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Our “Three Key Skills for Legal Writing” workshop is the core training for chambers and the top 500 law firms around the world.
Although legal writing takes time and practice, excellent writing skills are essential to success. Key takeaways from this video:
Think about your audience.
Organize your writing. …
Enough with the legal jargon. …
Be precise. …
Use action words…
Pay attention to the grammar…
Contact us if you would like to learn more about writing and editing legal texts in English.
www.legalwriting.eu
www.legalwritingcoach.com
www.advancedlingualinsitute.com
Here is a brief excerpt from our world-class material databases for the world-famous “Legal Darfting Basics: Three Key Skills” workshops developed by Chris Jensen, LL.M., and published by LexisNexis:
1. Correct use
“Usage” means punctuation, grammar and vocabulary. Here are 25 common usage errors to look out for in your texts.
1.1 Punctuation: Common mistakes
1.1.1 Usage error 1: Commas and semicolons in complex/compound sentences
False: The largest companies missed the revolution led by small and medium-sized independents. Then they tried to get in, but it was already too late.
That's right: the biggest companies missed the revolution led by small and medium-sized independents. Then they tried to get in on the action, but it was already too late.
1.1.2 Usage error 2: Commas and semicolons in complex lists
Use commas and semicolons for clarity when you have a complex list – especially a list within a list. Separate items in the large list with semicolons and items in the small list with commas.
Original: …in particular information about this contract and its subject matter, the business or finances of the client and its affiliates, the customer, buyers and other contractual partners of the client as well as information about prices, sales, developments and know-how of the client.
Revision: …in particular information about this Agreement and its subject matter, the business or finances of the Client and its affiliates, the Client’s customers, buyers and other contractual partners, and information about the Client’s prices, sales, developments or know-how.
2.1.3 Usage error 3: Commas in restrictive and non-restrictive subordinate clauses
Do not use commas when the information in the relative clause that modifies the noun (i.e. when it begins with "who," "that," "which," "whose," etc.) is key information (called "restrictive" information). Use commas when it is just additional information ("non-restrictive").
Non-limiting: The defendant who has shown remorse is well on his way to rehabilitation. (This means we know who the defendant is, so "who has shown remorse" is just additional information.)
Restrictive: A defendant who has shown remorse is well on the way to rehabilitation. (This refers to any defendant who has shown remorse – the subject is "the defendant who has shown remorse.")
False: Agreements restricting competition are agreements between competitors that have the purpose or effect of restricting competition.
Correct: Agreements restricting competition are agreements between competitors that have the purpose or effect of restricting competition.
False: Flexibility is one of the key words of the new Hungarian Labour Code, which came into force on 1 July 2012.
That’s right: Flexibility is one of the key words of the new Hungarian Labour Code, which came into force on July 1, 2012.
Tip: If removing the information would cause confusion about the subject = restrictive = no commas.
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