As Judge Learned Hand so wisely stated, “The language of the law must not be foreign to the ears of those who are to obey it.”
Having excellent writing skills is a significant advantage, whether in school or at work. And, as a professional, one is expected to be able to convey the message clearly. According to the American Bar Foundation, verbal and written communication skills are considered to be the utmost important skill of up and coming lawyers.
So, if you suddenly find yourself browsing this page, read on, and hopefully, you pick up a tip or two on how to create excellent legal compositions.
- Be concise.
Statements and phrases that do not add value to your entire piece or statement must be omitted. Avoid crafting lengthy sentences and paragraphs; rather, be concise and direct to the point.
- Choose the focus of your argument.
Creating a draft can give you a clear direction on where your argument and composition is going. By doing so, you also know which is your best point and which you should highlight in your writing. You also get to eliminate those ideas you have that do not really add substance to your work.
- Read and Reread.
While there are many writing tools available on the internet, the best way to spot errors and edit your composition is by reading and rereading what you have written. Some read aloud because it is an easy way to spot errors.
- Skip the jargon (legalese).
While jargon is important in legal writing, sometimes it is best to keep your words as easy to understand as possible without sacrificing the legal meanings. As Judge Learned Hand so wisely stated, “The language of the law must not be foreign to the ears of those who are to obey it.”
- Research.
To be good at something, you have to keep doing it. When it comes to writing, reading others’ work gives you plenty of ideas and examples. Doing so will also help you improve and develop your own writing style.
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