What makes a good legal writer?

Every day, lawyers produce a new piece of writing. The same guidelines apply whether the document is a legal brief one day or an academic article for a trade journal the next. To convey the right message or argument, legal writing must be crystal clear, succinct, and meticulously edited. The following recommendations are meant to help you edit and enhance any type of legal writing.

Editing for readability: techniques

Authors can assess whether their writing is actually readable by reading aloud. Authors should think about whether the essay flows and has a consistent message throughout. By stating an argument in the positive, the active voice emphasizes its strength and is simpler to read than the passive voice. In legal writing, it’s best to avoid using legalese and overly dramatic language. A succinct argument based on pertinent facts will be valued by judges and opposing counsel. Wherever possible, oral arguments should be reserved for theories and speculation because they can be too general. The best legal writing adheres strictly to the facts and the relevant legal standard.

Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation mistakes

Lawyers should have enough time to identify their writing weaknesses after four years of undergraduate study and three years of law school. Proofreading carefully is essential. Even if the legal argument is sound in principle, careless spelling errors can damage an author’s credibility. The meaning of a sentence can be completely altered by the placement of a comma, potentially rendering the argument meaningless. Black’s Law Dictionary is the most valuable resource for last-minute revisions, followed by a writing reference book. Every writer should establish good habits, like checking their work for errors in spelling before saving the final draft. Strong legal arguments should never be undermined by poor grammar and punctuation.

Planning is essential

Any non-lawyer or person unfamiliar with the case should be able to understand a well-organized legal document. The logicalness of a writer’s argument should be evaluated from a distance. In every situation, simplicity wins. The organization of documents should center on a thesis statement that is supported by relevant case-specific information. Even though it is straightforward, the IRAC method is generally impenetrable because lawyers are skilled at identifying the problem (I), describing the law that applies (R), examining the facts of the case (A), and then presenting the conclusion (C). Any audience is likely to be won over by a well-structured, well-written piece.