General & Miscellaneous Law, Legal Writing, Technical Writing, Legal Reference - General & Miscellaneous, Legal Methodology & Language
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Overview
This book reveals how and why traditional legal language has developed some of the peculiar characteristics that sometimes make legal documents inaccessible to users. It examines recent reforms in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and North America, and provides a step-by-step guide to drafting in a modern style. Readers of the book will be able to make their writing clearer and their legal documents more useful to clients and colleagues.Synopsis
In the second edition of this highly regarded text, the authors show how and why traditional legal language has developed the peculiar characteristics that make legal documents inaccessible to the end users. Incorporating recent research and case law, the book provides a critical examination of case law and the rules of interpretation. Detailed case studies illustrate how obtuse or outdated words, phrases and concepts can be rewritten, reworked or removed altogether. Particularly useful is the step-by-step guide to drafting in the modern style, using examples from four types of common legal documents: leases, company constitutions, wills and conveyances. Readers will gain an appreciation of the historical influences on drafting practice and the use of legal terminology. They will learn about the current moves to reform legal language, and receive clear instruction on how to make their writing clearer and their legal documents more useful.Book Details
Published
June 13, 2026
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Pages
240
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780521674522