Career & Professional Development Blog

Great advice about your writing

From NY Lawyer

Ross Guberman is a writing consultant whose advice is sound.

Summer Associates: Write Better, Go Farther

You have to register, but it is free.

Susan Gainen, University of Minnesota Law School

One Space or Two? That is the Question

A little while back, the national career services listserv (NALP) had a flurry of postings about what is proper: one space or two between sentences in a cover letter?

Most of us were taught that you should always put two spaces between sentences, but more and more students use only one space. Admittedly, when I first started here it drove me crazy every time I saw only one space between sentences. Now, I realize it is more a matter of personal preference in most situations and that consistency is key.

The Chicago Manual of Style states that the two space rule is outdated and that only one space should be used. It traces the rule back to the use of typewriters and says that in this fast-paced, technology-driven society, one space is simply more efficient.

Here at the UW College of Law, the Director of our Legal Writing Program, Professor Michael Smith teaches that "two spaces are generally preferred, but one space is okay as long as the font creates enough space between sentences and the student uses a period for the reader to easily identify sentence breaks. The main thing I tell students is 'be consistent!'" But will employers, many of whom learned the two-space rule themselves, think your writing is subpar if you only have one space between sentences? While an employer has never complained to me (yet), I know from personal experience that law firms may have their own preferences how things are done once someone is hired into their office. My former employer was very particular about spacing issues. Personally, if it is a document that is sent in the snail mail, I think two spaces looks better in the print format. For reading things online (like this blog) one space seems preferable. If the document is an electronic submission that will be printed out (for example, a cover letter that will be printed out by the employer), then I recommend two spaces.

By Anetra D. E. Parks, J.D., University of Wyoming College of Law, Laramie, WY

Podcast series to aid transition from law student to legal professional

Suffolk University Law School launched a free podcast series titled "Transitioning from One-L to Summer Legal Work. The series, comprised of 19 podcasts, provides law students with valuable information and practical advice on how to successfully transition from law school to legal work settings, including how to draft e-mails to partners, etiquette at social work functions, and interacting with support staff.

Professor Jeff Lipshaw first alerted the legal blogging community about this new career development tool on the Legal Profession Blog on May 28, 2008. Professor Lipshaw introduces the new resource to law students with a persuasive encouragement.

It's time to clean up, put on the suits, and go to work. And Suffolk University Law School's acclaimed legal research and writing program now has just the iPod content you need for those commutes into the office.

You can read the complete post at the hyperlink below.

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2008/05/new-free-podcas.html

I encourage readers to share these podcasts with their respective students. Imagine the results if more law students entered the practice with crisper skill sets related to the profession. The podcasts are availables Suffolk University Law School's iTunes U.

http://www.law.suffolk.edu/iTunes/

Carlos Davila-Caballero, Tulane University Law School