Legal Writing

Rules of the competition

1. Competitors will be provided with a mock firm style guide for memo writing, which they will be expected to follow.
2. On the competition day, competitors will receive an email from the firm “partner” asking them to prepare a memo on a discrete legal issue.
3. Competitors will then have three days in which to research and write their memo and email it to the competition coordinator.
4. There will be a page limit.
5. Late memos will not be considered for judging.
6. The decision of the judges will be final, and no appeals on any ground will be allowed.

Marking criteria

• Research skills – ability to find recent and useful cases and materials, and to stay within the confines of the research brief
• Writing skills – readability, professionalism and ‘Plain English’ skills
• Memo format – ability to follow the firm style guide

Judging format

• A panel of LSA members will compile a shortlist of no more than 10 memos
• A panel of Academics will decide on the Winner and Runner-Up