How to write a legal advice essay
You may have to create a legal advice essay as a law student. Although a well-structured essay must have an introduction and body, as with any other good essay, a legal essay serves a different purpose. Remember that the main purpose of a legal essay is to convey in plain, concise, and understandable English the advice you wish to give.
Language is crucial. An effective legal advice doesn’t use legalese. If you are required to give very specific legal advice, don’t simplify what is being said. The legal advice essay should state what is needed to be said in a clear and coherent manner. While technical terms may not be avoided, they should be clearly explained to ensure that the reader is able to understand them.
Clearness is key to legal advice essays. Many legal opinions and advice are based on complex sets of facts. These must be divided into specific legal issues.
Plan Your Legal Advice Essay
A logical structure will emerge naturally if you plan carefully. It is possible to express a legal opinion in order to convey a point. This may mean that you will need to break down the points into sections. Therefore, it is important that you identify all points (sections) before writing an essay. This will allow you to justify and explain your opinion clearly. Clarity is key. Be concise.
The legal advice essays are usually accompanied by a series of questions as well as supporting documents. The essay title should be read carefully to determine who the recipient is. An example of this is a solicitor who wishes to give advice to clients or direct to clients. The client’s perspective is crucial at this stage. It is essential that the case is feasible so that the client isn’t misled about the possibility of success. In other words, while pros and cons are important to consider in a legal advisory essay, it is also crucial that clear opinion and advice be provided. For example, a percentage of success.
Organisation of facts and the focus of advice is an important part of planning. After the main facts and evidence are identified, they must be arranged in a chronological order. Then a legal framework can be constructed. After the planning process is completed, you should understand the nature of the advice you will receive, the reasons for it, and the format in which you plan to present it.
Writing your legal advice essay
Introduction
Your introduction should be short and concise. It should outline the key facts of the case and the reasons that advice is required. A brief summary of the advice provided should be included in the introduction.
Text in the body
The body text should, as with all essays be broken down into one paragraph per fact or point. You can use the logical structure that you have created in your plan to include all facts and points. Each paragraph should contain a note explaining the point/fact, the legal framework, and the opinion of each writer. These should be backed-up with properly cited references which are listed at end of essay.
Important note: All law advice documents, essays or reports, must adhere to certain structural rules to ensure consistency across all legal papers. Quantum is not possible if there are multiple dependents. Each one should be protected before moving on to quantum.
It is not necessary to state basic principles of law in a legal advice essay, unless this is stated explicitly in the essay title. This is where audience recognition is key. However, when an opinion is based upon a particular case, then the basis for that case’s judgment would need to be explained and justified. Similar rules apply when quoting statute. Except where the statute directly deals with the subject of your essay, you don’t need to quote it as part of the legal opinions.
Additionally, legal arguments and advice in law are based on the source and precedence, and not opinions. Source in law refers both to the source and the judgment made, not just what was said. There are two types of law authorities: binding and unbinding. The first is derived from legislation and case law. The second is drawn from Public Policy, Legal commentary, Dissenting decisions, Reform Proposals, International Law, and International Law. If they can be defended in final opinions/advices, a perfect law advice essay will include both binding and persuasive (or persuasive authority) sources.
Conclusion “Next Steps”
The conclusion will be included in other essay formats. Legal advice essays should have a conclusion. It is called a “next steps” paragraph. The goal is to instruct the reader on what next to take to ensure that the advice provided leads to legal success.
The key components of a successful legal advice essay include Clarity, Clarity, Clarity, Conciseness and Justification. Here are key phrases to help you achieve academic excellence and cohesion in your law advice essay.
- Key phrases for the introduction & body text
- This question deals
- This question is the main issue.
- The key issue is whether
- What issues should be considered
- This raises the question.
- Based on the facts, it is possible to argue.
- It would seem (therefore).
- It is possible
- It could be argued.
- It would appear
- The key phrases to the conclusion
- It is my recommendation based on the evidence.
- It is highly recommended.
- Based on the facts and their evaluation, what is the best course?