Okuzeka
Law vocabulary · Legal Writing & Drafting

Memorandum

Meaning in law, with examples

/ˌmeməˈrændəm/nounCommon term

In law, memorandum means: A written document, often called a memo, in which a lawyer analyses a legal question and gives conclusions, usually for a colleague, a partner or a client.

In Turkish: hukuki değerlendirme notu, memorandum, bilgi notu

How it is used

Writing legal memoranda is a core task for trainees and law students. A typical one has the question presented, a short answer, the facts, a discussion and a conclusion. In company law, a 'memorandum of association' is a different document used to form a company.

Example sentences

  1. Please prepare a short memorandum on whether the non-compete clause is enforceable.

  2. The partner reviewed my memorandum and asked me to add two recent cases.

Common collocations

  • legal memorandum
  • draft a memorandum
  • research memorandum
  • memorandum of understanding
  • briefIn the US, a written argument that a lawyer submits to a court, especially an appeal court; in the UK, the instructions and papers a solicitor sends to a barrister for a case.
  • draftTo write a legal document such as a contract, letter or court submission, usually as a first version that others will review and change.
  • citeTo mention a case, statute or other source as support for an argument, using a standard form that tells readers exactly where to find it.
  • case lawLaw that comes from the decisions of courts rather than from statutes; the body of earlier judgments that judges and lawyers rely on.

More terms: Legal Writing & Drafting

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.