Winning Legal Briefs are Brief
Date: Oct 28, 2026 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick
Member Price: $143.00
Non-Member Price: $179.00
Section Price: $0.00
Areas of Law: Civil
Earn up to 2.4 credits! (More Information)
Featured Speaker
Moderator
Presenters
- Hon. Nelson Johnson, J.S.C. (Ret.)
- Author and Historian
Writing a brief is one of the most important things you do for your client - and one of the hardest to do well. Judges are busy readers, and the brief that wins is the one that makes its point and stops. Register today for Winning Legal Briefs are Brief and learn to write tighter, stronger briefs that persuade the court.
Every attorney writes on a word budget, whether the court rules set the page limit or the judge's attention does. As an attendee, you'll learn how to spend it wisely:
- Plan before you draft. You'll identify the issues that will decide the motion or appeal, rank your arguments by strength and decide what stays out before you write a single sentence.
- Write on a word budget. You'll allocate your pages to the arguments that matter, and stop spending them on procedural history, string cites and repetition.
- Lead with your best argument. You'll structure a brief so the court will find your strongest point on the first page, not the tenth.
- Make every sentence work. You'll trade legalese, throat-clearing and qualifiers for plain, precise language that advances your client's position.
- Edit like a judge. You'll learn to read your own draft the way the bench will, and cut what doesn't help your client win.
In this interactive, in-person workshop, you'll put these techniques to work on the page with an internationally renowned author who has read attorneys' briefs from the bench - and who wrote the NJSBA's book on legal writing. Whether you write trial motions or appellate briefs, you'll gain the confidence you need to plan ahead, write less and say more - and deliver excellent briefs for every client.
Register Today and Learn to Write Every Part of a Winning Brief, Including:
- Preliminary statements
- Legal arguments
- Conclusions
Program Agenda
- 12 p.m. | Instruction on Writing a Preliminary Statement
- 12:45 p.m. | Document review; Preparing a Preliminary Statement
- 1:50 p.m. | Review of Preliminary Statement
- 2 p.m. | Adjourn
Important Information About Our Events, Meetings, and More:
To secure your spot and receive important updates about our events, meetings, and other gatherings, such as schedule changes, remember to register in advance.
Digital Materials & Environmental Commitment: As part of our commitment to environmental sustainability, unless otherwise noted, all seminar materials are provided as digital downloads. You can access these materials through:
- The “My Links” section at the top of our website for in-person or online events
- Or, for online programs, the event access link included in your joining instructions
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
If you need to cancel your registration and are not transferring to another program or date, please submit a written request to us at least three business days before the event, meeting, or gathering. You will receive a refund minus a $20.00 cancellation fee. No refunds or registration changes will be issued within three business days of the event, meeting, or gathering.
Professional Conduct:
All attendees and participants are expected to conduct themselves professionally and treat others with respect at NJSBA events, meetings, and gatherings. This includes courteous communication, respecting perspectives, and creating a welcoming environment for all. Failure to adhere to this policy may result in removal from the event.
Stay Informed:
Registered participants will be notified of any schedule changes. For updates regarding inclement weather, please check your email or visit NJSBA.com.
Media Consent:
By participating in our events, meetings, or other gatherings, you agree to be photographed and/or recorded. Additionally, all media content captured during these gatherings will become the property of NJSBA. This content, including your image and name, may be used in our future promotional materials without additional consent or compensation.
Scholarship & Financial Assistance Policy:
Read our Scholarship & Financial Assistance Policy and submit an Application here: https://njsba.com/njicle/cle-programs/scholarship/