (such as facts, procedural history, or conclusions), thus allowing you to clear your mind of thoughts and providing an invaluable resource when briefing and reviewing.

You might be wondering why annotating is important if you make an adequate, well-constructed brief. By their very nature briefs cannot cover everything in a case. Even with a thorough, well-constructed brief you may want to reference the original case in order to reread dicta that might not have seemed important at the time, to review the complete procedural history or set of facts, or to scour the rationale for a better understanding of the case; annotating makes these tasks easier. Whether you return to a case after a few hours or a few months, annotations will swiftly guide you to the pertinent parts of the case by providing a roadmap of the important sections. Your textual markings and margin notes will refresh your memory and restore specific thoughts you might have had about either the case in general or an individual passage.

Annotations will also remind you of forgotten thoughts and random ideas by providing a medium for personal comments.

In addition to making it easier to review an original case, annotating cases during the first review of a case makes the briefing process easier. With adequate annotations, the important details needed for your brief will be much easier to retrieve. Without annotations, you will likely have difficulty locating the information you seek even in the short cases. It might seem strange that it would be hard to reference a short case, but even a short case will likely take you at least fifteen to twenty-five minutes to read, while longer cases may take as much as thirty minutes to an hour to complete. No matter how long it takes, the dense material of all cases makes it difficult to remember all your thoughts, and trying to locate specific sections of the analysis may feel like you are trying to locate a needle in a haystack. An annotation in the margin, however, will not only swiftly guide you to a pertinent section, but will also refresh the thoughts that you had while reading that section.

When you read a case for the first time, read for the story and for a basic understanding of the dispute, the issues, the rationale, and the decision. As you hit these elements (or what you think are these elements) make a mark in the margins. Your markings can be as simple as “facts” (with a bracket that indicates the relevant part of the paragraph). When you spot an issue, you may simply mark “issue” or instead provide a synopsis in your own words. When a case sparks an idea — write that idea in the margin as well — you never know when a seemingly irrelevant idea might turn into something more.

Finally, when you spot a particularly important part of the text, underline it (or highlight it as described below).

With a basic understanding of the case, and with annotations in the margin, the second read-through of the case should be much easier. You can direct your reading to the most important sections and will have an easier time identifying what is and is not important. Continue rereading the case until you have identified all the relevant information that you need to make your brief, including the issue(s), the facts, the holding, and the relevant parts of the analysis.

Pencil or pen — which is better to use when annotating? Our recommendation is a mechanical pencil. Mechanical pencils make finer markings than regular pencils, and also than ballpoint pens. Although you might think a pencil might smear more than a pen, with its sharp point a mechanical pencil uses very little excess lead and will not smear as much as you might imagine. A mechanical pencil will also give you the freedom to make mistakes without consequences. When you first start annotating, you may think that some passages are more important than they really are, and therefore you may resist the urge to make a mark in order to preserve your book and prevent false guideposts. With a pencil, however, the ability to erase and rewrite removes this problem.

Highlighting

Why highlight? Like annotating, highlighting may seem unimportant if you create thorough, well-constructed briefs, but highlighting directly helps you to brief. It makes cases, especially the more complicated ones, easy to digest, review and use to extract information.

Highlighting takes advantage of colors to provide a uniquely effective method for reviewing and referencing a case. If you prefer a visual approach to learning, you may find highlighting to be a very effective tool.

If annotating and highlighting are so effective, why brief? Because the process of summarizing a case and putting it into your own words within a brief provides an understanding of the law and of the case that you cannot gain through the process of highlighting or annotating.

The process of putting the case into your own words forces you to digest the material, while annotating and highlighting can be accomplished in a much more passive manner.

What should you highlight? Similar to annotating, the best parts of the case to highlight are those that represent the needed information for your brief such as the facts, the issue, the holding and the rationale.

Unlike annotating, highlighting provides an effective way to color code, which makes referring to the case even easier. In addition, Highlighters are particularly useful in marking off entire sections by using brackets. These brackets will allow you to color-code the case without highlighting all the text, leaving the most important phrases untouched for a more detailed highlight marking or underlining.

Highlighting is a personal tool, and therefore should be used to the extent that highlighting helps, but should be modified in a way that makes it personally time efficient and beneficial. For instance, you might combine the use of annotations in the margins with the visual benefit of highlighting the relevant text. You may prefer to underline the relevant text with a pencil, but to use a highlighter to bracket off the different sections of a case. Whatever you choose to do, make sure that it works for you, regardless of what others recommend. The techniques in the remainder of this section will describe ways to make full use of your highlighters.

First, buy yourself a set of multi-colored highlighters, with at least four, or perhaps five or six different colors. Yellow, pink, and orange are usually the brightest. Depending on the brand, purple and green can be dark, but still work well. Although blue is a beautiful color, it tends to darken and hide the text.

Therefore we recommend that you save blue for the elements that you rarely highlight.

