Use footnotes effectivelyLegal stylists disagree on how often lawyers should use footnotes and what they should use them for.
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Provide appropriate factual context for your citations.When citing precedents, you often need to provide some factual context to assure the reader that they apply.
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Show respect for judges, even when they are wrong.Referring to judges correctly and deferentially is a nonnegotiable requirement of strong legal writing.
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Write with a professional toneYour prose should be understated and focused on effective persuasion.
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Avoid clichésThink twice the next time you consider writing that something is "crystal clear."
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Use plain languageCultivate a style that is simple and direct.
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Use white space and break your document into chunks.Readers instinctively turn away from any text that looks like it will be difficult to slog through.
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Omit irrelevant detailsEvery detail you include in a legal document should be there for a reason.
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Write with the brain in mindCognitive science concepts can help writers organize their texts.
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Avoid ritual terms and phrasesDitch terms like "whereas" and phrases like "comes now before the court."
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Adopt a growth mentalityEven strong writers have room to improve.
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In case you missed it (Part 2)Here are the topics this newsletter has covered in its first two months.
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