Merry Christmas/Feliz Navidad/Bon Nadal/Buon Natale

Writing in Plain English for lawyers _ LESSON 2

Try personal pronouns

No matter how sophisticated your audience is, if you use personal pro­nouns the clarity of your writing will dramatically improve. Here’s why.

First, personal pronouns aid your reader’s comprehension because they clarify what applies to your reader and what applies to you.

Second, they allow you to “speak” directly to your reader, creating an appealing tone that will keep your reader reading.

Third, they help you to avoid abstractions and to use more concrete and everyday language.

Fourth, they keep your sentences short.

Fifth, first- and second-person pronouns aren’t gender-specific, allowing you to avoid the “he or she” dilemma. The pronouns to use are first­person plural (we, us, our/ours) and second-person singular (you, your/yours).

Observe the difference between these two examples:

before

This Summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed information contained in the Proxy Statement and the Appendices hereto, all of which should be carefully reviewed.

after

Because this is a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. You should read the entire proxy statement and its appendices carefully before you decide how to vote.

Bring abstractions down to earthAbstractions abound in the financial industry. What pictures form in your mind when you read these phrases: mutual fund, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, zero coupon bond, call option, or foreign currency trading? Most people don’t have an image in their minds when they hear abstract words like these. And yet, it’s far easier to comprehend a concept or a situation when your mind can form images.
In a study conducted at Carnegie-Mellon University, a cognitive psychol­ogist and an English professor discovered that readers faced with com­plex written information frequently resorted to creating “scenarios” in an effort to understand the text. That is, they often made an abstract concept understandable by using it in a hypothetical situation in which people performed actions.You can make complex information more understandable by giving your readers an example using one investor. This technique explains why “question and answer” formats often succeed when a narrative, abstract discussion fails.Here is an example of how this principle can be used to explain an abstract concept—call options:

For example, you can buy an option from Mr. Smith that gives you the right to buy 100 shares of stock X from him at $25.00 per share anytime between now and six weeks from now. You believe stock X’s purchase price will go up between now and then. He believes it will stay the same or go down. If you exercise this option before it expires, Mr. Smith must sell you 100 shares of stock X at $25.00 per share, even if the purchase price has gone up. Either way, whether you exercise your option or not, he keeps the money you paid him for the option.  Although it is impossible to eliminate all abstractions from writing, always use a more concrete term when you can. Asset ➡ Investment ➡ Security ➡ Equity ➡ Stock ➡➡ Common stock ➡ One share of IBM common stock The following examples show how you can replace abstract terms with more concrete ones and increase your reader’s comprehension: before Sandyhill Basic Value Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) seeks capital apprecia­tion and, secondarily, income by investing in securities, primarily equities, that management of the Fund believes are undervalued and therefore represent basic investment value. after At the Sandyhill Basic Value Fund, we will strive to increase the value of your shares (capital appreciation) and, to a lesser extent, to provide income (dividends). We will invest primarily in undervalued stocks, meaning those selling for low prices given the financial strength of the companies. before No consideration or surrender of Beco Stock will be required of shareholders of Beco in return for the shares of Unis Common Stock issued pursuant to the Distribution. after You will not have to turn in your shares of Beco stock or pay any money to receive your shares of Unis common stock from the spin-off. [By the Office of Investor Education and Assistance U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission 450 5th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20549]

Writing in Plain English for lawyers _ LESSON 1

We thought it would be helpful to list the most common problems we’ve encountered with disclosure documents.
Common problems:

• Long sentences
• Passive voice
• Weak verbs
• Superfluous words
• Legal and financial jargon
• Numerous defined terms
• Abstract words
• Unnecessary details
• Unreadable design and layout

In the following pages we offer some ways to fix these problems.


For example, here’s a common sentence found in prospectuses:

NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED OR INCORPORATED BY REFER¬ENCE IN THIS JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRE¬SENTATION MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED.

Here’s one possible plain English rewrite:

You should rely only on the information contained in this document or that we have referred you to. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different.

The plain English rewrite uses everyday words, short sentences, active voice, regular print, and personal pronouns that speak directly to the reader.

