Subjects:

Advocacy

Contents:

Plain English and the General Principles of Legal Writing and Drafting

Letters, Memoranda and Reports

Drafting

Undesirables Checklist

Although the art of legal writing and drafting has been practised for as long as there have been laws and lawyers, it is only recently that the subject has been recognised as worthy of serious study. Traditional training methods which have been handed down from generation to generation have not served the profession well.

Legal writing is often accused of suffering from lack of clarity owing to its lengthy intricate construction and antiquated forms of expression. People read legal writing not because they want to, but because they have to. Lawyers need to learn to write in good clear English that their clients understand. this book gives guidance in good practice to those just starting out on a legal career so that bad habits are eliminated from the outset rather than perpetuated.