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Description

Legal Writing: Analysing the Request, Structuring the Reasoning and Convincing

Draft notes and legal opinions that business teams read in full and actually apply

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

Legal professionals write a great deal and are read very little. Notes set out the full reasoning before reaching the answer, opinions blend analysis and recommendation, and operational readers mostly conclude that the legal team has not taken a position. Conversely, an over-simplified document exposes the legal function when a matter goes wrong.

These two days focus on the writing method specific to legal documents: analysing the real request, building the reasoning, structuring and formulating the answer, calibrating caveats and adapting to the reader. Documents brought by participants are reworked in workshop format and then reviewed by a peer.

Learning objectives

  • Reformulate the internal client's request before drafting
  • Build legal reasoning that a non-lawyer can follow
  • Structure a note and an opinion around an explicit plan
  • Formulate a recommendation with proportionate caveats
  • Adapt the level of detail to the reader and the urgency
  • Review your own document against objective criteria

What makes this programme different

The documents reworked are the ones participants actually produce
Each text is reviewed by another participant playing the operational reader
A review checklist built during the session is used day to day afterwards

Programme

1Analysing the request

Answering the right question

  • Distinguishing the question asked from the real need
  • Gathering the essential factual elements
  • Framing the scope and the limits of the document
  • Choosing the format according to the stakes and the deadline

2Building the reasoning

Making the path visible

  • Selecting the legal elements that are genuinely useful
  • Linking the facts
  • the rule and the conclusion
  • Handling uncertain points and assumptions
  • Prioritising the arguments
  • Moving technical developments to an annex

3Writing to be read

Putting the answer first

  • Standard structure for a note and for an opinion
  • Stating the answer in the opening lines
  • Short sentences and vocabulary accessible to the reader
  • Use of headings
  • call-out boxes and lists
  • Calibrating caveats and recommendations

4Adapting and reviewing

Adjusting to the reader and securing the document

  • Documents for executive management and documents for operational teams
  • Adapting tone in exchanges with external counsel
  • Documents that may be produced in the event of a dispute
  • Review checklist and final control before sending

Who is it for

In-house counsel · legal assistants · compliance officers · law firm associates and managers handling legal matters.

Prerequisites

Regularly drafting legal notes | opinions or correspondence.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.