The Lawyer's Style Guide
A Student and Practitioner Guide
1st Edition
Published on 25. February 2021
968 pages
978-1-5099-3626-7 (ISBN)
Description
Clarity and precision in legal writing are essential skills in the practice and study of law. This book offers a straightforward, practical guide to effective legal style from a world-leading expert.
The book is thoughtfully structured to explain the elements of good legal writing and its most effective use. It catalogues all aspects of legal style, topic by topic, phrase by phrase, usage by usage. It scrutinises them all, suggesting improvements. Its 'dictionary' arrangement makes it easy to navigate.
Entries cover matters such as abbreviations, acronyms, active and passive voice, brackets, bullet points, citation methods, cross-referencing, fonts, document design, footnotes, gender-neutral language, numbering systems, plain legal language, punctuation, the use of Latin in law, structures for legal advices and documents, and techniques for editing and proofreading. Also covered are many words and phrases that non-lawyers find opaque and obscure-the aim being to show that lawyers can usually substitute a plain-English equivalent that captures the legal nuances of the 'legalese'. Other topics include ambiguity, deeds, definitions, provisos, recitals, simplified outlines, terms of art, tone, and the various principles of legal interpretation.
With an emphasis on technical effectiveness and understanding, the book is required reading for all those engaged in the practice and study of law.
The book is thoughtfully structured to explain the elements of good legal writing and its most effective use. It catalogues all aspects of legal style, topic by topic, phrase by phrase, usage by usage. It scrutinises them all, suggesting improvements. Its 'dictionary' arrangement makes it easy to navigate.
Entries cover matters such as abbreviations, acronyms, active and passive voice, brackets, bullet points, citation methods, cross-referencing, fonts, document design, footnotes, gender-neutral language, numbering systems, plain legal language, punctuation, the use of Latin in law, structures for legal advices and documents, and techniques for editing and proofreading. Also covered are many words and phrases that non-lawyers find opaque and obscure-the aim being to show that lawyers can usually substitute a plain-English equivalent that captures the legal nuances of the 'legalese'. Other topics include ambiguity, deeds, definitions, provisos, recitals, simplified outlines, terms of art, tone, and the various principles of legal interpretation.
With an emphasis on technical effectiveness and understanding, the book is required reading for all those engaged in the practice and study of law.
More details
Edition
1. Auflage
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN-13
978-1-5099-3626-7 (9781509936267)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
02/2021
Hart Publishing
€94.27
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Peter Butt is Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Sydney. He was the founding director of the Centre for Plain Legal Language at the University of Sydney, and has lectured extensively on legal writing in the UK and many other countries.
Content
Click on the link to see the full Table of Contents >
