Basic Legal Writing for Paralegals, Seventh Edition

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Basic Legal Writing for Paralegals, Seventh Edition, teaches students the skills they need to effectively work with cases, legal authorities, documents, and professional correspondence. Samborn and Yelin guide students through the writing process, using the objective memo as a teaching tool. At every stage of a well-defined writing process, the authors provide lucid explanations, visual aids, and plenty of examples. With practice exercises throughout the book, students can develop the skills that will become indispensable to their careers as paralegals.  

New to the Seventh Edition: 

• New and refreshed exercises 
• Streamlined presentation, making the material even more accessible and teachable 
• Broadened discussion of AI and emerging technologies, showing how they are reshaping research and practice 
• Updated online resources 
• Revised and updated chapter on Case Briefing and Analysis 
• Expanded coverage of email and e-memos, reflecting today’s professional practice 
• Citation Information and the Citation Appendix updated using the new 22nd edition of The Bluebook 

Professors and students will benefit from: 

• A practical approach that emphasizes the paralegal’s role and how different types of legal writing are applied in practice 
• Step-by-step instruction that guides students through every stage of the writing process, from pre-writing and planning to drafting, revising, and finalizing 
• An overview of the legal system that explains how different forms of legal writing are used in different contexts 
• Detailed discussion of how to find, synthesize, and present legal authorities in legal communications for attorneys 
• Instruction on applying the IRAC method of legal analysis 
• Examples and exhibits that provide useful models for students 
• Writing tips, practical strategies, updated exercises, ethics alerts, and web resources are integrated throughout 
• Updated teaching materials and classroom-tested exercises