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Looking for how to improve legal writing skills?
Here, with vivid, examples I will share with you the top 8 easy-to-apply techniques to improve legal writing skills that you can start using immediately on your next legal writing task, ooh! even now.
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The following is how to improve legal writing skills
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When beginning a legal writing task, you first need to settle on your exact purpose for writing.
Legal writing is a special form of writing and in most cases, you write to question, inform, persuade, and acknowledge facts, record processes, or record agreements.
If your purpose is to inform, make sure you write the information clearly.
To become the best legal writer you must determine your reader’s concerns. Always put yourself in the reader’s place and figure out how you’d want to be addressed in that situation.
The skills, interests, vocabulary, and knowledge level of your reader will determine your tone, vocabulary, and the amount of detail and explanation required.
If you are writing to your own client, be considerate about the client’s state of mind, knowledge of the area of law, familiarity with legal terminology, and level of interest in the legal issues.
For example, instead of using legal language like ‘this is to acknowledge your letter of recent date, the contents of which have been duly noted. In the third paragraph thereof…’ you may write I have received and carefully considered your letter of June 13. In its third paragraph…
To earn the reader’s full attention:
The content and format of your legal writing will depend on your purpose and the reader’s interests.
Anything you draft should be complete in itself. Your reader should not have to read a legal file to understand your draft; if they must, it will result in delays.
The following is how you can organize your legal writing for the highest impact;
The simpler your words, the clearer your message.
There is no excuse for using legal jargon in letters to clients or business associates. If you must use legal terms of art then provide a brief explanation or definition and apply it to the circumstances.
Write as you would speak in professional settings. Those formalisms that make legal correspondence stuffy have to go.
For example
Legal Language | Plain language |
---|---|
at this point in time | now |
in the event of | if |
pursuant to the terms of | under |
under date of, | on, dated |
meets with our approval | we approve |
move for a continuance | ask the court to postpone |
Attached please find | Attached is |
I am of the opinion that | i think |
I am not in a position to | I cannot |
In compliance with your request | As you asked |
Using the modern format in legal correspondence will help you handle salutations and gender issues properly.
When writing to another firm or to an organization, you often do not know who will be the recipient of the letter the solution is to skip the salutation.
If you don’t know the individual’s name and you are writing to the holder of a particular job, use the position title, placing it directly above the address.
Example:
Managing Partner
Litigation Department
Holmes, Henrik, and Hoben
456 Suisse Place
Zurich, Switzerland
When you are using an attention line to identify an individual, don’t use a salutation. A salutation is repetitious here anyway:
Smith, Hobkirk, and Smitt
124 Horten Boulevard
Denton, Alberta A3T 1W3
Attention: Ms. Doris Elton
Corporate Legal Assistant
If you know a woman’s name, you can include it in the attention line without referring to marital status:
Attention: Barbara Ward, Personnel Administrator
Or you can use her full name in the salutation: “Dear Barbara Ward,” or use Ms.—created for just this purpose.
Instead of “Dear Sirs,” use “Ladies and Gentlemen,” or use the name of the department: “Dear Litigation Department,”.
Once you’ve begun corresponding with someone, adopt their chosen position title and any other designation.
Set the scene to make the reader comfortable. The structure of a letter sometimes causes information anxiety in the reader.
Give positive news early. If you have something positive to report, don’t keep the reader in suspense. Say “yes” quickly, then supply the necessary details and close your letter in a friendly or upbeat way.
Give bad news in a neutral or positive tone
Remember that nobody likes rejection. A letter that says “no” is best written in a neutral or constructive tone. At least say thank you for the request, complaint, or offer.
When you are reporting a decision you have made, set out the context for your decision so the reader is receptive. If you are able to disclose the reasons, explain why you rejected the request.
Be gracious when you deliver an unwelcome message. Try to say “no” indirectly rather than directly. Let the reader infer the “no”.
How to say No
Reject the request, not the person who made it.
Say thank you for the request.
State the context for the decision so you can prepare the reader.
Say “no” graciously (or by inference).
E.g. To take this case would be to mislead you as to the likelihood of eventual success…
Provide an out (a positive alternative).
E.g. If other supportive facts come to light, do not hesitate to contact me again.
Close with a positive statement.
e.g. I appreciate your consulting me about this matter and would be pleased to discuss other matters with you in the future.
My task here was to share with you how you can improve your legal writing skills astonishingly
The bottom line is that, after learning the tips and the basics of legal writing, the best way to become the best in legal writing is by practice practice practice.