Use the active voice with strong verbs

The plodding verbosity of most disclosure documents makes readers yearn for clear words and short sentences. The quickest fix lies in using the active voice with strong verbs. Strong verbs are guaranteed to liven up and tighten any sentence, virtually causing information to spring from the page. When you start to rewrite or edit your work, highlighting all the verbs can help. You may be surprised by the number of weak verbs, especially forms of “to be” or “to have” that you’ll find.
The time you spend searching for a precise and strong verb is time well spent. When a verb carries more meaning, you can dispense with many of the words used to bolster weak verbs.
Weak verbs keep frequent company with two more grammatical undesirables: passive voice and hidden verbs. In tandem, they add unnecessary length and confusion to a sentence.

The active and passive voices


Don’t ban the passive voice, use it sparingly

As with all the advice in this handbook, we are presenting guidelines, not hard and fast rules you must always follow. The passive voice may make sense when the person or thing performing the action is of secondary importance to another subject that should play the starring role in sentence. Use the passive voice only when you have a very good reason for doing so. When in doubt, choose the active voice.

Find hidden verbs
Does the sentence use any form of the verbs “to be,” “to have,” or another weak verb, with a noun that could be turned into a strong verb? In these sentences, the strong verb lies hidden in a nominalization, a noun derived from a verb that usually ends in -tion. Find the noun and try to make it the main verb of the sentence. As you change nouns to verbs, your writing becomes more vigorous and less abstract.

before                        after
We made an application... We applied...
We made a determination... We determined...
We will make a distribution... We will distribute...

before
We will provide appropriate information to shareholders concerning...
after
We will inform shareholders about...

before
We will have no stock ownership of the company.
after
We will not own the company’s stock.

before
There is the possibility of prior Board approval of these investments.
after
The Board might approve these investments in advance.

[By the Office of Investor Education and Assistance
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
450 5th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20549]

Famous Resume Myths - Debunked!

Resume writing myths you may have heard, but should forget!

There is no one best way to write a resume; there are no absolutes. Every career counselor and recruiter has his or her own take on resume writing. Even the formatting you use and the positions you list depend on the industry, the specific job, and your experience. But amid all the potentially conflicting opinions, there is some agreement on common resume myths.

1. Your resume must be only one page.

False. "Your resume should be as long as needed [in order] to get your concise message across with zip and punch," says Joyce Lain Kennedy, careers columnist and author of Resumes for Dummies. If your experience and background justifies two or more pages, so be it. Recent grads shouldn't go beyond one page, but senior executives with decades of experience will probably need at least two pages.

The rules are slightly different for resumes sent via e-mail. Laura Dominguez Chan, a Stanford University career counselor, says that in that instance, shorter is better for both cover letters and resumes.

2. Prospective employers don't read cover letters.

False. "Remember that anything you send is part of an image you're projecting," says Dominguez Chan. "If [nothing else,] your cover letter shows your writing skills…and if all the candidates [for the position] really are top notch, it could be the cover letter that lands you the job."

3. Resumes should include and describe your entire work history.

False. Your resume is a sales piece, a personal marketing tool. Take time to consider what skills the position requires. It’s likely that a part-time job you took for a few months isn't going to be relevant or impressive. Unless you need to cover a significant time gap, it’s wise to include only those jobs that will showcase your ability to excel in the position for which you’re applying.

Volunteer and other non-paid positions can be just as valuable as paid ones—especially if you’re a recent grad or are re-entering the workforce after an absence. Use your resume format to communicate volunteer work as experience.

4. It's okay to fib on your resume.
False. If you think "blowing smoke on your resume—inflating grades, inventing degrees, concocting job titles—is risk free because nobody checks, you're wrong," says Joyce Lain Kennedy. Employers do check, and those fibs will catch up with you.

"People think they have to puff themselves up," says Ronnie Gravitz, a career counselor at UC Berkeley. "You just need to make a good case for what you have done.”

5. Including "References available upon request" is standard resume protocol.

False. "An employer won't assume [that] you don't have references," says Dominguez Chan. “[Removing the line] gives you more room to include important information about who you are." She adds, "The only reason to include that [information] is if for some reason references are absolutely needed in the field. Academic positions, for example, typically ask for several reference names and/or letters."

6. If your resume is good enough, it will produce a job offer.

False. Your resume is only one part of the process. Its job is to land you an interview. "Once you get the interview, says Joyce Lain Kennedy, "you are what gets you a job—your skills, your savvy, your personality, your attitude."

