10 Commandments of Appellate Brief Writing for Associates

Whether you are an early-career associate, transitioning back into practice after a career break, or a seasoned attorney, writing an appellate brief can be a daunting task. As you stare at a blank piece of paper, or the glowing screen of Microsoft Word, it can be difficult to know where to begin! This 60-minute webinar and CLE explores 10 suggestions for writing your first (or 50th) appellate brief. Utilizing these strategies, you will be well on your way to writing a strong appellate brief that you’ll be confident handing to a Partner for review and, ultimately, the court for your client.

Topics covered include: Practice Skills

Agenda:

Brief Intro
- Introduction to Marina J. Wilson and appellate brief writing
The Local Rules
- Required sections
- Page limits
- Formatting
Outlining & Argument Preparation
- Thorough outlines
- Planning your arguments
Persuasive Writing & Your Facts
- Acknowledging good and bad facts
- The art of persuasion and humanizing your client
- Key facts + bonus
Standard of Review
- Differing standards of review
- Impacts of standard of review
Avoiding Errors & Misstatements
- Accuracy of facts
- Accuracy of the law
Citations
- Record cites
- Legal citations
Avoiding Personal Attacks
- Legal arguments v. individuals
Editing & Proofreading
- Resources for editing & proofreading
Your Role as Appellant v. Appellee
- Standard of review reminder
- Whether you will reply
Developing Your Style
- Personal, unique voice
Conclusion, Questions & Answers

Duration of this webinar: 60 minutes

Originally broadcast: November 21, 2024 11:00 AM PT

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits

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California CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

Earn Credit Until: June 30, 2026

South Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

Difficulty: All Levels

Earn Credit Until: December 31, 2025

North Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

Earn Credit Until: February 28, 2026

Texas CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

Earn Credit Until: October 31, 2025

This presentation is approved for one hour of General CLE credit in California, South Carolina (all levels), and North Carolina. This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 1.00 credit hours.

Justia only reports attendance in jurisdictions in which a particular Justia CLE Webinar is officially accredited. Lawyers may need to self-submit their certificates for CLE credit in jurisdictions not listed above.

Note that CLE credit, including partial credit, cannot be earned outside of the relevant accreditation period. To earn credit for a course, a lawyer must watch the entire course within the relevant accreditation period. Lawyers who have viewed a presentation multiple times may not be able to claim credit in their jurisdiction more than once. Justia reserves the right, at its discretion, to grant an attendee partial or no credit, in accordance with viewing duration and other methods of verifying course completion.

At this time, Justia only offers CLE courses officially accredited in certain states. Lawyers may generate a generic attendance certificate to self-submit credit in their own jurisdiction, but Justia does not guarantee that lawyers will receive their desired CLE credit through the self-submission or reciprocity process.

Looking for CLE credit? Visit CLE Dashboard

Speaker

Marina J. Wilson Associate Attorney
DeShazo Adams, LLC

Marina J. Wilson’s practice includes employment, education, and other civil matters. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and earned her J.D. cum laude from the Louisiana State University Law Center. While at LSU Law, Marina received the 2nd Place Best Oralist award in the Dean’s Cup Competition, was a Semifinalist at the National Energy & Sustainability Moot Court Competition, and earned recognition for her academic performance. Prior to returning to practice, Marina worked on free law projects and legal marketing solutions at Justia.

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