Eric Sagerman"Tom is the teacher I rely on when I want to offer my attorneys advanced persuasive writing training. At my previous firm, Winston & Strawn, Tom offered a workshop on advanced persuasive writing techniques to litigation and transactional attorneys in our Los Angeles office. They loved it! I’ve also had him offer a similar session in my current firm with similarly great results! He is a commanding presence; he has kept our attorneys’ attention and interest throughout his sessions. Both his teaching methods and materials were very effective. Our attorneys specifically commented on the helpfulness of his detailed examples.
Tom gives comprehensive takeaway materials, everything from multiple annotated briefs to handouts on eliminating excess words. All his materials were very practical in that they related directly to meaningful writing issues that our attorneys confront on a daily basis. He avoided obscure writing and grammar issues that may be interesting but are unlikely to arise in the actual practice of law.
I appreciate that in both of my firms he worked with us to ensure that the program was tailored to our needs. Both times he gave me and our attorney development staff a thorough outline of his proposed program well in advance of the session to comment upon. And he gave us his final teaching materials weeks before his session. In short, he was both flexible and prepared.
At Winston and here at Baker we’ve enjoyed having him in the office for a day. He’s friendly and gracious to all our support staff and our attorneys. He makes us look good, and our attorneys in both firms were thankful for their firms’ investment in their careers.
Based on the feedback I have received about Tom’s programs, we intend to follow up with Tom to teach another advanced program and formulate a presentation and workshop for our summer associates. We also will take advantage of the one-on-one writing coaching that he offers in support of our attorneys."
Managing Partner, Baker & Hostetler LLP, Los Angeles office
Former Managing Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP, Los Angeles office
Cristina Schrum-Herrera"Tom’s class was one of the best trainings I have attended during my legal career. Even after law school and practicing for several years, his training was incredible. It changed my writing, wholesale. His focus on concrete and manageable skills, like active versus passive voice, word choice, and avoiding nominalization s , has taken my writing to a new level already. I implement his skills every day, even in emails. This has helped me to understand my own ideas more clearly and to be more persuasive. His advanced writing strategies, which focus on more challenging skills, are the roadmap to stellar appellate writing. He explained these strategies very clearly and documented them in his PowerPoint presentation. The writing exercises he worked us through h elped us apply these strategies, and the annotated briefs helped us see the whole picture. I never thought stellar writing was within my reach. Now with his excellent training and comprehensive and well - organized materials, I feel confident that my writing can reach that level."
Attorney, legal department in California state agency
Annie Y. Stoops“Tom is a fantastic teacher whose program is filled with advanced legal writing techniques presented in a clear, concise, and organized manner. Tom is adept at interweaving his specific lessons on structuring analysis, legal arguments, and use of proper authorities with opportunities to practice as you learn. The end result is a must-attend legal writing course full of thoughtful and personalized feedback that leaves you as a stronger and more confident writer. The course also provides invaluable teaching materials, handouts, and annotated writing samples that any practicing lawyer will reference repeatedly in the future. The infectious energy, passion, and humor that Tom brings to his presentation of the material is a delightful bonus. I cannot recommend Tom highly enough: 10/10 gold stars.”
Associate
Arent Fox LLP
Michael Chamberlin“Tom provided yearly, full-day legal writing workshops for our attorneys and summer associates in the Los Angeles office of my prior law firm. His workshops deliver! I noticed a clear difference in the written analysis of the associates who attended his workshop. Tom drills down to develop both core and advanced writing and advocacy skills that - - all too often - - are not taught in law school. Best of all, he ran the associates through multiple exercises in which they could practice applying his techniques, and provided immediate and detailed feedback to drive the lessons home. His materials are excellent, focusing on meaningful teaching points rather than academic trifles. Tom is professional, responsive, exceedingly well-prepared, and easy to work with. I recommend him highly!”
Partner; Team Leader, Los Angeles Labor & Employment
Baker & Hostetler LLP, Los Angeles
Paul Chan"Tom has provided intensive, persuasive writing workshops for attorneys at both my previous and
current firms. His workshops deliver! I’ve noticed a clear difference in the written analysis of the
associates who have attended his workshops. Tom drills down to develop both core and
advanced writing and advocacy skills that—all too often—are not taught in law school. Best of
all, he consistently runs the associates through multiple exercises in which they practice applying
his techniques, and provides immediate and detailed feedback to drive his lessons home. His
materials are excellent, focusing on meaningful teaching points rather than academic minutiae.
