OneLs: Resources for Writing Client Letters and Opinion Letters

This list contains selected resources that you may find helpful in completing your second writing assignment. These resources provide writing guidelines, explanations, and some sample letters.

Remember, if you have any questions at all during this assignment, please feel free to contact any of our reference librarians, many of whom have practiced law and all of whom have J.D.s. Good luck!

Mary Barnard Ray, The Basics of Legal Writing (2006).
Law Reserve KF250 .R378 2006

  •  Chapter 11 discusses correspondence with colleagues and clients.

Legal Opinion Letters: A Comprehensive Guide to Opinion Letter Practice, 3d ed.
Law Reserve KF 250 L433 2003

  • Chapter 2 discusses elements of opinion letters. Other chapters provide guidelines for writing opinion letters for various practice areas.

Drafting Legal Opinion Letters, 2d ed.
Law Reserve KF 250 D73 1992 (2001 Cumulative Supplement)

  • Similar to above title, Chapter 2 discusses elements of opinion letters and other chapters provide guidelines for writing letters in specific practice areas.

Writing for Law Practice
Law Reserve KF 250 F352 2004

  • Chapter 7 covers how to write client letters, advice letters, opinion letters, and letters to third parties.

Professional Writing for Lawyers
Law Reserve KF 250 J64 1998

  • Chapter 2 explains how to write client letters and includes a sample letter.

Legal Writing Handbook: Analysis, Research, and Writing, 3d ed.
Law Reserve KF 250 O28 2002

  • In Part II, Chapter 7 covers opinion letters and include sample client letters.

Legal Opinion Letters Formbook, 2d ed.
Law Annex KF 250 L434 2003 (2004 Supplement)

  • Each chapter provides letter writing guidelines tailored to different practice areas. Chapter 6 includes an example of a "horrible" opinion letter followed by text with comments.

Legal Drafting in a Nutshell, 2d ed.
Law Reserve KF 250 H34 2003

  • This is one of many wonderful legal writing books that teach how to develop better legal writing skills.

Some formbooks contain samples of client letters and other correspondence:

West's Federal Forms
Law Reference KF 8836 .W4

  • Look in the general index under the topic "Attorney" and then subtopic "Letters and other correspondence."

Nichols Cyclopedia of Legal Forms
Law Reference KF 170 N5

  • Look in the general index under the topic "Attorneys" and then subtopic "Opinion letter."

Some web sites provide legal forms for free. Try this site which contains several sample letters.

  • http://www.lectlaw.com/form.htm (click on "Law Practice Forms" and scroll down to "A Few Letters").



    Page Maintained by: Steve Donweber
    Last updated: March 2008