Second Stage

Second Stage is a free blog and newsletter by Ryan McCarl, a Los Angeles attorney and educator who is committed to lifelong learning. McCarl is a partner at Rushing McCarl LLP and author of the book Elegant Legal Writing (forthcoming, University of California Press 2024).

I use Second Stage to occasionally post short essays, op-eds, updates, notes from my readings and travels, and recommendations.

Ryan McCarl, a founding partner of the business boutique Rushing McCarl LLP, has taught legal writing to audiences including the ABA Litigation Section and State of Texas Office of the Attorney General. His book Elegant Legal Writing is forthcoming from the University of California Press in February 2024.

Before co-founding Rushing McCarl LLP, McCarl researched artificial intelligence and taught Advanced Legal Writing as a fellow at the UCLA School of Law, clerked for the Honorable David M. Ebel on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and worked as a litigation attorney at WilmerHale and Hueston Hennigan. He has published articles about complex topics ranging from AI to claim preclusion in outlets including the Stanford Journal of International Law and Cincinnati Law Review.

McCarl earned a J.D. with Honors from the University of Chicago Law School and holds M.A. degrees from the University of Chicago and University of Michigan as well as a B.A. from the University of Chicago.