Strategic Legal Writing Workshop with Eugene Meehan
Calling mooters, second-year law students and litigators in training: Join us for a Strategic Legal Writing Workshop with Eugene Meehan, QC (LLM ’77, DCL ’84).
Eugene is a Litigation Partner at Supreme Advocacy LLP, Ottawa. His primary work involves arguing appeals and assisting other lawyers in taking cases (both Leave to Appeal and Appeal) to the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as Complex Legal Opinions.
He is a practising member of 6 Bars, has authored/co-authored 8 books and has been selected by peers to be included in The Best Lawyers in Canada in 2013 and 2014. Has achieved an AV® Preeminent, TM Peer Review Rating as Top Rated Lawyer in Canada by Corporate Counsel magazine and Martindale-Hubbell, 2013.Ěý
He has been National President of the Canadian Bar Association (1999-2000), Appointed Queen’s Counsel (1999), and served as Executive Legal Officer of the Supreme Court of Canada (1990-1992).
Topics covered include:
“Positioning” – What the ad agencies do · Avoiding legalese in legal writing · Think tactically, write strategically · Avoiding “Not” · The basics of good legal writing · Acronyms · Know the purpose for your writing · Thinking like a judge · Reader-friendly writing · Case-law – give the court a break · Run-on sentences and big words · Adverse authority · Writing with colour · Opening – the first impression · Writing visually · Being realistic – not academic · Telling a story · Useful headings · Making the story work · Taking the high ground · Writing for the reader · Being creative · Stay in the present · Limiting the issues · Crafting your facts · Building around your theme · The analogy · Long paragraphs, the one-breath rule · Being realistic, there is another side · Letting go of the little stuff · Being credible · Conclusions – making sure there is one.
Ěý
Ěý