WEBINAR RESCHEDULED FROM 4/3: More Effective Writing Makes More Effective Lawyers CLE (EDU200403)

Thursday, June 11 to Friday, June 12, 2020

9:00 AM to 12:15 PM (Eastern Daylight Time)

Presented by the Connecticut Bar Institute

About the Program

Knowing the law is essential—but so is being able to communicate about it. Join writing coach and former attorney Rick Horowitz for this two-day lively and practical seminar that will reintroduce you to your legal-writing toolbox, including a few tools you didn't know were in there. This class explores the fundamentals (and the critical details) of creating clear, well-organized, persuasive legal documents. Briefs, memos, client letters, and even daily correspondence benefit from your deeper understanding of what goes into successful writing, so we’ll examine good and not-so-good writing to see what worked, what didn't, and why.

You Will Learn

  • About specific writing problems common to lawyers, and how to overcome them
  • To make better writing decisions before your fingers ever touch the keyboard
  • How to strike a better balance between “completeness” and “conciseness”
  • To recognize that writing to multiple audiences, through a variety of document types, and on a growing number of platforms, requires a variety of approaches
  • How to improve writing that’s too wordy, complex, passive, or filled with jargon
  • How to be better at providing early (and frequent) help to guide readers through complicated documents
  • How to deal with having your work edited by co-workers and supervisors
  • Legal-writing strategies you can apply and share back in your own offices

Who Should Attend

Connecticut-based lawyers of any level of experience, and in any area of practice.

Cost

(Includes electronic materials)
Member $199
Non-Member $398
Student Member $25

Speaker

Rick Horowitz_2021 Rick Horowitz
Prime Prose LLC, Shorewood, WI


More Effective Writing Makes More Effective Lawyers Agenda

Thursday, June 11
Day 1 Agenda (EDU200403)

Session A (9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.)

  • When Lawyers Write: What Can Go Wrong?
  • “We Have a Situation...”: The Writing You Do Before You Start Writing
  • Demystifying the Process: Four Essential Questions, and Two Key Factors

Break (10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.)

Session B (10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.)

  • “What’s In? What’s Out?” Complete v. Concise
  • A Few More Words About Getting Started: Different Strokes for Different Folks

Friday, June 12
Day 2 Agenda (EDU200403)

Session C (9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.)

  • “Where Do I Put It?” Help Them Early – and Often!
  • “How Do I Say It?” Going for Clarity

Break (10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.)

Session D (10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.)

  • “How Do I Say It?” The (Occasional) Value of Vagueness
  • “How Do I Say It?” Going for Brevity
  • “How Does It Come Across?” Tone and Voice



CLE Credit

CT: 6.0 CLE Credits (General)
NY: 7.0 CLE Credits (Skills)
*Note: You must attend both days of the seminar to obtain full credit.

Submit Verification Codes

The Connecticut Bar Association/CT Bar Institute is an accredited provider of New York State CLE. This program may qualify for transitional and/or non-transitional CLE credits. Attorneys seeking NY CLE credit who have been admitted to the New York State Bar for two years or less must attend the live seminar for skills or ethics credit, or a fully interactive videoconference. Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias CLE credits are only available as non-transitional credits. For further information about transitional and non-transitional courses, please see the NYCourts.gov page on CLE: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/attorneys/cle/index.shtml. Financial hardship information is available upon request.

Electronic materials are included in the price of the seminar. Any materials for this seminar will be e-mailed to registrants prior to the seminar for download. No paper copies will be provided. This seminar will not be recorded. Please note that refunds will not be granted once course materials have been sent. Cancellations made less than 2 business days prior to event are non-refundable.


Contact

Member Service Center
Email: msc@ctbar.org
Phone: (844)469-2221