I had it professionally translated.......

Citing EU documents

Italicise the titles of white and green papers. Separate

the main title and the subtitle, if any, with a colon. Use initial capitals on the

first and all significant words in the main title and on the first word in the

subtitle. Launch straight into the italicised title: do not introduce it with ‘on’,

‘concerning’, ‘entitled’, etc.

In the White Paper

Growth, Competitiveness, Employment: The challenges and

ways forward into the twenty-first century

, the Commission set out a strategy …

The White Paper

Growth, Competitiveness, Employment was the first …

In

Growth, Competitiveness, Employment, on the other hand, the Commission set

in motion …

[this form might work where the White Paper had already been

mentioned, for example, or in an enumeration]

The Green Paper

Towards Fair and Efficient Pricing in Transport: Policy

options for internalising the external costs of transport in the European Union

The

Green Paper on Innovation [‘Green Paper on’ is part of its title]

Do the same with the titles of other policy statements and the like that are

published in their own right:

the communication

An Industrial Competitiveness Policy for the European

Union

[published as Bull. Suppl. 3/94]

the communication

Agenda 2000: For a stronger and wider Union [when the

reference is to the title of the document, which was published in Bull.

Suppl. 5/97; but of course we would probably say ‘an Agenda 2000 priority’ for

example]

If a policy statement has a title, but has not as far as you know been published,

put the title in inverted commas:

the communication ‘A European Strategy for Encouraging Local Development

and Employment Initiatives’

[this appeared in OJ C 265 of 12 October 1995,

and its title is cast like the title of a book, but it does not seem to have been

published in its own right]

‘Communications’ that are not policy statements, such as the announcements

which regularly appear in the Official Journal (OJ), get no italics, inverted

commas, or special capitalisation:

the Commission communication in the framework of the implementation of

Council Directive 89/686/EEC of 21 December 1989 in relation to personal

protective equipment, as amended by Council Directives 93/68/EEC, 93/95/EEC

and 96/58/EC [OJ C 180 of 14 June 1997]

Seven Ways To Improve Your Legal Writing Skills

The written word is one of the most important tools of the legal profession. Words are used to advocate, inform, persuade and instruct. Although mastering legal writing skills takes time and practice, superior writing skills are essential to success. Polish your legal writing skills through the simple tips below.

1. Remember Your Audience

Every word you write should be tailored to the needs of the reader. Documents that embody the same research and message may vary greatly in content and tone based on the document’s intended audience. For example, a brief submitted to the court must advocate and persuade. A memorandum to a client must analyze the issues, report the state of the law and recommend an appropriate course of action. Always keep your audience in mind when crafting any piece of writing.

2. Organize Your Writing

Organization is the key to successful legal writing. Create a roadmap for your writing by using visual clues to guide the reader. Introduce your subject in an introductory paragraph, use transitional phrases (“moreover, “furthermore,” “however,” “in addition,” etc.) between each paragraph, introduce each paragraph with a topic sentence and use headings and subheadings to break up blocks of text. Limit each paragraph to one topic and sum up your message with a concluding sentence or paragraph. Organizational structure guides the reader through your text and promotes readability.

3. Ditch The Legalese

Legalese - specialized legal phrases and jargon - can make your writing abstract, stilted and archaic. Examples of legalese include words such as aforementioned, herewith, heretofore and wherein. Ditch unnecessary legalese and other jargon in favor of the clear and simple. To avoid legalese and promote clarity, try reading your sentence to a colleague or substituting abstract words with simple, concrete terms. For example, instead of “I am in receipt of your correspondence,” “I received your letter” is clearer and more succinct.

4. Be Concise

Every word you write should contribute to your message. Omit extraneous words, shorten complex sentences, eliminate redundancies and keep it simple.
Consider the following sentence:
“Due to the fact that the defendant has not attempted to pay back the money owed to our client in the amount of $3,000 it has become absolutely essential that we take appropriate legal action in order to obtain payment of the aforesaid amount.”
A more concise version reads: “Since the defendant has not paid the $3,000 owed our client, we will file a lawsuit seeking reimbursement.” The latter sentence conveys the same information in 18 words versus 44. Omitting unnecessary words helps clarify the meaning of the sentence and adds impact.

