Navigating this Blog

There are countless ways to style legal writing. In this blog, you will find various approaches to legal writing that I
have found to be effective. Take it all with a grain of salt.
I hope some of this helps. Good luck!

Memo Outline

To:
From:
Date:
Re:

______________________________________________________
MEMORANDUM
Issue(s)
Briefsinglesentenceissuestatement,whichappropriatelydefinesthelegalquestionaddressedandincludesa
fewrelevantfactsthatgotoansweringthatlegalquestion.
BriefAnswer(s)
Briefanswertoyourissuestatementthatbeginswitha"yes"ora"no"andfollowswithasuccinctexplanationof
yourbasisforthatanswer,preferablyincludingthefactsthatsupportyourconclusion.
Facts
Succinctstatementoffactsthatincludesallfactsthatyouanalyzeinyourdiscussionsectionandanyotherfacts
necessaryforrelevance.
Discussion
Umbrellaparagraph(s)outliningyourdiscussionsection,introducingthevarioustopicsyouwilladdressbelow
(usuallyintheformofstatementsofthecontrollinglegalrulesthatyouanalyzebelow).
I.Subsection(s)YourheadingshouldbeastatementofyourConclusiontothefirstlegalruleyouareanalyzing.
YourfirstsentenceofyouranalysisshouldclearlystatetheapplicableRule.Yoursecondandpossiblythird
sentenceshouldprovideandExplanationoftheRule,whichservesasaroadmaptoyourreaderbyinformingyour
readerofthetopicsthatyouaregoingtoaddressintheremainderofyouranalysissection.
Followingyourintroductoryparagraphcomesyourfirstanalysisparagraph,whichyoushouldstartwithatopic
sentencethatmirrorsthefirsttopicthatyoulistedinyourExplanationoftheRuleabove.Followingyourtopic
sentence,youshouldanalyzecasesthatdiscussthattopic,andyoushouldthencomparethefactsofyourcasesto
theholdingsandfactsofthecasesthatyoudiscussed.
Youwilllikelyhaveanumberofanalysisparagraphs,dependingonthenatureofyourlegalissue.Ifthelegal
issuesarecomplex,youmaychoosetobreakupyouranalysisbysubsections.
Yourfinalparagraph/sentenceshouldsuccinctlyrepeatyourConclusionforthisanalysissection.
II.Subsection(s)
Repeatabove.
III.Subsection(s)
Repeatabove.
Conclusion

SampleOutline:

MEMORANDUM

Issue
WhetherLindaPetersen,ownerofPetersenPilates,Inc.fitnesscenter("PPI")anddeveloperofaunique
personalizedPilatestrainingmethod,hasaclaimagainstAlexandriaDimitri,aformerPPIemployee,for
misappropriationofatradesecretresultingfromMs.Dimitri'sunauthorizeduseofasimilartrainingmethodat
anotherfitnesscenter.
BriefAnswer

Yes,acourtwouldmostlikelyfindthatMs.Petersen'spersonalizedPilatesplanmethodcouldbeatradesecret
andMs.Dimitri'suseofthismethodatanotherfitnesscentercouldconstitutemisappropriationofthattradesecret
becauseMs.DimitrishouldhaveknownthatheracquisitionofthemethodwasimproperandMs.Dimitriusedthe
methodwithoutMs.Petersen'sexpressorimpliedconsent.
Facts
[[Includeconciseexplanationoffacts]]
Discussion
ThevalidityofMs.Petersen'sclaimfortradesecretmisappropriationdependsuponwhether(1)thePPISystem
couldbeatradesecret,(2)Ms.DimitrishouldhaveknownthatheracquisitionofthePPISystemwasthrough
impropermeans,and(3)Ms.DimitriusedthePPISystemwithoutMs.Petersen'sconsent.Theseissuesare
governedbytheColoradoUniformTradeSecretsAct("COUTSA"),C.R.S.A.774102(2009).Mineral

Deposits
Limitedv.Zigan,773P.2d606,608(Colo.App.1989).WhetherthePPISystemisatradesecretandwhetherMs.
Dimitri'sacquisitionanduseofthePPJSystemconstitutedmisappropriationarequestionsoffact.GoldMessenger,
Inc.v.McGuay,937P.2d907,911(Colo.App.1997);PowellProducts,Inc.v.Marks,948F.Supp.1469,1482(D.
Colo.1996).
I.AcourtwouldlikelyfindthatPetersen'sPPISystemconstitutesatradesecret.
a.Ms.Petersen'sPPISystemwasnotknownoutsideofherbusiness.
[[AnalysisintheformofCREAC]]
b.Ms.Petersen'semployeesdidnotknowhowthePPISystemoperated.
[[AnalysisintheformofCREAC]]
c.Ms.Petersentookadequatemeasurestoprotectthetradesecret.
[[AnalysisintheformofCREAC]]
II.Ms.DimitrishouldhaveknownthatsheimproperlyacquiredthePPISystem.
[[AnalysisintheformofCREAC]]
III.Ms.DimitriusedthePPISystemwithoutMs.Petersen'sconsent.
[[AnalysisintheformofCREAC]]
Conclusion
Ms.PetersenshouldsucceedwithhermisappropriationoftradesecretclaimagainstMs.Dimitribecause(1)Ms.
Petersen'sPPISystemislikelyatradesecret,(2)Ms.DimitriacquiredMs.Petersen'sPPISystemthroughimproper
means,and(3)Ms.DimitriusedthePPISystemwithoutMs.Petersen'sconsent.