Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Upcoming NAFLP Sponsored Event - Jan 22, 2009

Join Lisa Solomon, Legal Research and Writing Pro, and presenter Cheryl Stephens, in an exciting teleseminar -

Plain Language Principles for Better Briefs

Thursday, January 22, 3:00 p.m. Eastern (12:00 noon Pacific)

In Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges, authors Bryan Garner and Justice Antonin Scalia advise lawyers to “[b]anish jargon, hackneyed expressions and needless Latin” from their briefs. You can accomplish this goal, and write more persuasive briefs, by applying the principles of plain language legal writing. Plain language legal writing refers to legal writing that is well thought out, well organized, and understandable to the reader without interpretation: the language is clear, the legal concepts are explained and the technical terms are defined.

In this program, you’ll learn:

  • What it means to really know your audience
  • What your intro should include
  • When and how to use precedent
  • Ways to reword legal terms so they’re understandable in plain English
  • Methods for reducing wordiness
  • When ambiguity is useful, and when it’s a hindrance
  • Traps that make your writing cumbersome
  • How to structure a sentence for clarity
  • How to design paragraphs that work
  • What passive voice is good for

. . . and more!

Presenter Cheryl Stephens is the author of several articles and books, including Plain Language Legal Writing. Her plain language blog, Rapport, is a popular resource online. For nearly twenty years, she has been writing, speaking, and teaching about plain language, helping legal professionals to become more successful communicators using plain language principles.

Registration for this program includes the live teleseminar, plus access to a downloadable recording (mp3).

The cost for this program is $97. NAFLP members receive 25% off ALL Legal Research & Writing Pro programs and products. NAFLP will receive the promotion code via separate email for use during checkout.

To register, visit http://legalresearchandwritingpro.com/products and add a Silver Membership to your cart.

Reserve your place early!

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