Point made how to write like the nation's top advocates

426 Pages·2014·1.69 MB·English

by  Guberman

0000__99778800119999994433885522__CC00..iinndddd iiii 2222--0011--22001144 1188::2288::3344
POINT MADE
0000__99778800119999994433885522__CC00..iinndddd ii 2222--0011--22001144 1188::2288::3344
0000__99778800119999994433885522__CC00..iinndddd iiii 2222--0011--22001144 1188::2288::3344
P O I N T   M A D E
How to Write Like the Nation’s
Top Advocates
SECOND EDITION
Ross Guberman

0000__99778800119999994433885522__CC00..iinndddd iiiiii 2222--0011--22001144 1188::2288::3344
Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s
objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.
Oxford New York
Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid
Melbourne Mexico City Nairobi New Delhi Shanghai Taipei Toronto
With offi ces in
Argentina Austria Brazil Chile Czech Republic France Greece
Guatemala Hungary Italy Japan Poland Portugal Singapore South Korea
Switzerland Th ailand Turkey Ukraine Vietnam
Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and certain other countries.
Published in the United States of America by
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
© Oxford University Press 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or t ransmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing
of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by license, or under terms
agreed with the appropriate reproduction rights organization. Inquiries concerning
reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department,
Oxford University Press, at the address above.
You must not circulate this work in any other form
a nd you must impose this same condition on any acquirer.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Guberman, Ross
Point made : how to write like the nation’s top advocates / Ross Guberman.—Second edition.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-19-994385-2 ((pbk.) : alk. paper)
1. Legal briefs—United States. 2. Legal composition. I. Title.
KF251.G83 2014
808.06'634—dc23
2013028579
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
Note to Readers
Th is publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to
the subject matter covered. It is based upon sources believed to be accurate and reliable and is
intended to be current as of the time it was written. It is sold with the understanding that the
publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal
advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person
should be sought. Also, to confi rm that the information has not been aff ected or changed by
recent developments, traditional legal research techniques should be used, including checking
primary sources where appropriate.
(Based on the Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the
American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations.)
You may order this or any other Oxford University Press publication
by visiting the Oxford University Press website at www.oup.com.
0000__99778800119999994433885522__CC00..iinndddd iivv 2222--0011--22001144 1188::2288::3344
To Heidi, Sean, and Meghan
0000__99778800119999994433885522__CC00..iinndddd vv 2222--0011--22001144 1188::2288::3355
0000__99778800119999994433885522__CC00..iinndddd vvii 2222--0011--22001144 1188::2288::3355
Contents
Preface to the Second Edition | xxv
Acknowledgments for the First Edition | x xvii
Introduction | x xix
PART ONE Th e Th eme | 1
1. Brass Tacks : Explain “who, what, when, where, why, how” | 3
Eric Holder, I n re Chiquita Banana | 5
Joshua Rosenkranz, Facebook, Inc. v. ConnectU, Inc. | 6
Fred Bartlit, Pinpoint v. Amazon | 7
Brendan Sullivan, Greg Craig, and Nicole Seligman, Calvin
Klein Trademark Trust v. Wachner | 8
David Boies and Ted Olson, H ollingsworth v. Perry | 9
Bernie Nussbaum, IBP v. Tyson Foods | 10
Larry Robbins, United States v. Bayly | 10
2. Th e Short List : Number your path to victory | 13
A. Your list is governed by factors or rules | 14
Seth Waxman, MercExchange v. eBay | 15
B. You need to address threshold questions before addressing
the merits | 1 6
Ted Olson, Robinson v. Bowen | 16
0000__99778800119999994433885522__CC00..iinndddd vviiii 2222--0011--22001144 1188::2288::3355
viii | CONTENTS
C. Your dispute is complex or fact-driven | 17
Maureen Mahoney, Grutter v. Bollinger | 17
Larry Tribe, Gratz v. Bollinger | 18
Brendan Sullivan, U nited States v. Forbes | 19
Ted Olson, Offi ce of Independent Counsel v. Favish | 20
D. You need to regain the off ensive in response to your
opponent’s arguments | 2 1
Kathleen Sullivan, SEC v. Siebel Systems | 21
Herbert Wachtell, N FL Enterprises v. EchoStar Satellite | 23
David Boies, W einstein v. Smokewood Entertainment | 24
3. Why Should I Care? : Give the court a reason to want to fi nd
for you | 27
A. Th e fear of misconstruing a doctrine or statute | 28
Carter Phillips, Miller-El v. Dretke | 29
Stephen Shapiro, Stoneridge Investment Partners v. Scientifi c
Atlantica | 29
Barack Obama, Tyus v. Bosley | 30
B. Th e fear of creating new duties, rules, or defenses | 30
Jamie Gorelick, Carrington v. Duke University | 31
Larry Lessig, W arner Bros. Entertainment v. RDR Books | 32
C. Th e fear of reaching an unfair result or causing harm | 32
Greg Craig, United States v. Conrad Black | 33
Bernie Nussbaum, Judith Kaye v. Sheldon Silver | 34
Stephen M. Shapiro, Linde v. Arab Bank, PLC | 34
Stephen M. Shapiro, Mayo Collaborative Services v. 
Prometheus Laboratories, Inc. | 35
Kathleen Sullivan, FCC v. Fox | 36
Ted Olson, MGM v. Grokster | 37
Paul Smith, K eepseagle v. Vilsack | 38
4. Flashpoint : Draw a line in the sand | 39
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, R egents of the University of California
v. Bakke | 39
0000__99778800119999994433885522__CC00..iinndddd vviiiiii 2222--0011--22001144 1188::2288::3355