5. Use Action Words

Action words make your legal prose more powerful, dynamic and vivid. Add punch to your writing with verbs that bring your prose to life. Here are a few examples:
Weak: The defendant was not truthful. Better: The defendant lied.
Weak: The witness quickly came into the courtroom. Better: The witness bolted into the courtroom.
Weak: The judge was very angry. Better: The judge was enraged.

6. Avoid Passive Voice

Passive voice disguises responsibility for an act by eliminating the subject of the verb. Active voice, on the other hand, tells the reader who is doing the acting and clarifies your message. For example, instead of “the filing deadline was missed,” say “plaintiff’s counsel missed the filing deadline.” Instead of “a crime was committed,” say “the defendant committed the crime.”

7. Edit Ruthlessly

Edit your writing ruthlessly, omitting unnecessary words and rewriting for clarity. Careful proofreading is particularly important in legal writing. Spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors in a document submitted to the court, opposing counsel or a client can undermine your credibility as a legal professional.

by S. Kane

«No say the cat is in the sac»

http://video.corriere.it/no-say-the-cat-is-the-sac/26694a22-0c4c-11e1-bdbd-5a54de000101

The collapse of the trial of two footballers has renewed debate about England's contempt of court laws

This is not the first time that a judge has halted a trial in England because of prejudicial publicity. But it's unusual for the case to be stopped so late in the legal process. The case centred on allegations that four men, including two well-known English footballers, Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer, attacked an Asian student in Leeds city centre -- inflicting grievous bodily harm. All the defendants have denied being involved.

As the jury was deliberating its verdicts in the original trial, the judge called the proceedings to a halt, after deciding that a newspaper article about the case was potentially prejudicial. This area of law, known as contempt of court, is familiar to all properly trained journalists in England. They must avoid publishing or broadcasting any material that poses a substantial risk of seriously prejudicing a fair trial. Although the stipulations are laid out in law, the question of what constitutes a substantial risk is open to debate.



prejudicial publicity: information about a case which is not given in court but which could change the jurors' opinion

allegations: an allegation is a statement suggesting that someone has done something wrong

grievous bodily harm: very serious physical injury

denied being involved: said it was not true that they took part

verdicts: a verdict is the decision given at the end of a trial

contempt of court: the criminal offence of disobeying instructions from the judge or a court of law

stipulations: conditions: if you stipulate that something must be done, you state clearly that it must be done

constitutes: if something constitutes a particular thing, you can regard it as being that thing

Job Search Toolkit for lawyers

Action Verbs

Below is a list of action verbs to assist you in describing your experiences and accomplishments:

accelerated accomplished achieved acquired activated adapted adjusted administered advised allocated analyzed annotated anticipated applied appraised arranged articulated assembled assessed assigned authored balanced briefed budgeted built catalogued categorized chaired clarified cleared coded collaborated compared compiled completed composed computed conducted consolidated

constructed contacted continued contracted convened conveyed coordinated corresponded counseled created critiqued decided defined delegated delivered demonstrated derived designed detected determined developed devised directed distributed drafted edited educated effected elicited encouraged established evaluated examined executed exhibited expanded expedited experienced experimented

explained explored facilitated figured financed focused forecasted formed formulated fostered founded functioned generated governed grouped guided helped identified illustrated immunized implemented improved increased informed initiated instituted instructed interpreted interviewed introduced invented investigated judged led listened maintained managed marketed mastered

measured mediated modeled modified molded monitored motivated named negotiated observed obtained operated ordered organized originated outlined oversaw perceived performed persuaded planned planted presented presided printed produced protected provided publicized questioned raised recommended recorded recruited reduced rendered repaired reported represented

reproduced researched resolved responded restored retained retrieved reviewed revised rewrote routed scheduled searched selected served shaped shared showed simplified solicited solved specified spoke stimulated structured studied supervised supported synthesized targeted taught tested trained translated tutored updated utilized verified wrote

Things to Organize Before You Start Writing

Sit down and list all of your work experience since high school, including your activities, hobbies and interests. After you have made this list, start thinking about the following:

·        What were your primary responsibilities?

