Jill Barton is a law professor, legal writing scholar, and author of three books. She directs the legal writing program at the University of Miami School of Law. Her latest book, The Supreme Guide to Writing, draws on a five-year study of U.S. Supreme Court opinions and turns today’s best legal writing into practical lessons anyone can use. Her next book, The Handbook for the New Legal Writer (4th ed. 2027), tackles the question facing every lawyer and law student today: what AI means for the profession’s most essential skill. It pairs legal writing fundamentals with practical guidance on using AI without sacrificing judgment, precision, or voice.
There’s a writing revolution at the U.S. Supreme Court.
The days of stodgy legal writing are over. Today’s Supreme Court justices cast aside formality in favor of approachable language—their opinions are dotted with pithy phrases, contractions, and pop-culture references. The Supreme Guide to Writing details a revolution in legal writing, with the justices progressing beyond the drab and technical for the deft and lyrical. With the first-ever analysis of 10,000 pages of opinions, this writing playbook shows you how to master modern writing style and grammar with the justices as your guide.
Revolution: a dramatic and wide-reaching change in the way something works or in people's ideas about it.
Write Like the Best
Practice the grammar and style choices that make legal writing clear, concise, and compelling with this interactive coach built from thousands of pages of U.S. Supreme Court opinions.
Do you write like a Supreme Court justice? Find out in a few quick questions—and see where your answers match the Court’s modern writing style, where they don’t, and where the justices disagree with one another.
Good writing is a skill you can build. These short episodes teach practical lessons in legal writing, from the fundamentals like writing a memo or motion to the finer points of style—using word choice, sentence structure, rhythm, and voice to make your writing clearer and more compelling.