An Effective Legal Writing Style General Principles Examples

An Effective Legal Writing Style • General Principles • Examples Writing in the Disciplines for Pre-Law 10/16/2021 1

An Effective Legal Writing Style General Principles • Concision--Use as few words as possible to express an idea. • Simplicity--Prefer the simpler to the more complex. • Clarity--Your goal should always be to communicate the idea clearly and with precision. Writing in the Disciplines for Pre-Law 10/16/2021 2

An Effective Legal Writing Style Jargon • • • commensurate mandate remunerate monetarily felt scarcity impact on parameters Writing in the Disciplines for Pre-Law 10/16/2021 for for for ? ? ? 3

An Effective Legal Writing Style Wordiness 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. based on the fact that the present study in my opinion it seems that along the lines of at all times until such time as Writing in the Disciplines for Pre-Law = = = = 10/16/2021 ? ? ? ? 4

An Effective Legal Writing Style Negatives and Double Negatives • The problem cannot be solved without the aid of further research. • Innocent mis-recollection is not uncommon. Writing in the Disciplines for Pre-Law 10/16/2021 5

An Effective Legal Writing Style Overuse of Nominalizations • Fail failure • Recall recollection Failure of recollection is common. Writing in the Disciplines for Pre-Law 10/16/2021 6

An Effective Legal Writing Style Passive Constructions The motion was lost in the first phase of the trial. The study was conducted under the strictest of conditions. Writing in the Disciplines for Pre-Law 10/16/2021 7

An Effective Legal Writing Style Specific Issues The use of shall: The state shall protect the right to. . . No person shall walk on the grass. If any partner shall become bankrupt, . . . The use of as to: As to any question to which an objection was sustained, you must not speculate as to what the answer might have been or as to the reason for the objection. The use of same and said: The plaintiff was driving south on Pine Avenue when she was struck from behind by the defendant’s truck. The said accident resulted in injury to same. Writing in the Disciplines for Pre-Law 10/16/2021 8