Seminars

We tailor our seminars to the needs of the particular client.
We can design seminars for large and small groups,
for one hour or several days, for lawyers and non-lawyers.

Typical seminar content

Background

Plain legal language: What does it mean?
Why is legal language so complex?

Assumptions and research

  • That it is possible to express complex legal concepts in plain language
  • That plain language is legally effective and precise
  • That plain language is more efficient for lawyers and clients
  • That readers prefer plain language
  • That judges prefer plain language

    Basic principles

  • Importance of organisation and structure
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  • Active versus passive
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  • Writing for the reader, not the writer
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  • Word-strings
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  • Sentence length
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  • "Must" versus "shall"
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  • Nominalisations
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  • Punctuation
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  • Doublets and triplets
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  • Layout and design
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  • What to do with terms of art?
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  • Maps and diagrams
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  • Tone
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  • Notes, examples and simplified outlines
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