Request for consultation

Thanks for your request. You’ll soon be chatting with a consultant to get the answers you need.
Your form is submitting...
{{formPostErrorMessage.message}} [{{formPostErrorMessage.code}}]
Email Address is required. 'Email Address' must contain at least 0 characters 'Email Address' cannot exceed 0 characters Please enter a valid Email Address
First Name is required. 'First Name' must contain at least 0 characters 'First Name' cannot exceed 0 characters Please enter a valid First Name
Last Name is required. 'Last Name' must contain at least 0 characters 'Last Name' cannot exceed 0 characters Please enter a valid Last Name
Institution is required.
Discipline is required.
Cengage, at your service! How can we best meet your needs? is required.
Why are you contacting us today? is required. 'Why are you contacting us today?' must contain at least 0 characters 'Why are you contacting us today?' cannot exceed 0 characters Please enter a valid Why are you contacting us today?

Legal Analysis and Writing, 4th Edition

William H. Putman, JD

  • Copyright 2013
  • {{checkPublicationMessage('Published', '2012-01-01T00:00:00+0000')}}
Starting At $46.95 See pricing and ISBN options
Instructor Next Steps
Students: Buy now
Legal Analysis and Writing 4th Edition by William H. Putman, JD
Quick Navigation

Overview

LEGAL ANALYSIS AND WRITING, 4TH EDITION helps readers analyze statutes and cases and draft supporting legal memoranda. In addition to the fundamentals of good writing, legal or otherwise, the book illustrates how paralegals analyze and brief cases, identify key facts and legal issues, and apply case law and counteranalysis to legal matters, and more. Going beyond mere explanations, the book shows readers how to apply concepts to hypothetical situations, draft legal memoranda and correspondence, and scrutinize legal citations and Web research, to develop a thorough understanding of the analytical and writing responsibilities paralegals undertake. Legal Analysis and Writing, 4th Edition is a robust resource for any paralegal writing course and includes a host of available supplemental tools designed to enhance learning while simplifying instructor preparation.

{{readMore['overview'] ? 'Read More' : 'Read Less'}}

Meet the Authors

{{collapseContainerClosed['meet-the-author'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

William H. Putman, JD

William Putman is a lawyer and former instructor in the programs for Legal Assistant Studies at Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque and Paralegal Studies at Santa Fe Community College. A member of the New Mexico Bar since 1975, he received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

What's New

{{collapseContainerClosed['whats-new'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}
  • New Appendices: A new Web sites appendix includes an extensive list of useful sites, along with a discussion on the dangers of using non-fee-based sites, while the updatedOverview of Legal Citations appendix includes a new overview of the general rules, such as capitalization, quotations, pinpoint citations, and signals.
  • Extra Coverage and Examples: New materials on Statutory Analysis, Case Law, and Case Briefing in Chapters 3 and 4 provide more opportunities for readers to practice identifying, interpreting, and citing cases.
  • Fundamental Writing Lessons: Added to Chapter 11, the updated discussion on the fundamentals of writing includes additions to the Word Selection, Grammar, and Punctuation sections to expand reader knowledge of general writing principles.
  • Added Practice Assignments: Two new memoranda exercises, as well as new chapter assignments in Case Law and Case Briefing, Key Facts, and Issue Identification give readers even more practice developing essential paralegal skills.
  • Improved Formatting: Exhibits and examples have been reformatted to make it easier for readers to find, understand, and use references, while logically matching citations to the appropriate readings.

Features

{{collapseContainerClosed['features'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}
  • Hypothetical Situations: Featured throughout the book, realistic scenarios place readers in the center of legal issues, where they gain better perspective and practice applying legal concepts.
  • Helpful References and Resources: Detailed information about the reference sections of statutes give insight into finding the information paralegals need, while Internet Resources allow students to access additional information on chapter topics.
  • Supporting Examples: Key Examples follow each key principle and concept to illustrate practical applications and facilitate better comprehension of the material.
  • Less Legalese: Chapter discussions use lay terms instead of confusing legalese wherever possible to ease students into the subject matter, avoid overwhelming them with new terms, and improve readability.

Table of Contents

{{collapseContainerClosed['table-of-contents'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}
1. Introduction to Principles and Authorities.
2. Introduction to Legal Analysis.
3. Statutory Analysis.
4. Case Law and Case Briefing.
5. Key Facts.
6. Issue Identification.
7. Stating the Issue.
8. Case Law Application.
9. Counteranalysis.
10. Legal Writing Process--General Considerations.
11. Fundamentals of Writing.
12. Office Legal Memorandum--Assignments, Facts, and Issues.
13. Office Legal Memorandum--Analysis to Conclusion.
14. External Memorandums.
15. Correspondence.
Appendix A: Court Opinions Referred to in the Text.
Appendix B: Appellate Court Brief.
Appendix C: Overview of Legal Citation.
Appendix D: Web Sites.

Compare Buying Options

{{collapseContainerClosed['compare-buying-options'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

Textbook Only Options

Traditional eBook and Print Options

{{collapseContainerClosed['detail_0'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

  • ISBN-10: 1401865976
  • ISBN-13: 9781401865979
  • RETAIL $46.95

  • ISBN-10: 0357698142
  • ISBN-13: 9780357698143
  • RETAIL $77.95

  • ISBN-10: 1133016545
  • ISBN-13: 9781133016540
  • RETAIL $259.95
Instructor Next Steps
Students: Buy now

Supplements

{{collapseContainerClosed['supplements'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

Cengage provides a range of supplements that are updated in coordination with the main title selection. For more information about these supplements, contact your Learning Consultant.

FOR STUDENTS

The Pocket Guide to Legal Writing, Spiral bound Version

ISBN: 9781401865979
The Pocket Guide to Legal Writing is designed as a desk book for use by practicing paralegals, legal assistants, attorneys, and students. It is a reference book that allows the user to quickly obtain the answer to many commonly encountered writing questions concerning the following subjects: sentence and paragraph drafting, word selection and usage, spelling, numbers, grammar, punctuation, legal citation, legal correspondence, legal research memoranda, and court briefs. It also includes a chapter on the location of various non fee-based internet and other computer based legal research sources. There is a chapter that presents a collection of general considerations involved in legal writing, including a detailed discussion of the legal writing process (an organized approach to legal research, analysis, and writing that helps you develop writing skills and makes legal writing easier) and guidelines to follow when engaging in the process. The book is color coded so information may be easily located and designed to lie flat on a desk next to a computer. It is written in a non technical manner and designed so that it is easy to understand and use by anyone working in a law office. It includes checklist for use in conjunction with the various types of legal writing.