For each different section of the case, choose a color, and use that color only when highlighting the section of the case designated for that color. Consider using yellow for the text that you tend to highlight most frequently. Because yellow is the brightest, you may be inclined to use yellow for the Conclusions in order to make them stand out the most. If you do this, however, you will exhaust your other colors much faster than yellow and this will require that you purchase an entire set of new highlighters when a single color runs out because colors such as green are not sold separately. If instead you choose to use yellow on a more frequently highlighted section such as the Analysis, when it comes time to replace your yellow marker, you will need only to replace your yellow highlighter individually. In the personal experience on one of the authors, the sections of cases that seemed to demand the most highlighter attention were the

Facts and the Analysis, while the Issues and Holdings demanded the least. Other Considerations and

Procedural History required lots of highlighting in particular cases although not in every case.

Experiment if you must, but try to choose a color scheme early on in the semester and stick with it. That way, when you come back to the first cases of the semester, you will not be confused with multiple color schemes. The basic sections of a case for which you should consider giving a different color are:

• Procedural History

• Issue (and questions presented)

• Holding (and conclusions)

• Analysis (rationale)

• Other Considerations (such as dicta)

Not all of these sections demand a separate color. You may find that combining Facts and Procedural History or Issues and Holdings works best. Furthermore, as mentioned above, some sections may not warrant highlighting in every case (e.g., dicta probably do not need to be highlighted unless they are particularly important). If you decide that a single color is all that you need, then stick to one, but if you find yourself highlighting lots of text from many different sections, reconsider the use of at least a few different colors. Highlighters make text stand out, but only when used appropriately. The use of many colors enables you to highlight more text without reducing the highlighter’s effectiveness. Three to four colors provides decent color variation without the cumbersomeness of handling too many markers.

Once you are comfortable with your color scheme, determining exactly what to highlight still may be difficult. Similar to knowing what to annotate, experience will perfect your highlighting skills. Be careful not to highlight everything, thus ruining your highlighters’ effectiveness; at the same time, do not be afraid to make mistakes.

Now that we have covered the basics of reading, annotating, highlighting, and briefing a case, you are ready to start practicing. Keep the tips and techniques mentioned in this chapter in mind when you tackle the four topics in the remainder of this book. If you have difficultly, refer back to this chapter to help guide you as you master the case method of study and the art of using the common law.

Have questions about law school? Check out our Facebook page , follow us on Twitter or start networking with law students and lawyers on LexTalk .

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The 10 Habits of Highly Successful Law Students

Habits of Highly Successful Law Students

At Cooley Law School, we’ve spent years paying close attention to the consistent habits shared by our most successful students, and we’ve compiled them here to help nourish the success of our future legal scholars.

These are the top ten habits we’ve identified in successful law students, with some key tips included to help manage the often overwhelming workload of legal education.

1. Plan your work

…and work your plan! This age-old adage really holds value when you’re suddenly surrounded by assignment due dates, practical exams, and a growing pile of sticky note reminders. It may seem obvious, but too many students fall behind due to a simple lack of organizational skills. Don’t let it happen to you. Invest in a traditional planner, virtual assistant, or digital scheduling platform – whatever will best help you practice good time management, organize your assignments, and track your goals.

Keep both short-term and long-term commitments and goals in mind so your planning becomes a roadmap guiding you towards your overall success. That means doing more than jotting down class times; make it a habit to plan time for studying, externships, and extracurricular commitments so everything is accounted for.

2. Get ahead in the reading

Part of your job as a law student is self -education. That means going above and beyond the reading assignments; you need to do the reading (at least two, or three times) and attempt to teach yourself how you would apply what you learned in real-world situations before you study it in class. Reading ahead helps to enforce your overall knowledge.

Here’s another great reason: when you get ahead in the reading, you can better avoid falling behind. One bout of flu or unexpected bump in the road can snowball into feeling lost the rest of the term. Eliminate the potential for falling behind and reduce potential unnecessary stress by maintaining a solid understanding one step ahead of schedule.

3. Create Their Own Outlines

Let’s say it again: great law students teach themselves the law. Creating outlines is crucial in fully understanding the huge amount of content coming your way. Manipulating and organizing the material on your own is a great way to identify what you know – and what areas might need more practice or study. Relying on a bar-prep book or, worse, another student’s old outline, might save you time in the short run but certainly won’t help you fully digest important information.

(Distinguished Professor Emeritus Otto Stockmeyer shares his thoughts about using copied notes and Canned Briefs along with offering these Law School Tips .)

