Here at Law Answered we care a lot about writing with clarity. We intend that our guides should be produced using clear, precise English so that you can readily understand legal concepts - some of which are distinctly complex and tricky!
We think that an ability to craft language effectively and succinctly so that it can only have one meaning is a key requirement for a solicitor. (Those of you applying for training contracts, or paralegal vacancies and trying to explain why a legal career is for you might want to slide that idea into your applications.)
Sometimes it can be hard to explain the nuances of “legal writing” to law undergraduates and even to those further on with their legal training. We can break this down into lists of Dos and Don’ts:
Do: Keep sentences reasonably short.
Use standard formal English.
Spell correctly using English rather than US-English spellings.
Don’t: Abbreviate.
Use a word if you’re not entirely sure what it means.
Use unnecessary filler words.
We could go on, and on, but sometimes what you need is an example and we think that a really masterly one has been provided by Lady Hale in the recent Supreme Court judgment in R (on the application of Miller) v The Prime Minister. This is known as the Miller 2 case and you can find the link to the Supreme Court website here: https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2019-0192-judgment.pdf.
Have a look – yes really! The judgment is 21 pages long and is a really masterly example of clear writing. Even if you only have time to read the first few paragraphs it will be worth your while. This judgment was written with clarity for everyone to understand.
If you want a quick overview of the case we’ve provided that for you too! Have a look at our Miller 2 blog below too.
If you want more writing tips like this, check out our friends at The Student Lawyer, who have loads of tips for law students on everything from exam technique to how to get a job in the law.