Memo 1 Forum

[underdawg]

attention lawyering professors: lawduck is THE authority on writing memos. take heed!

[lawduck]

attention lawyering professors: lawduck is THE authority on writing memos. take heed!

This is pretty unnecessary; not sure why I've been taking a lot of flak lately on this forum since I don't think I've ever once said that my views or techniques are "the" way things should be done (or even that they're one of the [presumably many] "correct" ways). Here, I was just expressing how tough it is for me to get away from fully exhausting every available point and from the feeling that failing to do so is "wrong." Admittedly my word choice is riddled with incredulity, but that's only because I'm so used to 8-12 page 11pt limits on assignments that don't require fact restatement, "brief answers," etc. (edit: and because the example we were given is well over this limit, which seems kind of strange to me).

Memo 1 must be as much about teaching selective elaboration as it is about refining discussion techniques generally. At least that's my theory.

[Duo311]

My legal writing class is graded

The non-graded closed memo (what I'm currently working on) is due a week from today. The specs: 10 pages, double spaced, size 12 courier new.

The only graded assignment (1/3 of overall grade) this semester is an open memo due November 17th: 11 pages, double spaced, size 12 courier new.

Next semester's only graded assignment (worth 2/3 of overall grade) is an appellate brief due Feb. 20th. Don't know about the specs but, we can use our brief to try out for moot court since all 1L sections write on the same topic. Another good thing is that after we turn in the brief, class is over for the year.

[awesomepossum]

attention lawyering professors: lawduck is THE authority on writing memos. take heed!

This is pretty unnecessary; not sure why I've been taking a lot of flak lately on this forum since I don't think I've ever once said that my views or techniques are "the" way things should be done (or even that they're one of the [presumably many] "correct" ways). Here, I was just expressing how tough it is for me to get away from fully exhausting every available point and from the feeling that failing to do so is "wrong." Admittedly my word choice is riddled with incredulity, but that's only because I'm so used to 8-12 page 11pt limits on assignments that don't require fact restatement, "brief answers," etc. (edit: and because the example we were given is well over this limit, which seems kind of strange to me).

Memo 1 must be as much about teaching selective elaboration as it is about refining discussion techniques generally. At least that's my theory.

wow you're special. goddamn....relax....

[typodragon]

The only graded assignment (1/3 of overall grade) this semester is an open memo

how can there be only one graded assignment and it only be worth 1/3 of the overall grade? do you have an exam in your legal writing class?

we've got multiple assignments that build up in complexity. our teacher was observing that our school has us doing a ton of writing, and that his school when he was in law school didn't make him do nearly as much

[underdawg]

attention lawyering professors: lawduck is THE authority on writing memos. take heed!

This is pretty unnecessary; not sure why I've been taking a lot of flak lately on this forum since I don't think I've ever once said that my views or techniques are "the" way things should be done (or even that they're one of the [presumably many] "correct" ways). Here, I was just expressing how tough it is for me to get away from fully exhausting every available point and from the feeling that failing to do so is "wrong." Admittedly my word choice is riddled with incredulity, but that's only because I'm so used to 8-12 page 11pt limits on assignments that don't require fact restatement, "brief answers," etc. (edit: and because the example we were given is well over this limit, which seems kind of strange to me).

Memo 1 must be as much about teaching selective elaboration as it is about refining discussion techniques generally. At least that's my theory.

wow you're special. goddamn....relax....

d00d you have to cite him if you're gonna quote him. have you learned nothing from bluebooking?

[Duo311]

how can there be only one graded assignment and it only be worth 1/3 of the overall grade? do you have an exam in your legal writing class?

I should have explained myself better. We have legal writing from the begining of the fall semester to February 20th. We recieve a grade at the end of the class based on the open memo and the appellate brief. The memo is worth 1/3 of our overall grade and the brief is worth 2/3 of our overall grade. Some profs may forgive your memo grade to some extent if you just totally pwn on your appellate brief.

[MPaulE]

I am at GW too, and Memo 1 was due on Sunday. I didn't think it was that bad. The only problem was that our LRW Prof is a full time professor (most are adjuncts) and made it very clear that we had to stick to the "TREAT" format in the LRW book. It's a pain to restrict yourself to a format that really sucks !

[sky7]

You have IIED or adverse possession?

[underdawg]

man, i got totally pwned by my TA's comments. good thing i hardly put any effort into it; if i had tried and got those comments, it would hurt!

[raskolnikov]

Memo #3 underway.

[conch republic]

...

[underdawg]

so i just read now one of the cases we were supposed to read for memo 1

holy shit, there is so much stuff here i can use!!!

now i know why everyone kept mentioning this case...pure gold for my side

[lmondragon]

so i just read now one of the cases we were supposed to read for memo 1

holy shit, there is so much stuff here i can use!!!

now i know why everyone kept mentioning this case...pure gold for my side

stop slacking ud! one of us needs to come out of school with a good job!

[edgarderby]

FUCKING LEGAL WRITING AND RESEARCH ALREADY RUINING MY GPA

[edcrane]

I'd be in the same boat if our class wasn't p/f. I suck @ interviewing actors.

[underdawg]

lol i am more concerned about what i will wear to that thing than what i will say

i ain't wearing no suit for a mock intervue

[edcrane]

I hear ya. I feel weird if I wear a suit when it's not really required--I just went with business casual.

The interview wasn't that bad, I just felt very amateurish about not knowing the law--not that we were expected to. Thankfully my partner was very charming, so there was a good vibe going on throughout the interview. It only lasted about 25 minutes though.

[sky7]

Memo 2 due at 5 today....

I'm done with it, but I didn't do so hot last time. Something about passive voice...

Guess I should proofread.

[Son of Cicero]

My memo 3 is probably going to turn out to be my worst paper since high school. On page 13 out of 16-20 right now. I'm usually a bit of a perfectionist with my writing, but now I'm just trying to throw the rest of my "analysis" onto the paper without scrolling up and looking at the garbage I've already written. It's probably better to just remember to include the essential sections in this P/F draft and not worry about quality. I get the impression from my classmates and acquaintances at other schools that I am one of the last students to realize this.

[sky7]

I'm totally psyched that my LRW class isn't P/F..... NOT.

[Grad_Student]

Finished third and final memo tonight. Could not be happier.

[toolfan]

got a 71 on my first memo - IIED. The average score was a low 60's. Re-write due in a couple weeks.

[jack duluoz]

You suck. I'd give my middle nut for P/F.

gee, a bet i'd love to win.

[thuggishruggishbone]

dont forget to use "active" voice