Briefist

Briefist is an informal term used to refer to a person who specializes in drafting legal briefs. Although not a standardized job title in most jurisdictions, it may appear in law firms, academic settings, or discussions about legal writing to describe someone who concentrates on creating appellate briefs, memoranda, and other concise advocacy documents.

Etymology and usage: The word combines "brief," a concise written argument or summary, with the agent-noun suffix "-ist." The term is not widely standardized and tends to appear in internal firm materials or informal discourse rather than formal job postings.

Typical duties: A briefist researches relevant authorities, identifies issues, outlines arguments, and drafts sections of briefs, including statements of facts, the argument, and conclusions. They also prepare or verify the Table of Authorities, ensure compliance with court rules and citation formats, and edit for clarity and brevity. Collaboration with attorneys, clients, and experts is common, as is revising drafts to respond to opposing counsel.

Context and scope: The role overlaps with legal drafter, appellate writer, and litigation-support professional. In many organizations, brief-writing tasks are performed by associates, paralegals, or dedicated appellate teams, rather than under a distinct title. The label "briefist" may reflect a specialization in persuasive writing more than a standalone practice area.

See also: legal brief, appellate practice, legal writing, law firm, litigation support.