Legal
Resources

Plain Language and the Law

Definitions:

• What is Plain Legal Language?

Judge Mark Painter:

• Legal Writing 201 (PDF, 91KB)
• Appellate Writing (PDF, 61KB)

Joe Kimble:

• Answering the Critics of Plain Language
• Answering the Critics of Plain Language (PDF, 318KB)
• Other articles, downloadable files and links on plain language

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Steven Stark:

• Win Cases with Effective Writing

Cheryl Stephens:

• What is Really Wrong with Legal Language?
• Plain Language Explained to Business Lawyers
• Don't Be a Letterhead. Think about Your Clients
• Is the Form Still Blank? Maybe Your Client Has Difficulty Reading
• A Crash Course in Plain Language
• Communications: Are You Listening?
• Keep Your Clients Informed
• Other articles on plain language and design issues

Irene Leonard King:

• What's It Going to Take for You to Use Plain Language?

Peter Butt:

• PLAIN Conference Presentation: The Assumptions Behind Plain Legal Language

See Also:

• Other Plain Language Organizations
• Lawyers for Literacy
• Legal Bibliography
• Plain English Columns From Michigan Law Journal (link)
• Community Legal Education Ontario, Toronto (link)
• Nolo, The Plain Language Law Center (link)
• Pennsylvania Plain Language Consumer Contract Act (link)
• Publishing Guidelines (link)
• Plain Language in Law--Sandeep Dave, LLRX.com(link)
• Australia Office of Parliamentary Counsel on Drafting Legislation (link, PDF)
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Plain Language Handbook (link, PDF)
• Writing in Plain Language--Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales (link)

Expressions of Support:

• Canadian Bar Association
• Legal Writing Institute
• Legal Secretaries International