·        What specific examples can you give of your work (e.g. "Represented social security claimants denied disability benefits," "Drafted legislative initiative to reform the Civil Rights Act of 1990," "Analyzed $150,000 budget to identify cost-cutting initiatives")?

·        What skills did you develop?

·        What tasks or projects did you undertake?

·        What accomplishments did you contribute to or complete yourself?

Talking to friends or co-workers about these experiences may make it easier to recall all your responsibilities and achievements.

It is worth taking the time to clarify your career goals before revising your resume and launching your job search. You also may need to give some thought to which interests, work skills and experiences you want to emphasize for prospective public service employers.

Length

Your resume should not generally exceed one page. That usually means that you have to make some strategic omissions in your work experience or academic sections. Exceptions to this "one page rule" are if you have an extensive list of publications or five or more years of work experience prior to law school. Also, some fellowship sponsors ask that you include any relevant information even if it dates back to high school and causes your resume to exceed a page.

A Dynamic Document

Plan to rewrite your resume many times during your legal education and your professional career. Invite friends, family members and classmates to look over your resume and offer suggestions, corrections and help in identifying any areas that need clarification. Incorporate those suggestions that appeal to you, but make sure you use your own language. For this reason, you should always save an updated resume on your computer or on a drive you can easily access.

Remember that your resume ultimately serves as a public relations piece to market you to prospective employers. Refine it continually to accentuate your accomplishments and strengths.

Appearance

The visual aesthetics of your resume are important. Employers tend to make only cursory scans of newly received resumes looking for something that grabs their attention. Your format should allow the employer to skim through your education and experience. By enabling the employer to read all of your attributes at a glance, you increase your chance of getting a second look.

Your resume should be easy to read or scan along the left-hand margin and free of typos. Resumes and cover letters should be on matching stationery, preferably white or off-white. Standard office bond paper is acceptable. The tabs and margins must be consistent and you should avoid using too many different type fonts or sizes on your resume. Avoid underlining words or sections; use italics instead. Put the names of former and current employers in bold and in all caps, so that a prospective employer can know from a glance where you have worked. An excellent technique for proofreading your resume is to read it backwards, so that your eyes move more slowly over the words.

Header
List your present address and a telephone number and email address where employers can reach you.	If you are a current student, use your University  e-mail address.
Be sure that your voicemail greeting is professional.	You may decide to include your permanent address as well, both to allow employers to get in touch with you when you are not at the University and to let them know the geographic area you consider home.
Do not include a job objective here or elsewhere on your resume; your career objectives and plans should be expressed in your cover letter.

RACHEL MOSS
81 Oxford Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 495-3108
rmoss@jd11.law.harvard.edu

Education
Unless you are more than three years out of law school, your education section should precede your experience section.	For current law students, indicate the degree you expect to earn, e.g., J.D. and date of graduation, e.g., June 2013.
List your advanced degrees, starting with your law or most recent degree and working back to college.	If you have earned two degrees from the same institution, list them separately.
Your education section should reflect whether you transferred as an undergraduate, studied abroad, enrolled in a joint degree program or received a graduate degree prior to law school.	Omit your high school education in nearly all cases. If you think it would be helpful to include for geographic or alumni connections, indicate that when submitting your resume for review.

EDUCATION HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, J.D. Candidate, June 2011
Activities: Harvard Law and Policy Review
American Constitution Society
Women’s Law Association
1L Section Events Committee

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
B.A. with High Honors in American Studies and English, May 2008
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa
Rapoport-King Honors Thesis Scholarship
Kemp-Foreman Unrestricted Endowed Presidential Scholarship
Activities: University Democrats
Blanton Museum of Art Student Guild
First-Generation College Student Mentorship program, mentor
Thesis: “They Aren’t Hearing Us – They’re Rich”: Consequences of Social Difference
on Public Housing in New Orleans and Nationwide

