Garner has a real gift and this early book was just the first sign of his abilities. Enjoy!


A more scholarly look at legal-writing style.   July 3, 2002
 28 out of 28 found this review helpful

This review is of the Second Edition, published in 2002.

This book takes an intelligent, thoughtful, and somewhat scholarly approach to legal-writing style, yet it is still readable and practical. Garner presents good writing advice, with examples of how to do it taken from the great legal writers: Holmes, Cardozo, Llewellyn, and others.

And the coverage is broad: from punctuation to citation; from commonly-misused words to rhetorical devices for persuasion. The book covers enough basics to reward the novice, but it can take the experienced writer farther than other legal-writing books.


A "Must Have" for Anyone Engaged in Legal Writing   February 19, 2004
 22 out of 23 found this review helpful

Despite the fact that many attorneys spend much of their time writing motions, briefs, memos and such with the intent of writing clearly and persuasively, most attorneys fail miserably at doing so. Many judges, the very people the attorneys are attempting to persuade complain of how terribly most attorneys write.

Now we have Bryan Garner to the rescue. If you don't know about Bryan, he is one of the preeminent legal scholars on the subject of writing clearly and persuasively. Bryan helps attorneys cut through the clutter of legalese, organize their arguments, and, ultimately, draft documents that often will win their argument solely on the basis of the fact that the Judge can at least read and understand the message.

Law students can also benefit from the information found in this book. I would even recommend it for the average layperson who wishes to represent their self in court or who simply wants to write more clearly and directly. Every lawyer should have this book on their shelf and follow its advice religiously. This book may very well be the "bible" of legal writing.


A well-designed and highly useful guidebook   September 7, 2003
 21 out of 22 found this review helpful

My first Garner book was "The Winning Brief," purchased as I was preparing for an ultimately successful fight against a speeding ticket, and I was instantly taken by his clear and informative style.

This book continues that trend. Garner is an exceptional writer, and even the best of writers, legal or otherwise, can learn a great deal from this book.


The legal writer's Bible.   April 29, 1998
 17 out of 25 found this review helpful

This is the single best resource for legal writers. Period. I had the opportunity to take Mr. Garner's course in law school, and it helped me immensely. As Managing Editor of the SMU Law Review, this book was mandatory reading for all staff members and editors.