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POINT MADE
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P O I N T M A D E
How to Write Like the Nation’s
Top Advocates
SECOND EDITION
Ross Guberman
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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
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To Heidi, Sean, and Meghan
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Contents
Preface to the Second Edition | xxv
Acknowledgments for the First Edition | x xvii
Introduction | xxix
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, C alvin
Klein Trademark Trust v. Wachner | 8
David Boies and Ted Olson, Hollingsworth 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
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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 | 2 7
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
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