Plain English And Professionals – PowerPoint
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Plain English and
Professionals
Grace Lawson
Barrister-at-Law
Accredited Mediator
www.gracelawson.com.au
Overview
What is Plain English
Assessing client sophistication
Dealing with professional clients
Letter writing skills for lawyers
Copywriting for lawyers
The English language
Most widely spoken and written language
Official language in almost 60 sovereign
states in the world
Over 1,000,000 words
Expands at 8,500 words per year
Does your client understand you?
“I know that you believe you
understand what you think I said,
but I’m not sure you realise that
what you heard is not what I
meant”.
(Richard M Nixon quoted in Thomas, G. p. 28)
Avoid legal jargon and Latin
‘good faith’ not ‘bona fide’
‘prevented’ not ‘estopped’
‘immediately’ not ‘forthwith’
‘if’ not ‘in the event that’
‘until’ not ‘until such time’
‘to’ not ‘for the purpose of’
‘enough’ not ‘sufficient number’
A word of caution
Clients will still need legal advice
Changing words can change meaning
Never change your language unless you
want to change the meaning
Terms of art may never change e.g. forum
shopping, piercing corporate veil
The Hon Michael Kirby
Past Justice of the High Court of Australia
“Beauty and elegance of simple expression”.
Ten principles for plain language in law which
will make your language “more direct, simple
and vigorous”. (p. 10)
How sophisticated is your client?
“My lawyer never told me that!”
Warning signs or red flags:
difficulty expressing themselves
ask the same type of questions
cannot repeat your advice in their own words
body language!
Do YOU understand the experts?
Consider
using a
Shadow
Expert
Your legal letters
Purpose of your letter
Use Plain English
Check for errors
Others may read it
Be careful with precedents
What else you can offer your client
Do you have a Copy?
Purpose: website, social networking profile
Audience: new clients or THAT job
Strategy: “what’s in it for me”?
Format: logo, image, text
Short, to the point, relevant, action words
Promise, deliver and invite
Evidence e.g. testimonials
Your personality!
My example:
Conclusion
Use Plain English whenever necessary
Do you need a shadow expert?
Write letters with a purpose
Write your Copy to build your profile and your
business
Grace Lawson
10 March 2015
©Grace Lawson, 2015
Liability limited by a scheme approved under professional standards legislation