Elegant Legal Writing: How to Write Briefs Judges Want to Read | Ryan McCarl

In this keynote presentation for Minnesota CLE’s 2025 Appellate Practice Institute, attorney and author Ryan McCarl shares principles and strategies for creating legal briefs that judges want to read.

Drawing from cognitive science principles discussed in his book “Elegant Legal Writing” (Univ. Cal. Press 2024), McCarl introduces concepts like the Readability Triangle — a framework for thinking about readers’ attention, motivation, and cognitive ease — to help attorneys craft more persuasive and accessible legal documents.

Key topics covered:
∙ The Readability Triangle concept and why it matters
∙ How to allocate limited brief space using the “knapsack problem” approach
∙ Progressive disclosure and footnotes
∙ Managing complexity
∙ Effective use of visual aids, summaries, and other reader-friendly techniques

Ryan McCarl is a founding partner of Rushing McCarl LLP, a business litigation firm, and the author of “Elegant Legal Writing.” He has taught advanced legal writing at UCLA School of Law and LMU Loyola Law School.

Resources mentioned:

∙ “Elegant Legal Writing” (Univ. Cal. Press, 2024): https://bit.ly/elw-book
∙ Ryan’s blog: https://elegantlegalwriting.com
∙ Ryan’s LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/elwlinkedin
∙ Rushing McCarl LLP: https://rushingmccarl.com

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Rushing McCarl LLP is a trial and appellate litigation boutique that delivers big-firm expertise on a personal scale. We represent clients that need elite advocacy in business disputes — at the negotiating table, at trial, and on appeal. Our partners honed their craft at AmLaw 50 firms, and we take pride in providing concierge client service while outmaneuvering any competitor. John Rushing's expertise in trial advocacy, combined with Ryan McCarl's expertise in legal writing and strategy, has helped Rushing McCarl build a reputation as an emerging litigation powerhouse and secured against-the-odds verdicts for our clients. Clients appreciate how we devise elegant solutions to complex problems, connect with judges and juries, and tell clients’ stories while aggressively representing their interests.

Please get in touch to discuss whether Rushing McCarl LLP might be a fit for your legal needs:
∙ Rushing McCarl LLP's website: https://rushingmccarl.com
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