SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 31

MONTGOMERYBAR.ORG

As many other internships and
supplemental programs were cancelled
due to Covid, the MBA, thanks to a spirit
of commitment and innovation, was able
to fill a void for many other 1L students
as well. The Diversity Committee is
proud to have provided 23 diverse
students weekly instruction, mentorship,
networking, and more. In addition to
the 23 students, the program also boasted
the engagement of 19 mentors (members
of the 2020 Leadership Academy), 23
writing mentors, several program alumni,
and many other contributors, including
Judge Garret Page, Judge Mark Kearney,
Marilou Watson, Esq., and John Han,
Esq., who agreed to speak with our
students; Christopher Sperring, Esq., who
organized the Employment Workshop
(through which each student participated
in a one-on-one mock interview
conducted by MBA volunteers); and
Michael Lyons, Esq., and Philip Press,
Esq., who organized the CLE, "Stuff Ya
Can't Learn in Law School."
The first half of 2020 certainly
breathed new life into the old adage that
necessity is the mother of invention, and
the pivoted approach to this long-standing
program is a clear example. This new
format could serve as a model to help the
MBA connect with law students moving
forward, demonstrating an understanding
of their limited time and ability to travel
to the Bar, and a willingness to evolve to
meet their needs of our future members.
Most importantly, the MBA has extended
its reach, represented its commitment to
the students, and demonstrated its ability
to innovate in the face of unprecedented
obstacles. Although all can agree that
2020 will not be recorded as a year we'd
like to repeat, its lessons and opportunities
to honor the resilience of the human spirit
will shape us all for many years to come.
continued on next page >

Legal Writing Tips
from Some of the
Leaders of the MBA
"The best tip I have is to suggest purchasing a short paperback book titled WRITING
FOR LAWYERS. It is written by Hollis T. Hurd, and available on Amazon. PBI may also
sell it. I found it a great help in my writing. A quick summary: keep it succinct; make
your point first, then explain; check it over to avoid any errors or ambiguity."
~ Scott Maxwell, MBA President, 2001

"Know your audience. Who is going to read the communication? Will it be read by your
client, a Judge, law clerk, opposing counsel, all of the above? Each may require a different
tactic and tone."
"In Court filings, be as brief as possible. Rarely can you make all your available
arguments. Weak arguments often detract from strong arguments."
"Define the objective before you begin to write. Once you've defined your objective, put
it up front and write to it. Try to drop everything that doesn't support your objective."
~ Justin A. Bayer, MBA Treasurer, 2020

"Above anything else, LESS IS MORE. The next time I hear a judge specifically ask for
more words, more briefing, more paragraphs, or more commentary on a legal position
that I've filed will be my first. Make your point on paper, and make it quickly and
efficiently. Before you file anything or send anything, make sure it is concise, and that no
words on the page are wasted."
"Know your audience. Writing to a judge or appellate panel is much different than
writing to a client, or a partner, or to opposing counsel, or to an expert witness, etc. Your
argument needs to reflect who will be reading it. A judge isn't going to want to read
a brief full of emotion and descriptive language, just the same as your emotional and
stressed out client won't want to read a letter that lacks empathy. If you enjoy writing
creatively, that's great-and you should continue to do that."
"Be precise and exact in citations to the law. A lot of people gloss over them, and don't
think to re-check them. Not having proper citations is a great way to show that your
work is careless or improperly researched. Re-check all your citations to make sure they
are to the right cases, statutes, pages, sections, etc."
"For the litigators out there, lots of attorneys gloss over the written product and assume
they'll get their point across in oral argument. Don't do that. Oral argument (particularly
these days) is becoming exceedingly rare, especially at the trial court level. Any time you
submit a motion, brief, or other written product, assume that it is all the judge will see
before he/she rules. Don't assume that you'll get to present argument on it."
~ Michael J. Lyon,
MBA Board Member, 2020
continued on page 33 >

S U M M E R / FA L L 2 0 2 0 3 1


http://www.montgomerybar.org

SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020

SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 1
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 2
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 3
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 4
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 5
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 6
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 7
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 8
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 9
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 10
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 11
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 12
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 13
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 14
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 15
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 16
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 17
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 18
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 19
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 20
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 21
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 22
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 23
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 24
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 25
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 26
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 27
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 28
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 29
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 30
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 31
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 32
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 33
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 34
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 35
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 36
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 37
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 38
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 39
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 40
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 41
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 42
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 43
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 44
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 45
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 46
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 47
SIDEBAR Summer/Fall 2020 - 48
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARFall2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARSummer2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARSpring2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARWinter2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARSummerFall2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARSpring2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARWinter2019-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARFall2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARSummer2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARSpring2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARWinter2018-19
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARFall2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARSummer2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/LRSINSIGHT
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARSpring2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARWinter2017-18
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARSummer2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/MontgomeryBarAssociation/SIDEBARSpring2017
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com