Writing My Way Into Clarity

How writing became my most trusted tool for solving complex legal problems

The Puzzling Cases That Had No Clear Answer

Many years ago, when I was still a junior legal advisor serving on a special judicial committee, I often faced cases that seemed impossible to resolve fairly. They were complex, ambiguous, and layered with competing legal rules that could each lead to a different outcome—none of them fully satisfying.

I remember sitting with the case files open, legal texts and precedents in front of me, yet feeling stuck.

Not for lack of knowledge—but for lack of clarity.

Which principle should prevail? Which rule made sense here? What would be fair? I could go in circles for hours.

And then I stumbled onto something that changed the way I solve problems to this day.

When in Doubt, Just Start Writing

In one of those early cases, I did something simple. I opened a blank document and started writing the internal legal opinion.

No magic. No big strategy. Just the act of writing.

I began with the facts—trying to lay them out clearly, without judgment. Then I moved to the issues. Then the relevant legal principles. Then the reasoning.

And somewhere in the middle of writing, something clicked.

What once felt blurry started to become sharp. As I laid down the facts in sequence, I began to see the case more clearly. As I walked through the legal reasoning, step by step, the clutter in my head began to sort itself out. Competing rules fell into place. A fair conclusion emerged—not forced, but almost inevitable.

It was as if the act of writing helped my brain let go of confusion and find structure.

Writing as Thinking, Not Just Communicating

Over the years, I’ve come to trust this process. Not just when I was junior, but even now.

When I’m faced with a difficult problem and I find myself overwhelmed by conflicting options or unsure of the right path, I write.

Not for the audience. Not for the client. Not even for the final draft.

I write for myself.

I summarize the situation. I lay out what I know. I examine what’s missing. I follow the logic—not trying to solve it all at once, but simply to follow the thread.

And more often than not, clarity emerges.

You Don’t Always Need to Know the Answer—Just Start

This might sound counterintuitive, especially in legal practice where we’re expected to “know the answer.” But I’ve learned that it’s okay not to know—at first.

You don’t need to see the solution in advance. You don’t need the full map.

You just need to start.

Start by writing down what you see. Start by laying out what you understand. Start by thinking out loud—on paper.

And writing will do the rest.

The Most Underrated Problem-Solving Tool

We often think of writing as something you do after you solve the problem. But in my experience, writing is not just a way to express conclusions—it’s a way to reach them.

It’s the quiet tool that sorts the noise.

It’s the process that teaches you what you actually believe.

It’s the mirror that reflects your assumptions back to you—sometimes challenging them.

So the next time you’re stuck, confused, or overwhelmed by a difficult legal issue (or any issue, really), don’t overthink it.

Just write.

You might be surprised at what you discover.