Honors & Activities
You should include two separate subsections for each educational degree: "Honors" and "Activities."	Be sure to include a brief explanation on any awards or distinctions that are not familiar to most readers.	At most, you should include three to five entries; listing too many detracts from the most relevant activities or honors.
The "Honors" section should list any awards or distinctions you received, such as Dean's List, cum laude or Phi Beta Kappa. Because they are Latin phrases, magna, summa, and cum laude should always appear in italicized, lower case letters. (Note that honors such as Dean's List may seem redundant if you also graduated with Greek or Latin honors. )	In the "Activities" section, indicate any student organization memberships, reading groups, elected offices, activities or sports in which you have participated.	Do not include your undergraduate grade point average unless it is specifically requested by an employer or not well-reflected in honors received. An impressive GPA is often self-evident from your honors — if you graduated magna cum laude for instance. If you do choose to include your grades, do so in brackets next to honors: such as cum laude (GPA 3.7).
Of note, public service employers are interested in much more than how you perform on tests. While they may ask you about grades during an interview, they almost never impose strict grade cutoffs.	LSAT and other standardized test scores should not appear on your resume.

Thesis or Paper
You may want to include a separate "Thesis" subsection under the appropriate educational degree and indicate the title of your thesis in italics.
Any notes or articles you are writing for a journal should go under a separate publications section, in blue book form or with a notation such as: (publication pending) or (forthcoming in the spring edition).

Experience
List your work experience in reverse chronological order, with your most recent work experience listed first, going back no more than five jobs.	Clinical work during law school, internships and even part-time work may be included under your "Experience" section, particularly if you came straight to law school from college. Remember that volunteer work counts equally in terms of experience and need not be singled out under a separate heading on your resume. On the other hand, if you have a significant number of work experiences, you may want to create a separate heading such as a "Community Service" section on your resume and group your volunteer work there.
Do not feel compelled to list every job you have held before or during law school, as your resume should be designed to highlight your most significant and relevant experiences. The most obvious omissions should be your earliest work experiences, particularly nonlegal work that has little to do with your current job search.	You can choose to exclude more recent work experience, such as one part of a split summer, but be careful; gaps may grab an employer's attention. If you leave out a bad work experience, you still may find yourself having to explain the gap in your resume.
Descriptions are everything in this section, since they capture the essence of your experience and any recognition and accomplishments. Paint a dynamic picture of the type of work you did and the extent of your responsibilities.	Try not to exaggerate your responsibilities and avoid self-aggrandizing descriptions. Detail what you did in each job. For example, if you worked at a legal services center, list the type of clients with whom you worked and the scope of cases you handled.
The proportional length of each job description is key. Use the longer descriptions to accentuate those work experiences most critical to your current search. Employers will assume that the longer the description, the more priority you give to the experience. Thus, you can downplay certain experiences by either merely listing them on your resume or by abbreviating their descriptions.	Do not make the employer search for information on your resume. Just as you do not want him/her to have to decode your resume format, you also do not want to leave the employer confused about your responsibilities or the type of work you did.

EXPERIENCE TENANT ADVOCACY PROJECT Fall 2008 – Present
Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
Represent tenants facing eviction and other housing issues such as application denials,
transfers, and reasonable accommodation in Housing Authority grievance hearings.
Advise tenants of legal rights by telephone.

CENTER FOR AMERICAN HISTORY Summer – Fall 2007
Austin, TX
Served as student page in University of Texas archival library. Retrieved archival
materials for researchers. Entered data in a biographical newspaper database, compiled
newspaper clippings for vertical files, and assisted with special projects.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RESIDENCE LIFE Fall 2005 – Spring 2007
Austin, TX
Provided support, peer education, conflict mediation, policy enforcement, emergency
management, and event planning for a floor of 40-50 student residents. Performed
administrative shifts at residence hall front desk.

When employers review your resume, they should be able to figure out quickly what you did at a particular job. If an employer becomes frustrated with the information on your resume because it is incomplete or a struggle to interpret, your resume will be put aside.	Your experience descriptions should be broken into shorter phrases so that they read more quickly than sentences. Each segment should begin with an action verb like these examples: Assisted in scheduling city projects. Drafted Congressional testimony. Created summer intern program. Advised freshmen on course selection.
Action verbs should dominate your resume —see our list of action verbs for ideas. Review your entire experience section and omit any passive verbs, particularly any form of "to be." Phrases such as "was responsible for running" should become "Ran," for example.	Unless you need to fill space, job titles should be used only when they indicate relatively high level positions or help define jobs, such as Director of Legislative Advocacy or Education Outreach Coordinator. List them in italics on the line directly below the employer's name. Titles such as "volunteer," "research assistant," "paralegal" or "law clerk" should be omitted; instead, you should plunge directly into a description of your responsibilities.
If you have held more than one job with the same employer, enter both jobs under one header, putting the title of each job in italics.