4. Memorize Material Weekly

Don’t make the mistake of assuming your undergrad study habits will cut it in law school. Comprehending a large amount of material covered in a short amount of time is a whole different ball game. Prioritize learning and memorizing material every single week as a foundational practice for your entire legal education. You’ll be much more successful on exams if you regularly memorize lessons in small increments rather than trying to cram at the last minute. You’ll also do better at recalling the knowledge when it’s time to apply it in legal debates and real-world situations. Applying what you’ve learned is a critical difference between success in law school and success in just about any other field you’ve studied. Bottom line: if you’ve thoroughly studied the law over time, you’ll be much more prepared to pass your law school exams and that pesky little test known as the Bar.

5. Go to Class

This may seem obvious, but as the saying goes, “80% of success is just showing up.” That’s true for the general public, but now you have to take it a step further if you want to venture into the realm of highly successful law students. Avoid absences. Show up, participate, and be an engaged scholar. If you find yourself tuning out the material, it’s highly likely you didn’t properly prepare before class; when you’ve done the reading, memorized the key lessons, and put thought into how you might apply what you learned, you’re much more likely to stay engaged during class. Again, a big part of law school is about self -education; doing the pre-work should better help you focus and engage in class. Take the time and make little changes (more planned study time? A different study group?) when necessary to help you be fully present with your peers and professors.

6. Ask Questions

Your professors have an impressive collective knowledge base; if you don’t engage with them to take advantage of that knowledge, you’re missing out. Chances are, if you have a question so does at least one of your peers, so raise your hand and start a discussion. If you are a little timid or have a question that’s off-topic for that lesson, plan time to visit your professor during office hours.

Bottom line: Remember to lean on your academic-support team, from professors to peers, to mentors and more, for skills-related questions, and always be open to seeking advice about law school and your long-term career path.

7. Practice, Practice, Practice

One Cooley Law School dean often tells students that “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.” It’s a mouthful, but it’s an important message. Preparation, in law school terms, largely comes down to practice. Studying and obtaining knowledge is one thing; learning how to best apply that knowledge takes a good amount of practice. Practice taking exams, writing persuasive arguments, even debating relevant topics; prepare yourself with focused questions that help you fully absorb the knowledge. You’ll get more comfortable more quickly and it’s a habit that will benefit you both in law school and when you embark on a legal career. Wondering where to start? Give your academic-support team a call for great advice on preparation best practices.

8. Take Advantage of Free Resources

Cooley Law School has several departments with programs geared to support you at all stages of your legal career. If you’re not taking advantage of them, you’re missing out. Make it a habit to familiarize yourself with the many ways you can benefit from those free resources so you’re comfortable seeking help when you need it. Your Enrollment and Student Services Coordinator will help you plan your academic path until the day you’re ready for The Career and Professional Development Office to provide résumé-writing assistance. In between those milestones you can hone your skills with seminars, mock exams, bar-prep programs, networking events, and more. Cooley offers a solid foundation for student success, so make it a habit to seek out and utilize all the free resources you can to round out your legal education.

9. Maintain a healthy perspective

Your first term as a law student can come with a strong dose of fear – and that’s okay. You’re doing something brand new while taking a big step toward your career goals. Make it a habit to transform your fear into motivation, and be patient as you learn, grow, and develop your skills.

As Les Brown said, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.” Aim high and commit to giving your best efforts, but don’t be too hard on yourself if you struggle at times. Studying law is complex and sometimes tedious, so centering your focus is key. Remind yourself that the journey will be worth it in the end.

10. Find Balance

Think of your time in law school like a marathon; if you treat it like a sprint, you’ll be out of the race pretty quickly. Finding a balance between the high demands of law school and the rest of your life can feel daunting, but it’s critical to staying healthy and engaged – and avoiding burnout. Successful students make it a habit to practice self-care. Plan the time to connect with friends and family, maintain healthy habits (physically and mentally), and continue feeding your soul with the things you love. Law school is just one piece of a full life, and if you let the rest of your life suffer, law school will feel like a punishment rather than the exciting journey towards the career you envisioned.

Final Thought

Successful law students are driven, passionate, and uniquely geared towards hard work, though they tend to reach even further heights of success by utilizing tips to work smarter, not just harder. Adopting some or all of the habits above can greatly help you in your legal studies and into your career path beyond.

View the Cooley Law School Viewbook

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  • Assignment Scheduler

Throughout your law studies , you will need to complete a variety of different assignments. See below to explore four different forms of assignments ​​​​​​.

  • What goes into a case note?
  • Tips by Students
  • Step-by-Step
  • Case Note Examples

law assignment tips

A case note is a summary or a summary and critical analysis of a case.

 A case note will usually include:

  • Citations details-   include the full citation details. 
  • Procedural history-   write about how the matter came to court if there is a history, e.g. is the case on appeal?
  • Facts-   Explain the main points of the dispute or the reason the parties are in court. What orders or decision as they asking the court to make?
  • Legal Issues-  Explain what the legal issues are and how they apply to the facts. 
  • Decision summary-  What did the court decide and why? What was the ratio (the rule of law on which the decision is based) and was there any obiter (the Judge's opinion that isn't essential to the decision).  Also include and dissenting Judges where applicable. 
  • Critical Analysis-  Some case   notes will also require you to critically analysis the case, this will involve looking at the case in the wider body of law and discuss the merit or importance of the points of law raised in the case.   

