Internal Legal Memos

You must write an internal legal memo, either for school or for internal use in a law firm or other legal practice setting. This booklet can help you by showing you the complete process of writing an internal legal memo. This practical, systematic method will start with a basic discussion of the purpose of the memo and end with a final proofreading. In between that first and last step, you will learn how to write each section of an internal legal memo, section by section. These sectional breakdowns show you exactly what to include in different places within the memo. You will no longer need to guess what to write and where to write it. By using the breakdown, the various pieces of the document will work together to create a coherent and complete memo.

For the purposes of this booklet, it does not matter if you skip around and take the sections out of order. The booklet will proceed in the pattern most internal legal memos adopt:

Heading

Questions Presented

Short Answer

Facts

Table of Authorities

Discussion

Conclusion

This booklet not only helps you draft an internal legal memo, but it shows you a critical thinking process important to the practice of law. Working the sections carefully the first time will teach you the method. Then, when you must write another internal legal memo, use this booklet as a reference to help you remember what each section must include. The more you use the method, the easier it will be.