Dates	Publications
Clearly delineate dates on your resume. Place them flush right on the page.	Include publications in a separate section of your resume, especially if they are law-related pieces, such as a note or comment for a journal.
Refer to the dates of summer or semester-long jobs as Summer 20__, Fall 20__, Spring 20__.	The citation should generally follow blue book format.
Do not worry about the exact dates of your employment. If you worked at an organization from March 2006 to November 2007, simply put 2006-2007.	If your article, comment or note is published in a law journal that may not be recognizable to a prospective employer, write out the full title of the law journal rather than use the blue book reference

Computer Skills	Languages
Unless yours are extraordinary, omit these—you do not want a legal employer hiring you based on computer skills or based on any Lexis/ Nexis/Westlaw training you may have.	If you are fluent or conversant in several languages, you may create a separate category entitled "Languages" that lists the languages you speak: "Fluent in French. Can read Italian. Conversant in Japanese."
Since most law students have this training, its inclusion does little to distinguish you.	Do not overrate your skills, as you may be asked to demonstrate them during an interview.

Interests/Personal

Adding one or two lines about your outside hobbies, interests or travels can be invaluable for interviews. Not only does it help to counterbalance your academic pursuits, but it gives an interviewer additional topics of conversation. It also stops an employer from asking open-ended (and sometimes inappropriate) questions, such as "Tell me about yourself," in an effort to get to know a little more about you personally. You should be prepared to talk a little about your passion for the things included in your interest/personal section. However, be careful not to include personal information that the employer does not need to know, such as age, marital status or whether you have children.

PERSONAL Interests include travel, movies, vegetarian cooking, reading fiction, following
political news, and practicing yoga.

References
It is unnecessary to add "References (or writing samples/ transcripts) will be furnished upon request" at the end of your resume, as employers will ask you to provide them with your references and it occupies valuable space on your resume.	Bring a separate piece of paper listing three or four references to an interview (along with an extra copy of your resume) and be prepared to offer it if the interviewer mentions references.
This sheet should be formatted in the same manner as your resume. Your name, address and phone number should be at the top, with "References" typed in the same format as "Education" is on your resume. This title should then be followed by the names, titles, email, address, organization names, addresses and telephone numbers of references. It also is important to include a line or two about how you know the person. See sample reference sheet.	Give careful consideration to which references you will use for different employers, as some contacts may be more helpful for one position than another. Before you list someone as a reference, be sure to call them to ask permission, let them know the type of work you are pursuing and, if necessary, refresh their memory about your work.

Sending Your Resume	Follow Up
If the employer states a preference for email or another format (mail or fax, typically), follow his/her guidelines. Many times an organization will accept both emailed and hard copy applications.	Unless an employer requests no phone inquiries, it is smart to call the employer to confirm that your resume was received and indicate when you are available for an interview. Alternatively, you can send an email message if you have one for the hiring contact. It is particularly helpful to let an organization know if you will be coming to town and are available to meet.
	Be careful to balance persistence and enthusiasm about the position against aggressiveness and over-exuberance. The idea is for the employer to have your name in mind when turning his or her attention to final hiring decisions – not to harass them.
If you are sending your materials electronically, and no file format is specified, convert your files to PDF. Include both your last name and the type of document (resume, writing sample, etc.) in the filename to facilitate the recipient's ability to store and locate these files.	You can also send writing samples or other materials to update your resume if the hiring process takes some time. Calls or emails from practitioners or professors familiar with the employer are sure to impress potential employers and may land you an interview.

 

Cover Letters

Your cover letter is an excellent opportunity to communicate your personality, enthusiasm and professional strengths to a potential employer. It gives you a chance to highlight those experiences and interests that make you a unique applicant. Also, keep in mind that your letter gives the employer a sample of how well you write. As with your resume, be careful about typos. Vary your sentence structure to keep the employer interested; for example, do not begin every sentence with "I (verb)."

