Facilitator Guide

Tips for Persuasive Writing

Facilitator Guide

Tips for Persuasive Writing

Topic: Motion Practice
Duration: 1 hr
Format: Remote or in person

What’s covered

The right tone for a brief
Stylistic tips
Storytelling in a brief
Citing to authorities well
Structuring your arguments

Before the session

Prepare the Attendees

Send the attendees an invitation for the session. Include this link, which has the videos and exercise they’ll need to prepare.

https://www.hotshotlegal.com/trainings/tips-for-persuasive-writing/attendee

Prepare Yourself

Watch the videos and read the exercise so you’re familiar with the Hotshot material.

Course

Tips for Persuasive Writing

How to write a brief persuasively, including achieving the right tone, style, and language. Also includes how to present your facts effectively and target your audience.
Exercise
PDF

During the session

Part 1: Knowledge Check

Ask attendees these questions to ensure they understand the topic:

What tone should you use when writing a brief to the court, and why?
How can you use emphasis to make your brief more persuasive? What are the risks of using too much emphasis?
Why is using a theme a useful persuasive writing tool? What are some ways to develop your theme?
How should you handle long quotes in your brief?
How can you avoid letting the other side’s arguments take over your brief? Why is this important?

Part 2: Group Exercise

Lead a group discussion based on the exercise. To encourage collaboration, divide the attendees into groups to discuss the exercise, then have a representative from each group summarize their views to the larger group. Call on people to share their thoughts and ask others to respond.

Tip for remote sessions: use your web conferencing system’s breakout room feature to divide people into groups.

Part 3: War Stories and Firm Specifics

Share your own experiences and guidance, including:

Anecdotes and war stories (e.g., about a near-disaster or a tough negotiation)
General practice tips (dos and don’ts)
Firm-specific guidance and practices

After the session

To continue their learning, attendees can check out related courses in Hotshot’s Motion Practice topic.

About Hotshot

Hotshot helps lawyers develop their legal, business, and technology skills through short videos, quizzes, and summaries, and we help law firms and law schools plan and deliver engaging training programs. Our customers include Am Law 200 firms, top law schools, and regional and international firms.