Plain English and Professionals

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