When writing to employers who have indicated specific job openings, you should draft a cover letter with the same creativity you put into your resume. Try to set a personal, yet professional, tone in your cover letters that adds a sense of who you are as an individual, why you are interested in this particular employer and why you will work well at that particular office. The less standardized your letter is, the better it will be remembered.

First, try to address your cover letter to the particular person responsible for hiring in each office. Simply call the personnel office or hiring contact and ask for the hiring attorney's name. Avoid addressing a letter "to whom it may concern." Show that you took the initiative to find out the person's name and title. Remember to confirm all contacts' information, as changes are inevitable. If possible, mention the name of the person who referred you to the job, as this is one highly effective form of networking. When all else fails, you can address your letter to the "Hiring Coordinator." In addition, be sure to spell-check your letter and edit any grammatical mistakes.

Your cover letter can convey more fully who you are than your resume. Go into detail about your background and skills instead of reiterating what is already on your resume. Cover letters should never serve simply as letters of transmittal. More and more, interview decisions rest on the employer's sense of you as a person. Your cover letter plays a pivotal role in creating this impression.

Length & Tone

Cover letters should be about a full page long. Your letter is an uninterrupted chance to tell an employer about yourself and to add depth to the credentials highlighted on your resume. Treat the cover letter much like a one-sided interview, using a slightly informal, conversational tone to convey your interest in the job and the relevant experiences that qualify you for the position.

Paragraph of Introduction

The first paragraph of your letter should serve to identify you (e.g., I am a first year student at Harvard Law School) and should explain why you are contacting them (e.g., I am interested in a summer internship with your office.). Mention how you learned about the organization or the specific job opening, whether it was from a friend, a previous intern in the office, an article in the paper, a speaker on a panel or a job announcement.

Qualifications & Interests

The middle paragraphs should stress those work experiences that are most relevant to the position without merely rehashing the descriptions in your resume. This section should include your public service experience, leadership positions, relevant course work, etc. Weave a story that explains your background and ends with why you are seeking work with this particular employer (e.g., your interest in civil rights).

Focus on how your skills fulfill the employer's needs. Doing so will show not only that you recognize your own capabilities, but that you also have done research about and understand the organization.

In this section, the employer expects to find out why he or she should consider you for the job. For this reason, you have to distinguish yourself from the crowd. Displaying genuine and informed enthusiasm for the position goes a long way, particularly when it is linked to your own work experience.

Concluding Paragraph

The last paragraph should thank the employer for his or her consideration, provide your telephone number and indicate that you will call within the next few weeks to set up a time to meet. Let out-of-town employers know if you will be in their area at some time in the near future in order to facilitate scheduling an interview.

Follow-up

Unless an employer requests no phone inquiries, it is often a smart follow-up strategy to telephone the employer to confirm that your resume was received and indicate when you are available for an interview. Alternatively, you can send an email message if you have one for the hiring contact. It is particularly helpful to let an organization know if you will be coming to town and are available to meet. You have to be careful to balance persistence and enthusiasm about the position against aggressiveness and overexuberance. The idea is for the employer to have your name in mind when turning his or her attention to final hiring decisions – not to harass them.

You can also send writing samples or other materials to update your resume if the hiring process takes some time. Calls or emails from practitioners or professors familiar with the employer are sure to impress potential employers and may land you an interview.

Below is an example of a good follow-up email:

Dear Ms. Landers,

I recently applied for a summer fellowship with your organization. Though I know how busy you must be, I just wanted to confirm that you had received my letter and resume. Also, if there is anything else I should do – including, perhaps, sending you a transcript or a writing sample – please let me know. You can reach me via email (jharvard@mail.edu) or by telephone (617.495.3108). Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
John Harvard

1563 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138

Sending Your Letter and Resume

If the employer states a preference for email or another format (mail or fax, typically), definitely follow his/her guidelines. Many times an organization will accept both emailed and hard copy applications. If you are sending your materials electronically, and no file format is specified, convert your files to PDF to preserve formatting. Be sure to include both your last name and the type of document (resume, writing sample, etc.) in the filename to facilitate the recipient's ability to store and locate these files. Also, if you are writing to a federal agency in Washington, DC, it is often wise to send your letter electronically (email or fax) because mail for US Government offices is subject to security measures and is often delayed by weeks or months

(all this information  is Harvard Law School © )

Ask BBL for free samples of Cover Letters and Cvs.