When writing a brief for a trial or appellate court, you have to keep in the forefront of your mind that the purpose of any brief is not to educate judges on the facts of your case or the controlling law and then hope the court will rule for your client. The job of the attorney advocate is to convince them to rule for your client (sometimes despite the facts or the law), and to make it as easy as possible for the judge to understand why he or she should do so. One of the best ways to do so is the use of lists. Using lists in your brief is a basic way of simplifying and condensing your argument. It’s a way…