Tom is professional, responsive, exceedingly well-prepared, and easy to work with. I
recommend him highly!"
Managing Principal Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, Drooks, Lincenberg & Rhow, P.C.
Ronald Wood“I hired Tom to work with an associate who struggled with his written analysis. I’m glad I did. I began to notice improvement in the associate’s writing after Tom worked with him. The associate told me he appreciated Tom’s instruction and critiques. I recommend Tom highly and will use him again should other associates need help with their writing.”
Partner Brown White & Osborn LLP
“Tom has thought more deeply and carefully about legal analysis and argument than anyone out there. And it shows. He breaks down all analytical and writing steps into manageable chunks. He folds exercises into his instruction, frequently offering students the chance to try new skills on their own. And perhaps most important, his feedback is thorough and detailed - the kind of feedback that students can immediately use to improve. He's a talented teacher, and with his help any new or experienced lawyer can become a more skilled legal writer."Kristen Holmquist
Director
Experiential Education & Academic Support Lecturer in Residence
UC Berkeley School of Law
“Tom writes about the law with intelligence, insight and clarity. His services have enhanced the intellectual capital of our firm in a wide variety of areas. He delivers polished and professional work to exacting standards.”Derek Wallen
Capobianco Law Offices, P.C
“Law Preview provides intensive preparatory instruction for students about to begin their first year of law school. Tom has served as one of Law Preview’s premier instructors for our exam-taking and legal writing workshops since 2003. Students love him. They describe him as insightful, exceedingly well-organized, responsive to questions, clear, affable, and expert in written advocacy. Tom is simply a great teacher who has served as a great resource to Law Preview and our students!”Don Macaulay
President and Founder
BARBRI Law Preview
Benjamin Harris“Tom was an inspirational teacher and mentor during my formative years of legal education. Tom was dedicated to ensuring that each of his students learned not only the proper method of conveying one's legal position through writing but also understood the reasoning behind it. Tom was patient with all of his students and truly cared about their wellbeing. I still rely on his analytical methods and techniques in my legal practice and will continue to do so for the rest of my career.”
Associate
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Stephen Brower"Tom is a genius legal thinker, writer, and teacher. I initially asked Tom to work with me as a writing consultant so he could help me write and edit major briefs for high-leverage matters, including dispositive motions and appeals. I loved his work so much that I asked him to join my firm. We simply don’t lose when he works on a brief. He possesses a rigorous, analytical mind. He identifies arguments from statutes and cases that my colleagues often miss. He also articulates and argues complex facts clearly, concisely, and pointedly.
For example, I worked with Tom on a receivership and fraudulent transfer matter where the facts were impossibly complicated. Tom revised the organization of the fact section, and he clearly described the fraudulent transactions in much less space than in my draft. He then argued these facts majestically to defeat two separate motions for summary judgment. He also punished another defendant in that matter who tried to obscure his self-dealing. My own writing has improved simply from reviewing Tom’s edits.
Tom developed a writing academy for our attorneys, staff, and interns. We benefited by participating in a Zoom session every Friday morning. Tom is a marvelous instructor who patiently and clearly presents his lessons. He presented information so it can be easily absorbed and internalized. He elaborates to illustrate his points. And he handles questions with encouragement. Our lawyers and paralegals responded well to Tom’s support. Tom tied his answers to questions to multiple writing principles but did so clearly.
Tom created writing exercises for each writing academy session. Our lawyers and paralegals practiced writing or editing passages selected from our earlier briefs. Tom commented on each and everyone’s revisions and also annotated all the writing problems. We appreciated the great sample answers describing more information in fewer words.
Our writing significantly improved. Our more senior lawyers now spend less time revising work. We can bill more efficiently and devote more time to proactivity rather than reactivity. I’m thrilled that a painful part of my job—critiquing my attorneys’ work—is now significantly easier."
Managing Partner
Brentwood Law Group, PLLC
Robert Harrison"I’ve been teaching legal writing at Yale Law School for over thirty years. I’ve also worked as a legal writing consultant for numerous top law firms, and Tom has helped me prepare critiques of attorneys’ writing samples. I can’t think of anyone better than Tom to provide individual legal writing coaching to practicing lawyers. Tom crafts spectacular critiques. He excels at identifying problem areas in attorneys’ writing and finding examples in their work that illustrate these problems. Tom and I see some very bloated, indirect writing that often values complicated terminology over short, plain words. Tom’s revisions distill all that muck into short, clear, and precise sentences that are easy to read, no matter how complex the subject. He doesn’t just fix the sentences; he explains the specific strategies the lawyer can employ to replicate Tom’s revisions. He seeks to help attorneys build their skills, not demean them for their mistakes. Finally, Tom works hard, and he happily took on more critiques when necessary, even when he was already facing a tight deadline. His work doesn’t suffer when he’s under time constraints.
