Legal writing has a reputation problem. Most people encounter it through contracts they sign without fully reading, terms and conditions that run to thirty pages, or letters from lawyers that require a second read just to find the actual point. The reputation is earned. But it’s also fixable – and the lawyers and legal writers who have figured this out tend to produce work that’s both more persuasive and more trusted.
Plain language legal writing is not a compromise on accuracy. It’s a choice about where the cognitive burden sits. Dense, jargon-heavy prose puts that burden on the reader. Clear prose distributes it more fairly. A client who understands their contract is less likely to dispute it later. A judge who can follow an argument without effort is more likely to remember it.
Why Legal Language Gets Complicated
The complexity in legal writing has several sources, and they’re worth separating because they require different fixes. Some complexity is genuine – legal concepts are precise by necessity, and precision sometimes requires unusual terminology. Some complexity is inherited – lawyers write the way they were taught, and they were taught by people who wrote the same way. And some complexity is habit, plain and simple.
Legal content written with AI assistance faces an additional layer. AI-generated text often defaults to formal, hedged, and repetitive phrasing – which can make an already dense document feel even more impenetrable. Writers who revise AI-assisted legal content and want to visit Getsolved’s humanizer tool find it flags exactly those patterns – overly passive constructions, repetitive sentence structures, and formal phrasing that reads as stiff rather than authoritative. The tool handles the pattern detection; the writer handles the legal judgment. That combination moves faster than editing by instinct alone. The goal across all these sources is the same: keep the precision, lose the unnecessary weight.
The Core Principles of Clear Legal Writing
Legal writing tips that appear in every serious guide come down to a short list of consistent principles. Here’s what actually works:
Prefer active voice. “The tenant must pay rent by the first of each month” is clearer than “Rent must be paid by the tenant by the first of each month.” Active constructions are shorter, more direct, and easier to parse under pressure.
Use defined terms consistently. One of the genuine advantages of legal writing is that terms can be defined precisely and then used consistently. The problem arises when writers define a term and then vary it throughout the document – “the Agreement,” “this Contract,” “the above-referenced document.” Pick one and stick with it.
Short sentences for important points. Complex ideas can require long sentences. But the most important statement in any paragraph should be short. It will be read more carefully and remembered more reliably.
Concrete over abstract. “The party shall endeavour to act in a commercially reasonable manner” invites dispute. “The party shall respond to requests within five business days” does not.
Legal Writing Examples: Before and After
The difference between dense and clear legal writing is easier to see than to describe.
| Dense Version | Clearer Version |
| “Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary…” | “Despite anything else in this agreement…” |
| “The aforementioned party shall hereinafter be referred to as…” | “We’ll call this party the Licensor.” |
| “In the event that payment is not received within the requisite timeframe…” | “If payment is late…” |
| “The indemnifying party shall hold harmless and indemnify…” | “Party A will cover any losses Party B faces because of…” |
None of the right-column versions are less accurate than the left-column versions. They’re just written for humans to read.
Legal Writing Style for Different Audiences
Legal writing skills look different depending on who the document is for. A brief filed with a court has different conventions than a client-facing letter. A regulatory submission differs from an internal policy document. The legal writing format shifts accordingly.
For Clients
Client-facing legal content should use the simplest accurate term available. Avoid Latin phrases unless there’s no English equivalent. Explain the practical implication of each clause, not just its technical operation. “This clause means you cannot sublease the property to anyone without our written permission” is more useful than “The Lessee shall not sublet, assign, or otherwise transfer any interest in the Premises.”
For Courts
Judicial readers value precision above all, but they also value economy of words. A legal writing guide for court submissions typically emphasises clear headings, short paragraphs, and an argument structure that can be followed without rereading. The statement of facts should read like a story, not a chronology. The argument section should open with the conclusion, then support it.
For Internal Use
Internal legal documents – policies, procedures, compliance guides – are often read by non-lawyers. The basic rules of legal writing apply here with more flexibility. Plain English is not just acceptable; it’s necessary. A compliance policy nobody understands creates more risk than no policy at all.
Common Problems and Quick Fixes
Some of the most common legal writing problems have straightforward solutions.
Nominalisation. This is the habit of turning verbs into nouns: “make a determination” instead of “determine,” “give consideration to” instead of “consider,” “provide assistance” instead of “help.” Cut the noun phrase, restore the verb.
Stacked modifiers. “The above-referenced non-disclosure agreement termination clause” forces the reader to hold four modifiers in mind before reaching the noun. Break these into shorter phrases or use a defined term.
Buried verbs. In long sentences, the main verb often appears late, after several qualifying clauses. Moving the subject-verb-object to the front of the sentence makes the main point land first.
Redundant pairs. Legal writing is full of them: “null and void,” “cease and desist,” “terms and conditions.” These were meaningful when English and Law French ran in parallel. Today, one word is usually enough.
A Quick Self-Edit Checklist
Before finalising any legal writing document:
- Read the first sentence of each paragraph. Do they each carry a distinct, clear point?
- Circle every passive construction and ask whether active works better
- Highlight every sentence over 30 words and break each one in two
- Check whether every defined term is used consistently from first appearance to last
- Replace every “notwithstanding,” “hereinafter,” and “aforementioned” with plain English
This process takes twenty minutes for a standard contract and catches a significant portion of the readability problems before anyone else sees them.
Final Thoughts
Clear legal writing is a professional skill, not a concession. The lawyers who write plainly are not sacrificing authority – they’re demonstrating enough command of the subject to explain it simply. That confidence reads differently than complexity for its own sake. Clients trust it more. Courts follow it more easily. And the writer spends less time answering questions about what a document actually means.