You usually have a strict word count for your case note, because of this limit the detail that you have for the background information and focus on the analysis.  

Tip:  Always read through your assignment instructions for specific information that will apply to your assessment task.  

Read advice from other law students on how to survive law school. These links come from the  Survive Law Blog .

  • How to Write a Case Note
  • Case note assignments This online tutorial from Monash University will take you step by step through writing a case note.
  • Case Note: Betting Across Boarders This case note examines the recent High Court decision of Betfair Pty Limited v Western Australia.
  • Case Note: Australian Securities and Investment Commission v MacDonald Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Macdonald [No 11] required the New South Wales Supreme Court to determine whether company directors and officers of James Hardie Industries Ltd had breached their duties.
  • Case Note: Giller v Procopets This casenote deals with the claims concerning the videoing of the sexual encounters between the parties and the exhibition and/or distribution of the video to third parties.
  • Essay Template
  • A Visual Guide to Essay Writing
  • eBooks on Legal Writing
  • Reading Cases
  • Tips Written by Law Students
  • CDU Honors Research Papers

law assignment tips

  • AGLC Template You can use this template to help you with formatting.

This resource uses a visual approach to take students through the process of essay writing for University. Although not law specific this resource will demonstrate formulating, refining and expressing academic essay writing:

law assignment tips

One of the best ways to develop your writing skills is to read. Reading will expose you to different styles of writing and through reading you will form your own style. Think about the reports and cases that you read that frustrated you in finding out what the main ratio was. Compare that to this recent well written coroners report: 

  • Inquest into the deaths of William George Scott [2015 ] NTMC 022 & Lanh Van Tran [2015] NTMC 023

Read advice from other law students on how to survive law school. These links come from the  Survive Law Blog :

  • Five Tips for Writing Awesome Assignments
  • Tips from your Tutor: How to Write the Perfect Law Essay Introduction
  • Writing Convincing Assignments: Critical Analysis Checklist

This is a list of CDU student papers that were submitted for the Honours Research Papers. These are excellent examples of legal writing. 

  • Double Jeopardy Reform: Political Expediency of Much Needed Change?
  • The Euthanasia Fallacy: Why it is time to regulate in Australia
  • Everybody Knows: Snowden's NSA Leaks, Metadata And Privacy Implications For Australia
  • Intellectual Disability in the Australian Criminal Justice System
  • New South Wales Right To Silence Reforms: Maximum Admissions, Minimum Silence
  • Same-Sex Parents: Won't Somebody Please Think Of The Children!
  • Testamentary Capacity & Rational Suicide: the Law, Medicine & Safe-guarding your Intentions
  • Problem Solving Questions
  • eBook on Problem Solving

law assignment tips

  • Tips from your Tutor: 10 Ways to Improve your Problem Solving Assignment
  • Using IRAC to Answer Problem Solving Questions
  • Introduction
  • Preparing for a Law Exam
  • Past Exam Papers from CDU

law assignment tips

Exams come in different formats, they can be:

  • Invigilated open book exam
  • Invigilated closed book exam
  • Take home exam

Read advice from other law students on how to survive law school. These links come from the  Survive Law Blog : 

  • Advice from your Tutor: Law Exam Preparation and Technique
  • Exam Countdown: Making the most of the Last 24 Hours
  • How to Make an Exam Answer Template
  • How to Make a Study Timetable for Exams
  • How to Study for a Closed Book Exam

law assignment tips

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law assignment tips

Top 14 Assignments Law Students Have to Deal With

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Advice For Students Who Want to Become Car Accident Lawyers 

law assignment tips

Being a student always means having to deal with loads of homework. This statement is true for all students, regardless of their academic level or the major they choose to study. However, while the scope of homework is about the same for everyone, the types of assignments can slightly vary depending on the subject that you study.

In this article, we are going to tell you about the four main homework types facing law students, in particular. So, if you are a law student yourself, read on to learn what will be expected of you in a law school. 

Practice Homework

The first and the most common of the four main homework types is practice homework. The core goal of such assignments is to help students expand their knowledge and reinforce their newly-acquired skills by means of putting them to practice. This kind of homework is the one that makes the most of the academic program, which is why law students struggle with it the most.

The most common assignment that represents this type of homework is essay writing. Just like the rest of their peers, law students are being assigned dozens of essays and other academic papers every year. A load of such assignments is so huge that students often look for the write my essay online writing services and platforms. But, it is an integral part of the educational process, so there is no way to avoid academic writing.

Some other examples of practice homework that you can face in a law school can include:

  • Memorizing local laws;
  • Reading court records;
  • Examining subject-related literature, etc.

