A Plain Language Handbook For Legal Writers

Provides 1) theory about plain language for legal writers, 2) models of legal documents such as wills, laws, agreements, etc, and 3) practice exercises on language.

A complete guide to clean, precise and understandable legal writing So many books give you advice that turns out to be hollow: "know your audience," "structure your writing." The real strength in Plain Language Legal Writing is how, throughout, Stephens provides clear instructions on how to accomplish what she's recommending. Instead of just telling you to plan what you're going to write, she walks you step-by-step through the planning. Instead of telling you to consider your audience before writing, she describes in detail the sorts of audiences a legal document might have (more than you'd expect!) and how to best meet their needs. Plain Language Legal Writing will help you produce documents that people are willing to read and able to understand. More: PlainLanguageLegalWriting.comOther versions: e-book

“This easy-to-follow guide is useful both as a general course of instruction and as a targeted aid in solving particular legal writing problems.” —Harvard Law Review Clear, concise, down-to-earth, and powerful—all too often, legal writing embodies none of these qualities. Its reputation for obscurity and needless legalese is widespread. For more than twenty years, Bryan A. Garner’s Legal Writing in Plain English has helped address this problem by providing lawyers, judges, paralegals, law students, and legal scholars with sound advice and practical tools for improving their written work. The leading guide to clear writing in the field, this indispensable volume encourages legal writers to challenge conventions and offers valuable insights into the writing process that will appeal to other professionals: how to organize ideas, create and refine prose, and improve editing skills. Accessible and witty, Legal Writing in Plain English draws on real-life writing samples that Garner has gathered through decades of teaching. Trenchant advice covers all types of legal materials, from analytical and persuasive writing to legal drafting, and the book’s principles are reinforced by sets of basic, intermediate, and advanced exercises in each section. In this new edition, Garner preserves the successful structure of the original while adjusting the content to make it even more classroom-friendly. He includes case examples from the past decade and addresses the widespread use of legal documents in electronic formats. His book remains the standard guide for producing the jargon-free language that clients demand and courts reward. “Those who are willing to approach the book systematically and to complete the exercises will see dramatic improvements in their writing.” —Law Library Journal

Seven years have passed since the publication of the 2nd edition of Plain Language for Lawyers. In that time plain language has taken off in leaps and bounds. Michele M Asprey has comprehensively revised and updated Plain Language for Lawyers for this 3rd edition. The book now covers the significant developments in plain language and the law since 1996. There are 2 new chapters, one on writing email and writing for the internet, and the other on designing documents intended to be read on the computer screen. Chapter 3 (Why plain language?) has been expanded and divided into 2 chapters: Chapter 3 - Why plain language? And Chapter 4 - Plain language around the world, reflecting the many developments in plain language on the international scene

This book looks at the forces that have made traditional legal language what it is today and suggests some reasoms why the law needs plain English. It also shows why most of its peculiarities are unnecessary.

Concise and compact, The Aspen Handbook for Legal Writers: A Practical Reference, Second Edition, offers thorough coverage of proper legal writing technique and style to help students resolve questions and develop strong writing skills. Accessible and user-friendly, this complete reference book features : grammar, style, and usage presented in a clear, complete, and succinct format numerous helpful examples that illustrate strong and effective legal writing as well as common errors to avoid a special Legal Documents section that offers tips and strategies for writing letters, memoranda, and briefs (both trial and appellate) a comb binding and conveniently compact size a clear organization and uncluttered, two-color page design that highlights important information website resources listed for every topic Tips and Strategies in each chapter that hone in on key topics Challenge Exercises through which students can test their knowledge quick-reference Table of Contents on the inside front cover and a quick-reference Style Sheet on the inside back cover helpful appendices that include Citation Form (using both Bluebook and ALWD examples), a sample appellate brief, and a section for ESL users CD-ROM available to instructors with additional exercises Updated throughout, The revised Second Edition includes : many new examples current website references throughout new sample documents, including new legal memorandum, trial court brief, and all new case brief expanded information on preparing Tables of Authorities additional supplemental exercises on the instructor’s CD-ROM The Aspen Handbook for Legal Writers, Second Edition, Is the complete and easy-to-use legal writing reference that provides comprehensive coverage in a surprisingly compact format.

This clearly structured and well-referenced book shows how and why traditional legal language has developed some of the peculiar characteristics that sometimes make legal documents inaccessible to the end users. It examines recent reforms in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and North America, and provides a critical examination of case law and the rules of interpretation. Practical elements are also covered. Detailed case studies illustrate how obtuse words and phrases can be reworked or removed. Particularly useful is the step-by-step guide to drafting in the modern style, using examples drawn from four types of legal documents: leases, company constitutions, wills and conveyances. Readers of this book will receive clear instructions on how to make their writing clearer and their legal documents more useful to clients and colleagues. This book will benefit all law students and professionals.