Structure, Style, and Layout of Legal Writing

Law Essays

Unless you are told otherwise, the very minimum requirements of a law essay or problem question are an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

• Introduction: As a very basic guide, for essay style, layout, the structure of legal writing questions, the introduction will represent about 10% of your word count. It may draft a brief interpretation of the question and what you intend to express in the essay. For problem questions, the introduction will be just short and simple, stating the areas of law and main statutes/cases.
• Body: The body should account for the majority of the word count. It should demonstrate your understanding of the area and develop your discussion. Referring expressly to the question is advisable.
• Conclusion: The conclusion will represent about 10 – 15% of the total word count. It should summarize your main findings and points, and answer the question consistently with your discussion in the body. Do not introduce new points in the conclusion.

Law Reports

A good structure for a law report is:

• Title Page: Includes the title, author, date etc.
• Summary/Synopsis: Brief overview of the purpose, scope, important results, conclusions and recommendations. Approx. 10% of word count.
• Table of Contents: Lists the sections and subsections of the report.
• Body: Introduction, arguments divided into logical sections/subsections, confined to facts rather than opinion.
• Conclusion: Relate back to findings in body, summarize main points, state research findings. No new information should be introduced here.

The style should be formal, impersonal, and drafted clearly. Headings and subheadings should be used to organize content. Aim for precision, simplicity and clarity in language.