Extension Homework

The second one of the four main homework types is extension homework. In a nutshell, this type of homework is used by professors to encourage their students to pursue knowledge individually and in ways that are more imaginative than simply reading a textbook. Also, extension assignments are used to help students connect what they learn in the classroom with real-life and apply their existing skills to expand their knowledge.

Common types of law assignments that represent this type of homework include:

  • Writing literature reviews;
  • Researching local law news;
  • Compare and contrast events, etc.

Creative Homework

Despite the fact that law students spend most of their time studying complex and serious subjects, there is still a place for the next type of homework – creative homework in their curriculums. As you can guess from its name, this type of homework often takes different creative forms. The key goal is to help students develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills through completing creative projects.

There are plenty of examples of creative homework assignments that you can face in a law school. Basically, pretty much any type of individual project can be considered a creative homework assignment. However, to help you grasp the idea, here are a few examples of the most common law assignments of this type:

  • Research projects;
  • Photo essays;
  • PowerPoint presentations, etc.

Preparatory Homework

Finally, the last of the four types of homework is preparatory homework. The key goal of such homework is to help students gain solid background on a specific unit of study in order to prepare them for future lessons. Simply put, preparatory homework is the type of homework that helps you collect initial knowledge on the subject you are studying. And it can also be called one of the most common types of assignments facing law and other students.

What assignments can be considered as preparatory homework? In fact, there are many. To name a few, here are some of the most common examples of this type of homework:

  • Tests and exams;
  • Completing exercises from the workbook;
  • Reading textbook chapters to prepare for the next lesson, test, discussion, etc.

The Bottom Line

Whether you are just planning to enroll in a law school or are already a law student, knowing about different types of homework that you will have to deal with can empower you for better academic achievements.

After reading this article, you should have a better idea of different homework types that you can face studying in a law school. Hopefully, this will help you prepare for your academic path and ensure success.

Camilla Uppal

Camilla Uppal

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Australian Law Assignment Help

Step-By-Step Guide On How To Write a Law Assignment

Step-By-Step Guide On How To Write a Law Assignment

A law assignment is a writing task completed by a law student as a part of their coursework. It requires students to conduct research on a legal topic and then write an essay or report on what they have learned. Law assignments can be challenging, but by following a few simple steps you can make the task a lot easier. In this blog post, you will learn how to write the perfect law assignment, from doing the right research to using the correct language.

Importance of Law assignment 

 A law assignment is an opportunity for students to show their understanding and application of legal principles learned during their studies. It also allows tutors to assess each student's legal research, writing, and analytical skills. 

 A well-written law assignment can demonstrate a student's ability to: - analyze and interpret primary and secondary legal materials; - apply legal principles to given facts; - research and communicate effectively; - identify, understand and solve legal problems; - think critically and creatively. 

 A law assignment can be an oral or written task set by a tutor during the semester break or at the end of the semester. It can also take the form of an exam. To understand this better you can consider taking law assignment help . 

How to write the right law assignment?

When it comes to writing a law assignment, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to write the perfect paper. First and foremost, you need to make sure that you do thorough research on the topic you are writing about. This means going beyond just looking up the definition of a legal term; you need to find real-life examples that you can use to illustrate your point. Your write-up should be clear, concise, and formal. Remember that you are writing for a professional audience, so avoid using slang or colloquialisms. Instead, opt for words that are commonly used in legal documents. There are a few things you should do when writing a law assignment : 

• Make sure your argument is well-reasoned and supported by evidence.

• Critically analyze the cases you cite.

• Structure your paper in a way that is easy for the reader to follow. There are also a few things you should avoid doing: 

• Making assumptions about the reader’s knowledge of the law. 

• Using unnecessary legal jargon. 

• Citing outdated or irrelevant case law. By following these tips, you will be well on your way to writing the perfect law assignment.

If you are unable to write the assignment by yourself then consider taking do my law assignment help from Australian Law Assignment Help. 

Thorough research

Before you start writing your law assignment, you must do thorough research. You need to have a clear understanding of the topic before you can start writing. Try to find as much information as possible on the internet, in books, and journals. Once you have gathered all the information, you need to start organizing it. Make sure that you have a clear structure in your mind before you start writing. 

 When you are doing your research, it is important to take note of all the sources that you are using. This will help you to avoid plagiarism. You should also make sure that you understand all the concepts that you are researching. If there are any terms that you do not understand, make sure to look them up. It is also important to be aware of the different perspectives on the issue. This will help you to write a balanced and fair law assignment.

The write-up should be clear, concise, and formal 

When it comes to writing a law assignment, it is important to maintain a clear, concise, and formal tone throughout the write-up. This means avoiding any sort of slang, colloquialisms, or contractions throughout the assignment. In addition, sentences should be kept short and to the point. Every word included in the write-up should contribute to the argument being put forward. 

