Writing Efficiently—And Billing For It
I. Overview.
II. Know Your Project.
A. What are you supposed to be writing?
B. Who is your audience?
C. What is your purpose?
D. What is your timeframe?
E. What is your bottom line position?
III. Know Yourself.
A. What are your strengths?
B. More important, what are your weaknesses?
IV. Getting Started—For Litigators.
A. Remember IRAC: Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion.
B. Make a quick list of the issues.
C. Work FAST.
1. Feel.
2. Act.
3. Stretch.
4. Think.
5. And feel again.
V. Getting Started—For Transactional Lawyers.
A. What is your client’s goal?
B. If modifying, skim once for the overview.
C. If you’re drafting a new agreement, do you have a form from which to start?
D. Start with the basics.
E. Move on to the second tier—next crucial points.
F. Move on to the third tier—what’s outside of the four corners of the agreement?
VI. Billing Your Time.
A. Keep records of your work.
B. Crafting your time entries.
C. Pitfalls to avoid.
D. Final examples.
