Legal writing Skills

Legal writing is an important skill needed in every practice area of law. Words are used to advocate, inform, persuade and instruct. Are you giving the right impression? Are your clients receiving the right message?

This course focuses on clear legal writing for a global audience. Effective communication with English speaking lawyers is about more than simply words. It entails understanding the unique way these speakers think and approach the legal, political, and business world.

This is a practical course with many exercises and examples in order to achieve an interactive and stimulating outcome. The course’s activities involve the production of typical work-place legal documents.

Team Communication Skills

The course consists of group discussions as well as individual and team tasks. There will be writing practice throughout the exercises.

Objectives of this Legal Writing Skills course

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Apply plain English style of writing to all legal documents
  • Recognize the need for legal clarity in different types of legal documents: legal letters, emails, memorandum and opinions
  • Apply good legal writing practice
  • Demonstrate the register of legal writing
  • Correct common mistakes in legal writing
  • Dispense and deal with pitfalls and issues relating to the use of legal jargon
  • Proofread effectively

Content this Legal Writing Skills course

DAY 1:

  • Introduction and objectives, overview and logistics
  • Legal Writing for whom?
  • Analysis of pre-course sample submissions
  • Writing for the reader
  • Style and substance: the plain English campaign and impact on legal practice
  • Clarity of thought makes a great lawyer – being clear in your writing – 4 stage strategy
  • The science of great legal writing : structure, style, voice, grammar and language
  • Writing practice using new rules
  • Homework assignment

DAY 2:

  • Recap day 1
  • Homework group review
  • Case study exercise – real legal writing in the 21st century
  • Case study review
  • Editing exercises
  • Recap day 2, further reading, post course assignment
  • Team Quiz

Contact us about the course



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