Legal writing is used by legal professionals, lawmakers, and others in the legal field to communicate and express legal analysis, rights, and duties to their intended audience. The intention behind the writing is to persuade, inform, or provide information to its reader.

Due to its specialized nature, it is a niche form that requires high expertise and skills. Legal writing involves the usage of specific legal jargon and terminology not typically used in everyday language.

When legal writing is useful

•       Policy Development: Policy-makers and law reform bodies often require comprehensive legal research and clear writing to formulate effective policies.

•       Academic Purposes: Legal writing is a critical tool in legal education to train future lawyers and legal professionals.  

•       Content Creation: This includes legal blogs, government websites, and social media, where skills in legal writing are in demand. These legal contents are often designed to educate the general public.

•       Business Communication: Companies integrate legal writing to communicate with their legal teams or when they must draft internal policies and procedures that comply with the law.

•       Legal Marketing: In the modern business landscape, digital marketing is one of the most powerful tools for businesses, including law firms. Law firms create written content on various platforms to advertise their expertise in a particular area of law and engage with potential clients.  

Roles of Legal Editors and Writers 

Legal writers and editors specialize in creating, revising, and proofreading various legal documents. They often collaborate with others, such as lawyers, paralegals, clients, law firms, courts, government agencies, and corporate legal departments.

The following sections will guide you through techniques to excel in legal editing and writing.

Best practices in legal writing and editing

 Deep understanding of the law

Law is a complex and vast discipline with its language and specific terms. To become an excellent legal editor and writer, one must have a solid foundation in legal knowledge. Without a solid grasp of the law, a writer may misinterpret the law, leading to misinformation and confusion.

Strong research skills

Legal research is another integral part of legal writing. Legal writing often involves presenting complex legal issues and arguments. To do this effectively, one must be able to conduct thorough research and synthesise information from various sources of law.  

Regular research also helps writers and editors to stay with all the developments and amendments in the field of legislation. Tools and resources such as legal dictionaries, webinars and research databases (e.g. Westlaw and Lexis Nexis) contain a wealth of legal information. Knowing how and where to access legal precedents, regulations, and case law is crucial to producing informative legal content.

Clarity and simplicity

Legal contents are often read by people who are not legal experts, so it is essential to write in a way that is clear and easy to understand while still being legally accurate. The ability to avoid jargon and explain complex legal concepts in simple terms is vital to conveying the information effectively. Remember that we do not want to confuse or intimidate the reader.

Excellent editing and proofreading skills

Editing is equally important as writing. An excellent legal editor must have the the ability to spot grammar, punctuation, and syntax errors. Writers may use grammar and style checker tools such as Grammarly and Hemingway Editor to improve the readability and accuracy of the content.

They must also check for terminology and formatting consistency to ensure the writing is beautifully structured and meets its objectives. Consider using headings and subheadings to ensure facts and information flow smoothly from one point to the next.

Tips: A skilled editor enhances clarity by removing unnecessary words, reorganizing sentences, and ensuring compliance with legal citation rules when citing statutes, case law, and other legal sources.

Your writing should suit the intended audience.

Always keep your audience in mind. The style and tone should be appropriate for your intended readers. For example, a legal brief aimed at a judge differs from a client advice letter.

When producing legal content for a website, as a legal writer and editor, you must balance maintaining accuracy and ensuring the content is accessible to a broad audience. If you are writing to legal professionals, you can use more complex legal jargon.

 However, if your audience is the general public, try to write in simple English and avoid excessive use of legalese. If you must use legal terms, provide a clear and straightforward explanation.

Consider the usage of 

Visual aids

The use of visual aids, such as infographics or videos, can make content more engaging and help readers understand the message more accessible. For instance, flowcharts, diagrams, and tables can simplify a complicated legal process or timeline.

Incorporate Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) practices

If you are a legal writer or editor who intends to venture into legal marketing, mastering SEO practices is crucial when promoting the services or expertise of the law firm. SEO allows for targeted marketing. By using specific keywords related to the intended legal services, you can reach the clients most likely to need your services. 

This is particularly important in the legal field, where clients’ needs can be very unique and specific from the other. For example, someone looking for a divorce lawyer will not be interested in a firm that specializes in corporate law. SEO improves the search engine ranking, helps establish the credibility and authority of your content, and enhances your online presence.

Key Takeaways 

By implementing the best practices we have touched upon, effective and powerful legal writing can help to empower individuals to advocate their rights, allow for clear communication and reflect the competency and professionalism of the person behind the writing.

Therefore, as legal editors and writers, it is always best to go on a journey of continuous learning and practice to produce legal information that is accurate, updated, and as practical and straightforward as possible.