Includes bibliographical references (pages 267-274) and index.

Does bad writing really matter? -- Don't make it like it was -- Ten Steps to writing it down -- Of dawdlers and scrawlers, pacers and plungers : getting started ad overcoming blocks -- The technology of getting it down : from quill pens to computers -- Lawyers as publishers : words are your product -- Writing persuasively for your audience : tell your audience the point -- Writing the lead -- Form, structure, and organization -- Wrong words, long sentences, and other mister meaners -- Revising your prose -- Making your writing memorable.

This best-selling book outlines the causes and consequences of bad legal writing and prescribes straightforward, easy-to-apply remedies that will make your writing readable. Usage notes address lawyers' most common errors, and editing exercises allow readers to test their skills, making this an invaluable tool for practicing lawyers as well as a sensible grounding for law students. New sections in this edition: - Getting to the point - Communicating digitally - Writing persuasively - Twenty-five common mistakes"--Provided by publisher.