 Aside from ensuring the write-up is concise, it is also important to make sure it is clear. This means using language that is easy to understand and avoiding any sort of jargon. All points should be explained in simple terms and any complicated concepts should be defined. If a certain legal term is going to be used, it should be defined before it is used. 

 It is also important to ensure the write-up is formal. This means avoiding any sort of personal opinion or bias. The write-up should be based on facts and evidence. Any sort of personal opinion or interpretation of the law should be avoided. 

 If the write-up is clear, concise, and formal, it will be easy for the reader to follow and understand the argument being put forward. When you take assignment help then this work of researching and giving your article a structure becomes easy. 

Basic language should be used 

 It is important to use basic language in a law assignment so as not to create ambiguity. The use of technical jargon should be avoided as far as possible. In particular, the use of acronyms should be avoided unless they are commonly understood. Where acronyms are used, they should be spelled out in full the first time they are used, with the acronym in brackets thereafter. Law homework help can you provide you the right assistance with this? 

The Do's of law assignment

 When you start writing a law assignment, there are certain things that you need to keep in mind. These are: 

 - Make sure that you have a clear understanding of the question that has been asked. If you are unsure about the question, you can always ask your professor for clarification. - Start your research early. You need to do thorough research for your law assignment. You can use both primary and secondary sources for your research. - Once you have gathered all the information, you need to analyze it and see if it is relevant to the question that has been asked. - Start drafting your law assignment. While drafting your law assignment, you need to make sure that it is clear, concise, and to the point. - After you have drafted your law assignment, you need to proofread it and make sure that there are no grammatical or spelling errors.

The Don'ts of law assignment

 When it comes to writing a law assignment, there are certain things that you should avoid doing to write a good law assignment. These are: 

 1. Do not copy and paste: Copying and pasting from other sources is not only plagiarism but is also considered cheating. If you are caught doing this, you will get into serious trouble. Not only will you get a bad grade for your assignment, but you might also even get expelled from your university. So, always make sure to write your assignments. 

 2. Do not use informal language: When you are writing a law assignment, you need to make sure that you use formal language. This is because using informal language will make your assignment look unprofessional. So, always avoid using slang words, abbreviations, and contractions in your law assignments. 

 3. Do not use first person pronouns: First person pronouns such as “I”, “me”, “we”, “us” etc. should be avoided when writing a law assignment. This is because using first-person pronouns will make your assignment sound subjective. So, always try to use third person pronouns such as “he”, “she”, “it”, “they”, “them” etc. 

 4. Do not make assumptions: When you are writing a law assignment, you should always make sure that you do not make any assumptions. This is because making assumptions in your law assignment will make your argument weak. So, always try to back up your arguments with evidence. 

 5. Do not forget to reference: When you are writing a law assignment, you need to make sure that you reference all the sources that you have used. This is because failing to reference your sources is considered plagiarism. So, always remember to reference your sources correctly.

Tips For Writing A Perfect Law Assignment

 There are a few tips that you can follow to write the best law assignment: 

 1. Do your research: This is the most important tip. You need to do thorough research before you start writing your assignment. You can use different sources like books, websites, articles, etc. to gather information. 

 2. Write clearly and concisely: Your write-up should be clear and concise. It should not contain any unnecessary information. 

 3. Use formal language: You should use formal language in your assignment. The use of slang or informal language is not allowed. 

 4. Follow the instructions: Make sure that you follow all the instructions given by your professor. 

 5. Proofread your assignment: Before you submit your assignment, you should proofread it to check for any mistakes.

Are you struggling to write your law assignment? Don't worry - you're not alone. Many students find legal writing to be a challenge.

But don't despair. With a little bit of planning and effort, you can write a great law assignment. This step-by-step guide will show you how.

Make notes for law assignment

 Making notes is an important part of the law assignment writing process. It allows you to organize your thoughts and ensure that you include all the relevant information in your assignment.

 There are a few things to keep in mind when making notes for your law assignment:

 1. Make sure you understand the question. Read it carefully and make sure you know what is being asked of you. If you are unsure, ask your professor or TA for clarification.

 2. Do your research. Once you have a good understanding of the question, it’s time to start researching. Use both primary and secondary sources to gather information for your assignment.

 3. Organise your notes. Once you have gathered all the information you need, it’s time to start organizing it into a coherent structure. Create an outline of your assignment, including all the main points you want to make. This will help you write a clearer and more organized law assignment.

 4. Keep track of your sources. As you are researching and taking notes, be sure to keep track of all the sources you use. This includes both primary and secondary sources. You will need to include these in a bibliography at the end of your assignment.

