14 writing tips for new lawyers
05 October 2007
These 14 tips to lighter, tighter writing are worthwhile for all lawyers, including but not limited to ... oops, let me start over.
These 14 tips to lighter, tighter writing are worthwhile for all lawyers, especially for those just sworn in. My favorite is # 6:
In the words of a Wisconsin judge, “Great legal writing does not sound as though it was written by a lawyer.” Indeed, as attorneys gain confidence and experience, their sentences become lighter and tighter — less “lawyerly” and more refreshing. Here’s the truth: If readers don't understand your sentences, they won't find your prose “interesting” or “complex,” as many associates would hope. Instead, they'll assume you are a poor writer — or worse, a poor thinker. By contrast, if readers feel smart when they read your writing, they’ll think you are smart. No partner or judge has ever said, “Terrific brief. I see the issues clearly and understand how to resolve them. I just wish the attorney had used bigger words and longer sentences.”
Hat tip to Ed. of Blawg Review.