Lawyers, Stop Writing (and Saying) These Things Immediately
Related “We Tried to Create the Worst Legal Writing Possible” Many lawyers are tired of hearing about legalese, and many still haven’t embraced plain language in their own legal writing and speaking....
View ArticleJudge Orders You to Stop Writing Stupidly
Minnesota bankrupcty court judge Robert Kressel just sent out guidelines for lawyers submitting proposed orders to him. It is a catalog of and prohibition against every bad legal writing practice. And...
View ArticleThe Elements of Style: Obsolete?
The Elements of Style For years, I have kept Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style on my bookshelf. I tell my students to read it. I keep telling my associate to read the copy I put on his desk,...
View ArticleDetails Can Make or Break Your Brief
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bzedan/107728952 Earlier this week I wrote a post on how to look smart by following instructions. Sadly, it was quickly brought to my attention the post was riddled with...
View ArticleHow Critical are Punctuation and Syntax to Your Job Prospects?
Really really critical, if you ask us. But Ex-Bitter doesn’t think so. He even throws in a few sympathetic errors of his own to make the law student who sent in the question feel better. Read I’m Tired...
View ArticleBe Safe When Using Flat Adverbs
If you care about improving your writing, eventually you’ll find yourself pondering adverbs. While their over-use is a sure sign of poor writing, no one would suggest trying to ditch them altogether....
View ArticleTwo Spaces After a Period? Who Cares?
When I first started law firm life, several colleagues dropped by my office to ask my opinion on key issues: Did I prefer one space or two after a period? And, what were my feelings on split...
View ArticleThree Grammar Rules to Forget (Because They’re Wrong)
Writing well is difficult. It requires a lot of time and patience. And it’s made more difficult when one has to ignore one’s earliest teaching on the subject. I fondly recall my elementary school...
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