Legal Writing and Contract Drafting: A Practical Guide for Lawyers

This practical book is a guide for lawyers on how to write anything clearly and accurately, including tips on plain English. The book covers specific types of documents that lawyers need to master and gives advice on how to avoid the most common drafting mistakes.

Aimed at UK trainee solicitors and junior associates, but useful for other lawyers too, the book is packed with practical advice and handy checklists, and includes the answers to such questions as:

• How do you write advice like a human, rather than a lawyer?
• How do you get people to answer your emails?
• What’s the most common grammar mistake by junior lawyers?
• How do you write marketing materials that people will read?
• How do you write a winning pitch?
• What’s the drafting mistake that appears in most contracts (and often appears in the courts)?
• Why should you never say ‘provided that’?
• When should you use ‘subject to’, ‘notwithstanding’ and ‘without prejudice to’?
• And why is ‘and’ so tricky?

About the author Mel Atraghji was a solicitor at a magic circle law firm for over 25 years. She now gives training on legal writing and contract drafting to law firms, in-house legal teams, law students and others. She works with Ben Staveley, the author of Faultless Grammar: the busy lawyer’s reminder guide. Find out more at: www.staveleyandatraghji.co.uk.