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Alissa Palumbo Högger
Legal-ease was founded and is operated by Alissa Palumbo Högger, an American lawyer, with over ten years' experience helping Swiss law students and lawyers with legal English. Dr. Palumbo Högger moved to Basel from New York in 2009 to pursue an interest in international commercial law, and write a doctoral dissertation. While working at the University of Basel Law Faculty, she embraced a passion for helping students develop strong writing skills that will serve them throughout their legal careers. She also thoroughly enjoys the work of collaborating with professors and colleagues in editing their work so that what is ultimately published is the best reflection of their ideas and research. Legal-ease was founded to provide these same services to all legal practitioners seeking consultation with writing and working in English.
Professional Experience
Legal English Instructor since 2016 with University of Basel Sprachenzentrum
Coach of the Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court at the University of Basel from 2009 - 2020, instructed on legal research, writing and oral advocacy; taught international commercial law and international commercial arbitration
Author, Modern Law of Sales in the United States, Eleven Publishing, 2014
Provided research, language, and editing assistance to Swiss law students, lawyers, and academics as a private law assistant at the University of Basel (2009-2020)
Areas of legal interest: international sales law, international arbitration, Anglo-American tort and contract law
Personal
Dr. Palumbo Högger is a proud Scranton, Pennsylvania native who enjoys frequent visits to her family and friends in the US. After attending college and law school in New York, she moved to Basel in 2009, where she fell in love with the city, and has resided since. In her leisure time she enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with her husband, their son and daughter and two cats.
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Philosophy
Effective communication is the cornerstone of the legal profession. Lawyers are hired to achieve a particular result for a client (e.g. collect a debt, buy a house, end a marriage), which can only be achieved through clear writing and sound advocacy. To communicate effectively goes beyond making sure that writing is correct. It means using all the tools of the English language to achieve the sought-after result. Even the most prudent legal advice, will be lost on a client if the attorney's letter of advice is unclear. Likewise, even the most brilliant legal analysis will not move a judge in your favor, if it is not presented clearly and persuasively. Thus, good writing is more than an aesthetic detail - it is a necessity in achieving clients' desired outcomes.
Legal-ease supports lawyers and legal scholars in achieving excellence in advocacy and perfection in writing.
Bar Admission
New York, 2011
Education
Dr. iur. magna cum laude, University of Basel (2013)
J.D., Pace University School of Law (New York, 2009)
B.A., (Politics & Classical Studies) Ithaca College (New York, 2006)
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Values
Reliable
Reliability means working both efficiently and confidentially.
I will strictly uphold ethical and legal obligations as an outside consultant. I also understand the importance and immovability of deadlines, whether set by a court or a publisher.
Knowledgable
My legal education and experience as a legal researcher make me uniquely situated to provide substantive inputs as well as writing guidance.
