You will be required to write and submit a legal memorandum on the issue of negligence.  You will be given a case file and resources to help you get started with this assignment.  The case file will be posted here at the start of Week 1.

Typically, legal memoranda are written to provide research findings, analysis and advice on a specific legal question.  In this case, you will be writing a legal memo to a partner in your law firm based on a negligence fact pattern and you will advise the partner regarding her client’s potential liability.  The partner’s instructions to you will be outlined in Attachment 1 – Memo from Partner.  You should begin this assignment by reading Attachment 1.

Once you have read Attachment 1, review the other material related to this assignment listed above.  Your memo must contain the following sections (as described further in Attachment 2):

• Heading
• Question Presented
• Brief Answer
• Facts
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Legal Authority Cited (Bibliography)

 Research

You do not need to use every resource provided to you in your research file in order to complete your memo.  However, you must use at least 1 of the sources and find at least three of your own.   Your sources may be a relevant news article, scholarly article, case, statute, etc.  The UMUC online library is a great place to begin searching for your additional sources.  You will need to post your additional source(s) by the end in week 3 (look for an announcement about this).

Format

Your memo should be approximately 5-7 pages, double-spaced, 12 point font.  The most important section of the memo (and section worth the greatest amount of points) is the discussion section.  This is where you will provide your own analysis by describing how your research applies to the relevant facts of your case. 

Grammar, Organization and Source Citation

PLEASE proofread your memorandum before submission.  Be sure that your memo is easy to read, organized and grammatically correct.  Otherwise, you will lose points based on your writing.  You must also properly cite to the sources you use.  You may not use exact language from an outside source unless you use quotation marks and cite to the source for that language.  Failure to properly cite to your sources may constitute academic dishonesty under UMUC policy.   If you are not sure about how or whether to cite a source please do not hesitate to ask me. I have attached the below case files and articles.

Case File Attachments:

Memo From Law Partner – Start Here!

ABA Article

Case 1

Case 2

Restatement on Agency Law

Travel Agency Risk Management Article -http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Law-Symposium-Travel-Agency-Liability-Risk-Management

Tips On How to Write a Legal Memo

Guidance Article 1

Writing Guidance 2

Sample Memo 1-      http://www.law.cuny.edu/legal-writing/students/memorandum/memorandum-3.html

Sample 2