 5. Take breaks! Writing a law assignment can be daunting, so make sure to take breaks throughout the process. Get up and stretch, take a walk, or just step away from your desk for a few minutes to clear your head. This will help you stay focused and avoid burnout as you write your law assignment

Always write the first draft

  •  No matter how much you may hate writing, or think that you can't do it, always write the first draft. It is the most important part of the process and will make everything else easier. 
  • Start by getting all of your thoughts and ideas down on paper. Don't worry about making it perfect, just get it all down. Once it's all out of your head, you can start to see what you have, and what you need to work on. 
  • If you get stuck, take a break, or skip ahead to another section. You can always come back later and fix it. Just keep moving forward. The goal is to get a complete first draft, not a perfect one.

Remember, no one will ever see this but you. So don't be too hard on yourself. This is just for you to get an idea of what you want to say. You can always change it later.

Review and edit  Once you have the first draft, it's time to review and edit your work. Start by reading your paper out loud to catch any errors or awkward phrasing. Then, revise your paper for clarity and conciseness. Be sure to proofread your work carefully before submitting it.

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Five tips for writing law assignments

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Five ways to write law assignments in very appropriate and effective manner

For a student or a writing expert to complete  law assignments  appropriately and exactly in way in which it is prescribed by professor is very tough work. When a fresher in law work began to write on law subjects, it seems like he/she working on foreign language. Use of legal cases, acts and deep understanding and knowledge of laws subject is very important for writing in attractive and effective manner. There are number of tips which are useful for writing related to law subjects.

1. Always try to write in described format given in assignment and write in specific manner  The assignment related to the law subjects are very typical and based on the certain described format. So it will be very easy to write in prescribed format based on the given instructions which is helpful in avoiding wastage of time. Always keep in mind what is asked in the question while writing and try to avoid irrelevant subject matter.

2. Identify the important issues and relate with the applicable Laws and Acts  For writing in effective manner it is very important to understand what is asked and what are the issues and identification of applicable Laws and Acts. Use of definition written in Acts, penalties and compensation related to any issue, essential requirements related to any Act are required for attractive writing skills. For example, the cases which are based on the rights, welfare, protection and health of employees and employers, it is very important to mention the provisions of “Health and safety at work etc Act 1974”, “Equal Opportunity Act 2010” and “Employment Right Act 1996”.

Read :-  business law assignment help  Many Student Look Help Corporate Governance Studying Australia

3. Always try to explain with examples and judge with previously describes cases  It is essential to use practical examples and cases in any assignment based on the law subject which reflects the understanding ability of writer. Always try to give judgment on any problem by relating it with the similar case studies and draw useful arguments. For example, to give the judgment on the cases related to the unfair dismissal of employees from the organization, the same case study “True Justices of Francois, who was unfairly terminated from the company after revealing the facts of cancer diagnosis”.

4. Develop a pre-writing strategy according to the guidelines  When a student received an assignment, the first step should be read the whole assignment carefully and write down the key points and make a pre-writing strategy with covering all the questions asked. While making pre-writing strategy always keep in mind the word limit of given assignment.

5. Introduction and conclusion should be describing the whole assignment  Introduction and conclusion are main part of an  assignment  covering the whole aspects which attracts the reader. For example, Introduction can be written in this manner, “This report will provide the brief introduction about the……..Act. It will be helpful in providing the judgment for various issues of employees at work place by using the provisions of……Act.”

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Knowing Is Half the Battle: Pro Tips for Your First Assignment as an Associate

“How long should this take me?” … “Is there a template to work from?” … and other questions a new attorney should ask about a 1st assignment.

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1. when would you like to see it completed, 2. how long should this take me, 3. because this is my first time working with you, are there any associates whose work product you think would make good examples for me, 4. because this is my first time working with you for this client, is there anything i should know about the client, bonus tip to new attorneys on working with partners, more tips for new lawyers.

Looking back to when I was a new attorney in BigLaw, I think what made it especially stressful was the fact I just didn’t know what I didn’t know.

And I didn’t even know enough to know what questions to ask.

In light of that, here are a few questions you may want to consider asking when you get that first assignment.

Four Questions a New Attorney Needs to Ask About Assignments

Yes, at first glance, this may seem like a no-brainer — after all, there’s likely a litigation deadline dictated by a scheduling order, but this presumption is a trap. The deadline for you to complete the draft can’t possibly be the date the work product is actually due. Rather, your deadline is dictated by how much time the client needs to review it (and get back to you with changes), as well as how much time your supervising attorney may need to review it (and get back to you with changes).

If it is something that will need a witness signature or attestation, you have to build that into your timeline as well. Another pro tip: Make sure your client and/or their witnesses are available (i.e., not on vacation) around the deadline. If they are going to be out, consider getting an extension. Before the era of DocuSign and other technology, I personally had to spend some time figuring out how to get a document to a client on vacation, which included looking for the nearest fax machine, FedEx or printer in a foreign country. (Not fun for the client or you.)

And if you don’t get clear guidance because the project is not deadline-driven (such as a non-billable article or firm blog post), ask your supervising attorney what they deem is reasonable, so you don’t make the mistake I did . Even if there is no hard deadline, there is always an expectation — and your job as an associate is to at least meet, but better — exceed — those expectations.

