Legal writing: stale beginnings lead to sticky ends
Jayne Dalmer | August 24, 2016
Stale’s great for making breadcrumbs but not for starting sentences. Image by Magda Ehlers / Pexels licence
Excuse me while I clear my throat. And now stretch! Almost there…
Now, where was I?
Annoying isn’t it?
Writers can be just as guilty of ‘beating about the bush’ as speakers. Legal writing in particular is loaded with meaningless formulaic words at the start of sentences — a waste of time for readers and writers.
Tired ritual beginnings get in the way of the main idea
Consider phrases like this:
- It is important to note that…
- It should be remembered that…
- At this point in time…
- We refer to previous correspondence and now advise that…
- Having regard to…
- Notwithstanding the foregoing…
The deeper you dive into the meaning of these phrases the more bottomless they become. But they’re not just an annoyance — they actually distance readers and dilute your message.
Get straight to the point
Delete these stale beginnings and start with the main idea. In longer paragraphs, summarise the content in the first sentence.
For example:
- Here is the lease agreement you asked us to prepare.
- We’ve been gathering evidence for the case over the past few weeks.
- We would be delighted to advise you about setting up a family trust.
- In your letter of 20 August 2016 you asked three questions about your will. Here are the answers…
A fresh, client-focused beginning shows that you’re both professional and interested in your client.
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(Last updated: November 2024)