Legal Writing Week is a writing-based workshop program that focuses specifically on effective legal writing in federal sector employment law cases. We’ll start you off with the fundamentals of good legal writing and then build on those basics with sessions targeted to material organization, persuasive factual narratives, writing for your audience and drafting specific documents for the MSPB and EEOC. Analysis and evaluation of writing exercises allows you to receive immediate feedback from our instructors.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Ernest Hadley
Daily Agenda
Monday
Legal Writing I — The Basics: Legal writing and citation formats, argumentative approaches, writing from the reader’s perspective, organizational logic, word choice and structure, legal terms and court structure. Workshops: Spin Words, Speed Ball Exercise & Spin an Issue, Putting it All Together
Tuesday
Legal Writing II — Writing for Your Audience: Defining and distinguishing claims, defenses and issues, the factual narrative, identification of material facts, and persuasion. Workshops: Defining Claims, Writing the Agency Factual Statement, Writing the Employee Factual Statement
Wednesday
Legal Writing III — Writing for Your Audience (con’t.): Educating the reader, analyzing the evidence, organizing the arguments, distinguishing cases. Workshops: State the Rule, Writing the Analysis.
Thursday
Legal Writing IV — Writing for the MSPB and EEOC: Charges and penalties, drafting proposed discipline and decision documents. Workshops: Writing a Notice of Proposed Discipline, Writing a Final Agency Decision.
Friday
Legal Writing V — Writing for the MSPB and EEOC (con’t.): Motion practice and summary judgment, MSPB petitions for review and EEOC appeals, deconstruction and critique of final decisions, editing your work. Workshop: Deconstruction of a Final Decision.
Pricing
Most people attend the full training week, but you may opt out of any days you don’t plan to attend.
- 5 days = $2050
- 4 days = $1680
- 3 days = $1290
- 2 days = $910
- 1 day = $490
Earn your Ethics CLE credits the FELTG way. Attend this special two-hour webinar with Ethics content focused especially on government attorneys.
Instructor
Agenda:
1:00-1:05 Welcome, Opening Remarks
1:05-1:25 A Lawyer’s Responsibilities
— Virginia State Bar, Rules of Professional Conduct
1:25-1:45 Agency Lawyers: Defining the Client
1:45-2:05 Agency Lawyers: Relationship to Managers
2:05-2:25 Agency Lawyers: Filings and Pleadings
2:25-2:55 More on Agency Lawyers:
— Professional conduct
— Communication with nonclients
— Personal Attorney/Client Privilege
— Contractors
— Agency Lawyer as witness and possibility of OSC investigations
2:55-3:00 Q & A, Closing remarks
Pricing
- $310 per site; register a teleworker (in addition to a main site registration) for only $35
Sessions are held daily from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Instructors
Deborah Hopkins, Ernest Hadley
Daily Agenda
Monday
Legal Writing I — The Basics: Legal writing and citation formats, argumentative approaches, writing from the reader’s perspective, organizational logic, word choice and structure, legal terms and court structure. Workshops: Spin Words, Speed Ball Exercise & Spin an Issue, Putting it All Together
Tuesday
Legal Writing II — Writing for Your Audience: Defining and distinguishing claims, defenses and issues, the factual narrative, identification of material facts, and persuasion. Workshops: Defining Claims, Writing the Agency Factual Statement, Writing the Employee Factual Statement
Wednesday
Legal Writing III — Writing for Your Audience (con’t.): Educating the reader, analyzing the evidence, organizing the arguments, distinguishing cases. Workshops: State the Rule, Writing the Analysis.
Thursday
Legal Writing IV — Writing for the MSPB and EEOC: Charges and penalties, drafting proposed discipline and decision documents. Workshops: Writing a Notice of Proposed Discipline, Writing a Final Agency Decision.
Friday
Legal Writing V — Writing for the MSPB and EEOC (con’t.): Motion practice and summary judgment, MSPB petitions for review and EEOC appeals, deconstruction and critique of final decisions, editing your work. Workshop: Deconstruction of a Final Decision.
Pricing
Most people attend the full training week, but you may opt out of any days you don’t plan to attend.
- 5 days = $2070
- 4 days = $1700
- 3 days = $1310
- 2 days = $930
- 1 day = $510
In the world of federal sector EEO, we often see cases where agencies lose appeals of EEO decisions not on merit but because of the way the appeal is written, or breach settlement agreements over ambiguously written clauses. Or, what about a motion for summary judgment that should have been granted because there truly were no disputes of material fact, yet wasn’t granted because of a technicality in how the motion was written? These things happen too often – but they shouldn’t. Luckily, we have a fix for these mistakes!
Join FELTG for this writing-based workshop program that focuses specifically on effective legal writing in federal sector EEO cases. After a quick overview of the fundamentals of good legal writing we will build on those basics with sessions targeted to material organization, framing claims, neutral and persuasive writing, and drafting specific documents for the EEOC, including Letters of Acceptance/Dismissal, Final Agency Decisions, Motions for Summary Judgment, Appeals, and EEO Settlement Agreements. Analysis and evaluation of writing exercises allows you to receive immediate feedback from our instructors. Come prepared to write!