This question is really geared for first-years, going back to the concept that “you don’t know what you don’t know.” The worst thing that could happen is that you spend way too much time (and research fees) on something and still don’t find the answer your partner is looking for (and it will likely be written off the bill).

Candidly, I don’t know many supervising attorneys who are great at estimating because they are often too busy to explain or have likely forgotten what it was like to be a first-year. At the same time, this question could open up a dialogue about when is a good check-in time if you don’t find what they’re looking for. The ideal response from a partner is, “I expect that this will take you X hours. If you don’t find something on point in X time, check back in with me.”

By the way, be prepared to explain your research process if you don’t find it.

The point here is to try to locate a template to work from. Whether it’s your first research memo or first summary judgment for this partner (who probably likes things a certain way), it’s a good idea to review examples of what they like so that you can emulate their stylistic preferences. Please note that this does not mean copying and pasting others’ work product, especially the law (because it changes). Rather, this is where you can pick up whether the partner likes one space or two spaces after punctuation, as well as which experienced associates in your office you can go to for the partner’s preferences or, hopefully, some mentoring.

Ideally, if the partner isn’t too busy, this question also opens up the conversation to their preferences without you having to figure it out. Of course, you could always ask partners for their pet peeves, but this will only get you so far if they are busy or not self-aware. Others who have worked for them are better resources.

One of the first things that will probably come out is whether you can directly contact the client (and copy the partner) or whether your communications always have to go through the partner. Hopefully, another thing that comes out is how long the client needs to review documents, which, as noted above, drives your deadlines. Another important tidbit that comes out should be the client’s billing preferences or if there is some kind of alternative fee arrangement. Some clients are very particular about what they will pay for and what they won’t. This is a great time to ask for sample billing statements to see what language is often used (to ensure that it is paid).

Finally, although this isn’t a question, it may be a good idea to start a OneNote or other notebook to keep a list of preferences for each partner you work with, as well as each client you work with. That way, you have a handy reference to set you up for success on your next assignment.

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“ New Associates: The Power of List-Making ” by Meyling Ly Ortiz

“17 Things I Wish I Knew as a New Associate” by Jay Harrington

“Survival Skill No. 1 for New Lawyers: Emotional Resilience” by Link Christin

“3 Ways for Young Associates to Get Off to a Fast Start” by Jay Harrington

“ Getting Clients: For Lawyers Starting Out or Starting Over” (book) by Merrilyn Astin Tarlton

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Meyling “Mey” Ly Ortiz is Managing Counsel of Employment at Toyota Motor North America, Inc. Her passions include mentoring, championing diversity and inclusion, and a personal blog:  TheMeybe.com . At home, you can find her doing her best to be a “fun” mom to a toddler and preschooler and chasing her best self on her Peloton (her handle is Meybe if you want her to try to chase you too). You can follow her on LinkedIn and @Meybe_JD on Twitter. (And you knew this was coming: Her opinions are hers alone.)

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The Associated Press

Republican Michigan lawmaker loses staff and committee assignment after online racist post

A Republican lawmaker in Michigan lost his committee assignment and staff Monday, days after posting an image of a racist ideology on social media.

House Speaker Joe Tate, a Democrat who is Black, said he will not allow the House to be a forum for “racist, hateful and bigoted speech.”

State Rep. Josh Schriver, who is white, shared a post on X — formerly known as Twitter — that showed a map of the world with Black figures greatly outnumbering white figures, along with the phrase, “The great replacement!”

The conspiracy theory says there’s a plot to diminish the influence of white people.

Schriver, who represents portions of Oakland and Macomb counties, can vote on the House floor. But Tate removed him from a committee and told the House Business Office to oversee his staff members, who still can assist constituents.

“Representative Schriver has a history of promoting debunked theories and dangerous rhetoric that jeopardizes the safety of Michigan residents and contributes to a hostile and uncomfortable environment for others," Tate said.

A message seeking comment from Schriver wasn't immediately returned. He defended his social media post last week.

“I’m opposed to racists, race baiters and victim politics,” Schriver told The Detroit News. “What I find strange is the agenda to demoralize and reduce the white portion of our population."

Schriver was elected to a two-year term in 2022. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, released a statement Friday calling his post "abhorrent rhetoric."

“We will never let those who stoke racial fears divide us," she said.

Follow Ed White on X at https://twitter.com/edwritez

Rep. Josh Schriver on the floor of the Michigan House of Representatives, at the Michigan Capitol, in Lansing, Mich., on Oct. 10, 2023. The Republican lawmaker, Schriver, in Michigan lost his committee assignment and staff Monday, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, days after posting an image of a racist ideology on social media. House Speaker Joe Tate, a Democrat who is Black, said he will not allow the House to be a forum for “racist, hateful and bigoted speech.” (David Guralnick/Detroit News via AP)

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