Law Firm Consulting
Writing, Judgment, and Communication in Practice
I work with law firms to help summer associates and junior attorneys develop the writing habits that matter in practice: clarity under time pressure, audience awareness, and judgment in translating analysis into usable work product.
My sessions are practical, interactive, and designed specifically for firm environments—not academic writing. These intensives are practical, engaging, and tailored to the work they’ll be asked to do from their very first week.
Who This Is For
Summer associate programs
Junior associates (litigation and/or corporate)
Professional development and training teams
Firms looking to reinforce writing quality, efficiency, and confidence early
These sessions are especially effective at moments of transition—from law school to firm practice, or from theory to responsibility.
My Approach
I’m a former Simpson Thacher litigator and a current law professor teaching legal writing. In both my teaching and consulting, I focus on the writing challenges associates actually face once they arrive at firms:
Writing for multiple audiences (partners, clients, courts)
Making analysis usable, not just correct
Managing tone, structure, and clarity under time pressure
Reducing revision cycles through better initial drafts
The goal is not stylistic polish for its own sake, but work product that builds trust.
Briefly Written: Training young lawyers to write less, say more, and stand out from day one.
Why Bring Me In?
Immediate ROI: Associates improve their performance on the exact tasks firms evaluate.
Retention & Reputation: Clear writers and confident speakers strengthen client trust and firm culture.
Tailored Approach: I design each intensive around your practice areas and your associates’ needs.
Core Offerings
Clarity is credibility. In each session, I teach associates how to:
Cut through legalese and write in plain, persuasive prose
Structure memos, emails, and briefs with precision
Edit with an eye for both speed and impact
Deliver writing that partners want to read
Associates leave with actionable tools and confidence to produce high-quality work that reflects well on them and the firm.
Explore each offering in detail below:
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Writing in Law Firms: A Practical Session for Summer & Junior Associates
This session bridges the gap between law school writing and law firm practice. Rather than academic frameworks, the focus is on how writing functions inside firms—as a tool for communication, judgment, and efficiency.
Session focus includes:
Writing with the reader in mind (partners, clients, courts)
Translating legal analysis into usable work product
Structuring drafts to reduce revision cycles
Common early-career writing pitfalls and how to avoid them
Format:
60–90 minute interactive session
Examples drawn from real law firm practice (anonymized)
Adaptable for litigation and/or corporate associates
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This session is designed for litigation teams and focuses on translating strong legal analysis into persuasive, efficient written advocacy.
Session focus includes:
Structuring arguments for judges and senior litigators
Distilling facts without overloading detail
Writing effective internal research memoranda
Reducing revision cycles in briefs and motions
Representative examples:
Internal research memos
Draft briefs and motion outlines
Client-facing litigation updates
Format:
60–90 minute interactive session
Suitable for summer associates or junior litigators
Designed to complement existing training programs
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This session focuses on clarity, judgment, and tone in fast-moving transactional environments.
Session focus includes:
Writing clear, efficient communications for deal teams and clients
Translating complex transactions into usable summaries
Precision in email, diligence, and transactional memoranda
Managing tone and judgment under time pressure
Representative examples:
Deal update emails
Due diligence summaries
Transactional memoranda
Format:
60–90 minute interactive session
Adaptable for summer associates or junior corporate attorneys
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This session is designed specifically for summer associates navigating the shift from law school to law firm practice—a transition where writing expectations change quickly, and often without being made explicit.
The focus is not on academic writing, citation mechanics, or theoretical frameworks. Instead, the session centers on how writing actually functions inside firms: as a tool for communication, judgment, and trust.
Summer associates often arrive with strong analytical skills, but little guidance on how to translate that analysis into work product that partners and senior associates can immediately use. This session makes those expectations visible.
Key areas of focus include:
Understanding what partners and senior associates are really looking for in written work
Writing clearly and efficiently under time pressure
Structuring analysis so it is immediately usable, not just technically correct
Common writing mistakes summer associates make—and how to avoid them
What summer associates will learn:
How to approach assignments when instructions are minimal, incomplete, or evolving
How to communicate uncertainty and judgment without undermining confidence
How to anticipate follow-up questions and revisions before they’re requested
How writing quality signals professionalism, reliability, and readiness
The session emphasizes habits that reduce revision cycles, improve clarity, and help summer associates understand how their writing fits into larger client and team goals.
Format:
60-minute interactive session
Examples drawn from real law firm practice (anonymized)
Suitable for litigation or corporate summer programs
Designed to complement existing summer associate programming
This session works especially well early in the summer, when expectations are forming, but can also be effective mid-program as associates begin receiving feedback and revising work product.
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All sessions can be tailored based on:
Practice mix (litigation, corporate, or mixed)
Associate level
Firm culture and training goals
Summer program structure and timing
Sessions are designed to complement existing professional development programming.
Booking
If you’d like to discuss scheduling a session for your summer class or full-time associates, reach out below.
Because when your associates succeed early, your firm succeeds always.
Public Speaking Intensives
Practical Training for Presence, Clarity, and Confidence
Confidence in the courtroom, the boardroom, and even the team meeting starts here. In this workshop, attorneys learn to:
Organize thoughts quickly under pressure
Present arguments with authority and clarity
Handle nerves and maintain presence
Adapt delivery for different audiences (partners, clients, judges)
Participants walk away with practical frameworks they can apply immediately, whether it’s for a client pitch or a case presentation.
Client Reviews
“Kerry is an incredibly effective and encouraging speaker. I will frequently refer to her presentation in my communications across my department and the larger Firm.
— Olivia, Former Customer“Kerry presented one of the most helpful sessions I have attended in professional development. The skills are useful and applicable to everyone work.”
— Sydney, Former Customer“This session was very informative about creating well-structured emails that build credibility as a legal professional.”
— Grace, Former Customer“This session was so helpful not only for the legal world, but any professional environment where confidence and credibility are paramount.”
— Kristyan, Former Customer“Kerry’s techniques for professional communication are extremely impactful and helpful for all team members. I look forward to implementing them in my daily routine.”
— Gage, Former Customer“This was the perfect session. It was relevant to my everyday work and broke things down in effective and concise methods.”
— Emily, Former Customer