How to Write Briefs Judges Want to Read
About this episode
Ryan McCarl discusses how to write briefs that judges find readable and persuasive.
In this program, Ryan McCarl, the author of Elegant Legal Writing, will discuss how attorneys can make briefs more readable and persuasive. Drawing on examples from real litigation filings and concepts informed by cognitive psychology, the program examines how judges process information under constraints of time, attention, and working memory — and how lawyers can structure their briefs to help judges focus on what matters. Topics include using an approachable prose style, managing complexity, improving document design, and deploying visual aids such as summaries, diagrams, tables, and multimedia evidence. Participants will also explore citation strategy and brief structure, leaving with practical tools for writing filings that are clearer, better organized, and more persuasive.
More episodes of CLEs You Actually Want to Hear
- Modernizing Severability and Delegation Clauses in Employment Arbitration Agreements
- Mastering Brackets in Mediation
- Nuts and Bolts of Drone Law: FAA, Privacy & What Lawyers Need to Know
- The John Connor Rule: The Ethics of Responsible AI Under COPRAC
- AI Prompt Writing: Mastering the Art of the Ask for Transactional Practice
- Trademark Yourself: The Lanham Act and Likeness Protection in the Entertainment Industry
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the CLEs You Actually Want to Hear podcast page.