Thorunn McCoy

my class is starting in a few weeks, spent the morning writing out my AI policy

I must regretfully advise that it has come time to shut down all federal courts. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…

#BuenosDiasATodos La subida del KmVertical® Fuente Dé está increíble para que la disfruten los participantes de la 14 edición este sábado 8 de Junio.

At the #LWIBiennial2024, we will feature a full day devoted to programming directly aimed at legal professionals and students preparing to enter the legal profession. Please join us!

Good legal stories do more than inform—they reach audiences on a deeper level. An emotional one. Stories help explain, teach, and sway judges and juries in a way that’s different from the standard legal arguments. Let’s go one level deeper and dig into the details. 1/🧵

Justice Elena Kagan penned a copyright opinion recently that largely went under the radar. But the writing tools are worth paying attention to! Let’s learn six powerful writing moves from one of the best legal writers in the world. 1/🧵

I love this so much — the typefaces used by the federal courts of appeals in their opinions (HT Cedric Bond; follow him on LinkedIn, if you don’t already):

Top legal writers know quality often trumps quantity. Let’s check out some powerhouse legal writing moves from two teams that couldn’t be more different: An elite group at the U.S. Supreme Court led by @PaulWeissLLP and a small plaintiff’s firm out of Nevada. 1/🧵

Find inspiration in this stellar opening in Judge Carlton Reeves's QI opinion! Proof that crisp, spare writing can work beautifully even when other lawyers or judges would favor a self-consciously rhetorical style. Median words per sentence: 9! s3.documentcloud.org/documents/2467… #legalwriting #legaltech

Move On! A quick way to tighten your motions & briefs #legalwriting #legaltech BriefCatch.com

@ValledeCamaleno No se. Quizas San Pelayo?

Liébana tiene rincones increíbles por descubrir como este 👇, ¿Sabes que pueblo es?

Yet another classic model opening today from Justice Kagan in an otherwise dry case. A seamless explanation of the issue and its resolution followed by a flowing narrative account of the facts. #legalwriting #SCOTUS supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf…

Common MBE Trap: Questions will present in Torts where the facts will allow for strict liability. Maybe someone is selling a dangerously defective product, or is engaged in an abnormally dangerous activity, or etc. But the facts will also tell you how careful the person acted while doing so. They used "state of the art equipment," or "took all necessary precaution" or "acted with the utmost care," or etc. Important to remember that when strict liability is at issue none of that matters. You're liable regardless of the degree of care. One way to think about this test is that if the standard of care mattered, the test writers wouldn't be so in your face about how careful the person was. They like to hide what matters and highlight what doesn't. So when you see them showing their cards, consider if they are showing you a fake deck.

Someone tipped me off to a superb @KannonShanmugam merits brief in Jackson v. United States. Want to write even better briefs? Here are eight ways to follow that lead. 1/10 #appellatetwitter #legaltech #legalwriting #scotus

@ValledeCamaleno Cosgaya!!!

#BuenosDiasATodos Esta agradable lluvia está preparando Liébana para cuando los rayos del ☀ hagan brillar el verde mágico de Cantabria.

OK, I think I will go ahead with a free summer "course" giving an introduction to MARITIME LAW for whoever is interested, wherever you are in the world! You can be a student, attorney, or just someone interested. I plan to meet on Zoom/Teams once a week to go through the 1/3

Unnecessary detail of any kind tires the reader, who wonders if they need to remember it, and distracts them from relevant detail. Sure, use dates where jurisdictionally relevant but not otherwise. You don't see a lot of "0n [date]," in John Roberts & Elena Kagan opinions.

Me, when a brief has hyperlinked the record and the cases.

Two mistakes here. Does anyone see them? #legalwriting

Justice Kagan wrote an everyday opinion this week. But that doesn't mean she used everyday writing. Check out three powerful writing moves from one of the best legal writers in the world. 1/x