Tom is worth the investment. If you engage him to work with your attorneys, you have my word that their writing will improve dramatically."
Lecturer in Legal Method
Yale Law School
Student, Class of 2023“ Tom is an amazing writing coach! He doesn’t just correct your writing — Tom makes sure that you understand his edits. He is my secret weapon! Several senior attorneys and partners have said that I have “naturally good writing that cannot be taught.” Well, that simply isn’t true. It can be taught and I learned from the best! Even today, I have Tom’s voice in my head when I write. ”
University of Houston Law Center
Linda B. Puertas"Tom Holm is a master technician in legal analysis and writing. And he is a brilliant teacher, with the deep experience needed to help new and experienced lawyers succeed in today's market. I was fortunate to have Tom as a professor over a decade ago and to have him as a mentor and colleague today. It's no exaggeration to say that I owe much of my success to him!"
Special Counsel, Buchalter, P.C.
California Court of Appeal, Second and Fourth Districts, Court-appointed appellate lawyer.
Ireneo A. Reus III“I attended Tom’s Rutter Group MCLE program on writing persuasive introductions and statements of facts. What a great program! One of the best I’ve attended in my fifteen years of practice. It’s obvious that Tom thinks deeply about how best to convey material to attorneys at all levels of experience. He not only provided advanced persuasive writing techniques but identified why those techniques work and how to apply them effectively by contextualizing them in detailed, annotated writing samples.
Tom is a dynamic speaker: his humor, energy, and passion for teaching were evident throughout. Time flew, despite a topic that less-prepared instructors would have made turgid, pedantic, and joyless. His program was superbly organized and perfectly paced. And his teaching materials gave me great takeaway materials and specific techniques to refer to in my future work. I gained more confidence to edit and enhance my own writing, as well as my colleagues’ writing. I already see the change in my writing and am looking forward to attending his next MCLE session!”
Managing Attorney
The Reus Law Firm
Patrick Goodman“Tom Holm is a master technician in legal analysis and writing. And he is a brilliant teacher, with the deep experience needed to help law students and new lawyers succeed in today's market. I was fortunate to have Tom as a professor over a decade ago and to have him as a mentor and colleague today. It's no exaggeration to say that I owe much of my success to him!”
Lecturer in Law UCLA Law School
Sasha Gurvitz“Professor Holm’s legal writing curriculum provides a blueprint for building an effective argument and communicating that argument clearly, concisely, and persuasively. Adhering to the writing paradigm and organizational structure I learned from Professor Holm has sharpened my legal writing skills and honed my logical reasoning and critical thinking skills. The result is not only an elevated writing style, but also a more cogent and forceful substantive argument.”
Associate Klee,
Tuchin, Bogdanoff & Stern LLP
“If you are looking to provide a legal writing workshop for summer associates or full-time attorneys, I highly recommend Thomas Holm Legal Consulting LLC. The firm’s owner, Tom, is an exceptional teacher, writer, and presenter. He will not only improve workshop participants’ legal writing skills and understanding of the nuances of stellar persuasion and advocacy but also keep participants fully engaged and entertained. I say this because I learned so much about teaching legal writing from Tom when he served as the director of Lawyering Skills at UCLA School of Law. He was accessible and provided helpful teaching ideas and strategies for the classroom, skills that I know will translate to any setting. One’s legal writing know-how and story-telling expertise will be much improved after attending one of Tom’s legal writing workshops."Cassandra Hill
Dean & Professor of Law
Northern Illinois University College of Law
“Tom is the only person ever to win UCLA School of Law’s Rutter Award for Excellence in Teaching as a legal writing professor. He is also the only person ever to win UCLA’s Distinguished Teaching Award, a University-wide honor, as a legal writing professor. That’s because he knows how to get lawyers to do what many already think they do, but don’t: think with precision and write without fluff. It doesn’t hurt that as a speaker Tom routinely brings down the house, even when discussing otherwise drab matters (like paragraph transitions). Did I mention he crafts curriculum—including case simulations, best practices checklists, and PowerPoint presentations—that can make even novice teachers look like classroom heroes? A legal writing expert of the highest order."Ezra Ross
Professor of Lawyering Skills
UC Irvine Law School