As a lawyer, your ability to communicate with the written word is the key to your success. Join a practical skills-based session, led by a renowned expert in legal writing. In this interactive workshop, you will explore a range of best practice writing principles (and some "worst practice" ones as well!) to help ensure your documents — memoranda, reports, submissions, correspondence, emails, advices are models of clarity, persuasion and conciseness.
Description
Attend and earn 2 CPD units in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
Professional Skills
9.00am to 11.00am The Lawyer as a Professional Communicator: Tips on Clear, Concise, Persuasive and Reader- Focused Writing
An American legal scholar once unkindly observed that there are only two things wrong with most legal writing: one is its style; the other is its content.
Perhaps these concerns were overblown, or are less relevant these days. But it does reinforce the key point that writing — indeed, strong writing — is a fundamental skill required of all lawyers. And it's always good to get a bit of a refresher.
In this interactive workshop, you will explore a range of best practice writing principles (and some "worst practice" ones as well!) to help ensure your documents — memoranda, reports, submissions, correspondence, emails, advices, whatever — are models of clarity, persuasion and conciseness. In the session you will explore:
- The classical legal writing style: what it looks like, and why it doesn't always work
- Plain English writing for lawyers: what it is, and what it isn't
- The professional legal writing voice: myths and realities
- An international standard on plain language — including a soon-to-be-released standard on legal writing
- Email writing: the special challenges
- Clarity in advice writing: an ethical requirement
- Words, sentences and paragraphs: tips and techniques, including writing for persuasion
- Grammar and punctuation: problem areas for lawyers
Presented by Bob Milstein, Principal, Milstein and Associates; Principal, Words and Beyond
Presenters
Bob Milstein, Principal, Words and Beyond
Bob Milstein is a practising lawyer, specialising in health law and also a plain English trainer and document writer. His background in health law – and in particular health care liability litigation – initially sparked his interest in the importance of clear and reader-focused communications. Bob has been running clear writing/plain English training for more than 18 years, and in that time has provided a range of training services to law firms, regulators, government, business, insurers, tribunals and researchers.