Sessions are held daily from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Instructors
Katherine Atkinson, Meghan Droste
Tuesday
EEO Writing I: The Foundation: Legal writing and citation formats; argumentative approaches; writing from the reader’s perspective; plain language; defining and distinguishing claims, defenses and issues; fixing fragmentation.
Wednesday
EEO Writing II: Neutral Legal Writing: educating the reader; Writing Letters of Acceptance/Dismissal; understanding settlement in federal sector EEO cases; parts of a settlement agreement; drafting legally enforceable settlement agreements; mistakes to avoid.
Thursday
EEO Writing III: Persuasive Legal Writing: Identification of material facts and persuasion; analyzing the evidence, organizing the arguments; distinguishing cases; writing Final Agency Decisions; motion practice and summary judgment; writing an effective Motion for Summary Judgment; OFO briefs; EEOC appeals.
Pricing
Most people attend the full three days, but you may opt out of any days you don’t plan to attend.
- 3 days = $1340
- 2 days = $950
- 1 day = $520
Metro, Parking, Directions
Metro: The International Student House (1825 R Street NW) is located in convenient proximity to the Red Line. Exit Metro at the Dupont Circle station and proceed to the Q Street/North exit. Head north (you will come off the escalator facing north; if you use the elevator take a left after exiting) on Connecticut Avenue to R Street NW (approximately one block). Turn right onto R Street NW. Cross 19th Street NW and the International Student House will be on the left side of the street approximately halfway down the block. If you reach the Bikeshare dock, you’ve gone too far. Approximate walk time: 7-10 minutes.
Parking: Street parking is metered and is limited to two hours, unless you have a Washington, DC, Zone 2 parking pass. The closest parking garage is at 11 Dupont Circle, approximately two blocks from the International Student House (1825 R Street NW). Approximate walk time: 5 -7 minutes.
From the Carlyle Hotel: After exiting the Carlyle Hotel, turn left. At the first intersection, R Street NW, turn right. Proceed approximately one block. The International Student House (1825 R Street NW) will be on your right, just past the Bikeshare dock. Approximate walk time: 4-6 minutes.
Sessions are held daily from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Friday.
Instructor
Daily Agenda
Monday
Legal Writing I — The Basics: Legal writing and citation formats, argumentative approaches, writing from the reader’s perspective, organizational logic, word choice and structure, legal terms and court structure. Workshops: Spin Words, Speed Ball Exercise & Spin an Issue, Putting it All Together
Tuesday
Legal Writing II — Writing for Your Audience: Defining and distinguishing claims, defenses and issues, the factual narrative, identification of material facts, and persuasion. Workshops: Defining Claims, Writing the Agency Factual Statement, Writing the Employee Factual Statement
Wednesday
Legal Writing III — Writing for Your Audience (con’t.): Educating the reader, analyzing the evidence, organizing the arguments, distinguishing cases. Workshops: State the Rule, Writing the Analysis.
Thursday
Legal Writing IV — Writing for the MSPB and EEOC: MSPB prehearing submissions, drafting final agency decisions. Workshops: Drafting a Prehearing Submission, Writing a FAD.
Friday
Legal Writing V — Writing for the MSPB and EEOC (con’t.): Motion practice and summary judgment, MSPB petitions for review and EEOC appeals, MSPB petitions for review and EEOC appeals, editing your work. Workshop: Deconstruction of a Final Decision.
Pricing
Most people attend the full training week, but you may opt out of any days you don’t plan to attend.
Early Bird Tuition (register by Sept. 23):
- 5 days = $2180
- 4 days = $1790
- 3 days = $1380
- 2 days = $980
- 1 day = $540
Standard Tuition (register Sept. 23-Oct. 11):
- 5 days = $2280
- 4 days = $1890
- 3 days = $1480
- 2 days = $1080
- 1 day = $640
Metro, Parking, Directions
Metro: The International Student House (1825 R Street NW) is located in convenient proximity to the Red Line. Exit Metro at the Dupont Circle station and proceed to the Q Street/North exit. Head north (you will come off the escalator facing north; if you use the elevator take a left after exiting) on Connecticut Avenue to R Street NW (approximately one block). Turn right onto R Street NW. Cross 19th Street NW and the International Student House will be on the left side of the street approximately halfway down the block. If you reach the Bikeshare dock, you’ve gone too far. Approximate walk time: 7-10 minutes.
Parking: Street parking is metered and is limited to two hours, unless you have a Washington, DC, Zone 2 parking pass. The closest parking garage is at 11 Dupont Circle, approximately two blocks from the International Student House (1825 R Street NW). Approximate walk time: 5 -7 minutes.
From the Carlyle Hotel: After exiting the Carlyle Hotel, turn left. At the first intersection, R Street NW, turn right. Proceed approximately one block. The International Student House (1825 R Street NW) will be on your right, just past the Bikeshare dock. Approximate walk time: 4-6 minutes.
Cancellation and No-show Policy for Registered Participants: Cancellations made after the cancel date on the registration form will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. Pre-paid training using the “Pay Now” option will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses. No-shows will not be refunded or given credit toward future courses.