Appellate Insights

Legal writing is most effective when it’s easy to understand.  But writers often make the reader’s job harder than necessary.  Here are some simple fixes:

• Omit extraneous detail.  Consider whether exact dates, names, and other such details are important to your point.  If not, omit them; they will only distract readers.

• Use common terms.  Avoid acronyms, industry jargon, and other words that a generalist reader will not immediately understand.

• Get active.  Write in the active voice, rather than the passive voice.  Your sentences will be more concise and direct, and therefore easier to follow.

► The practical message:  Strive to write clearly from the outset – and then review your draft with an eye toward making it even easier to follow.