Scotia Fellis is a boutique law practice dedicated exclusively to written advocacy. I work with trial and appellate lawyers to develop and present clear, persuasive legal arguments in motions, appeals, and complex briefing, with the goal of persuading the one audience that ultimately matters: the court.

Strengthening Your Advocacy

Even highly experienced litigators can benefit from dedicated writing support, particularly when:

• Briefing deadlines are tight and internal capacity is limited
• The legal issues are novel, technical, or unsettled
• The record is large and difficult to synthesize
• The case involves an important motion or appeal that warrants extra attention
• Counsel would benefit from a second set of eyes on framing and structure

Outside writing support helps ensure that strong arguments are presented with the clarity, organization, and polish they deserve without disrupting your existing litigation process.

My Services

I provide behind-the-scenes research and drafting for law firms across the United States in civil and criminal matters, including:

• Dispositive and non-dispositive motions
• Memoranda of law
• Proposed orders
• Petitions for further review or certiorari
• Appellate briefs
• Amicus briefs

Every document is delivered ready to file: substantively sound, carefully edited, correctly cited, and formatted for clarity and readability.

Engagements may range from full drafting of a filing to targeted assistance with issue development, argument structure, or refinement of existing drafts.

If you are considering outside writing support for a particular project, I am happy to discuss the assignment and suggest an efficient way to proceed.

Writing for the Reader

Judges read enormous volumes of material, so presentation and clarity materially affect how arguments are received. As attorney and typographer Matthew Butterick has observed, “most readers are looking for reasons to stop reading.” I approach writing by instead giving courts reasons to keep reading.

To accomplish this, I pay close attention to:

• Clear organization and narrative flow
• Precise citation and formatting
• Typography, spacing, and visual readability
• Meticulous proofreading and stylistic consistency

In a perfect world, substance would be all that mattered in a legal document. But attention to these details improves comprehension and allows substantive arguments to register more clearly with the court.

AI for Efficiency, Not for Sanctions

We’ve all seen stories of attorneys and firms getting sanctioned in recent years for inventing quotes or citing non-existent cases in their AI-written documents. When working with me, you never have to worry about this happening to you. I use AI tools selectively to improve research efficiency, but never as a substitute for human analysis and citation to authority. All work product is guaranteed to be legally sound and free from fabricated authority

How It Works

When you hire me, I do not consult with your client, enter an appearance, or argue in court. My role is limited to research and writing, performed in close coordination with trial or appellate counsel and under your strategic direction. This structure allows you to obtain expert writing support while maintaining complete control of client relationships and litigation decisions.

Engagements are flexible and tailored to the needs of the case. You may prefer to involve me early in issue development and briefing strategy, or you may engage me to take on discrete research or drafting assignments. Both approaches, and everything in between, are welcome.

Relationship Structure

My work is provided as contract research and drafting support to licensed counsel, and all filings are submitted under the signature of counsel of record, who retains responsibility for the positions taken and the final work product.

Engagements are structured to comply with applicable professional responsibility rules governing multijurisdictional practice and contract attorney arrangements, so you can obtain outside writing support without creating ethical complications for your case or your client. I also perform appropriate conflict checks before accepting any engagement.

Timing and Deadlines

Litigation moves quickly, and I understand that briefing schedules are often tight. I prioritize clear communication about timing and capacity, and I do not accept work I cannot complete to a professional standard within the required timeframe.

Fees

Fees are structured around the scope and timing of each assignment rather than a single standard rate. This allows pricing to reflect the actual complexity and urgency of the work involved.

Most projects are handled on a flat-fee basis tied to a defined scope of work, such as drafting a particular motion, brief, or memorandum. Flat fees provide cost certainty and make it easier to budget writing support for a specific filing.

For matters involving evolving scope, ongoing research support, or multiple rounds of drafting, hourly or hybrid arrangements may be more appropriate. In those situations, I discuss expectations and any practical limits in advance so there are no surprises.

Expedited or short-notice filings may involve an adjusted fee to reflect compressed timelines and scheduling constraints.

Before beginning any engagement, I confirm the scope, timing, and fee structure so that you can evaluate whether the arrangement makes sense for your case and your client.

If you are considering outside writing support for the first time, I am happy to discuss typical pricing ranges and help you think through how best to use research and writing support efficiently.

Alex Schatz: About Me

I am an attorney specializing in written advocacy, with prior experience as a judicial law clerk in a state trial court. My practice is focused on helping attorneys present their strongest legal arguments clearly and persuasively, with close attention to how courts actually read and evaluate briefing.

My clerkship shaped how I think about persuasion in chambers. Judges and clerks review large volumes of material, often under significant time pressure and across unfamiliar records. Effective advocacy respects those constraints by focusing on issue selection, logical structure, and precise use of authority.

I apply that perspective to every assignment, whether drafting a brief from the ground up or helping refine existing arguments. My goal is to present the law in a way that is easy for the court to follow and difficult to disregard.

I received my JD from the University of St. Thomas School of Law and am licensed to practice law in Minnesota. I founded Scotia Fellis after completing my clerkship in order to focus full-time on the work I am most passionate about: digging into complex legal issues and turning them into clear, persuasive written arguments.

Contact Me

If you are an attorney seeking research or writing support, you are welcome to email me at alex@scotia-fellis.com to discuss a potential engagement.

I typically respond to inquiries within one business day. If the matter is time-sensitive, please indicate the relevant deadline in your message.