BOOK REVIEW
CLARITY FOR LAWYERS
Effective Legal Language
3rd edition
By Mark Adler and Daphne Perry
ISBN: 978 1 78446 048 8
THE LAW SOCIETY
www.lawsociety.org.uk
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A WELCOME RETURN
FOR THIS EXCELLENT LEGAL COMPANION
SUITABLY REVISED FOR THE 2020s
An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers and Reviews Editor, “The Barrister”
It’s a rare privilege to be asked to review this new third edition of Mark Adler’s definitive work on “Clarity for Lawyers”, now co-written with Daphne Perry, as we regard the book as a professional lifesaver.
There is a recurring theme that many senior lawyers, judges and academics raise regularly about the low quality of written communication across the business world so we welcome the decision by the Law Society to update this important title for the 2020s.
David Neuberger describes the book as “engagingly written and well structured”, adding that many parts “can be read almost as much for pleasure as for instruction” and “can be regarded as a collection of anecdotes or cautionary tales”.
Neuberger is absolutely correct in commenting that “making the point, by way of example, is one of the best ways to educate”. His conclusion sums up the reason for the success of the book by suggesting that “anyone who is engaged in communication, whether in writing or by word of mouth, could profit from reading this book.”
It remains a highly practical book which “debunks the myth that legalese is precise” so do read Neuberger’s Foreword several times before you tackle the five parts of the book spread over 30 chapters and under 300 pages.
One of the principle benefits of the new edition is the approach which we all need to adopt with the advent of IT which has lengthened documents. The language we use is also changing again so the section on “choosing words” explains much for us. Many lawyers can fall into the “spell checker” route which is, of course, helpful but should always be your servant rather than your master!
The three appendices are particularly helpful, especially Appendix A which is “a legal writing workshop”. Do follow through the various sections and try the practical exercises. Appendix B gives a highly practical “analysis of examples” which you need to cross refer to the main text pages, and Appendix C offers brilliantly “hands on” precedents which are invaluable.
The final word must be left to Mark and Daphne who say that their aim is to help lawyers work more effectively and more efficiently. Their aim succeeds admirably and is designed for our benefit and for anyone affected by our work… clients, other lawyers, and judges. In fact, everyone because it makes the law more transparent for all whereby “its benefits and obligations are not lost in a tangle of verbiage”. Well said!
The two authors want this book to be “more interesting and readable than just a style guide” in the hope it will sometimes surprise us. Yes, it does, because it is a very good book which should be by your side as an excellent companion for the 2020s.
The third edition of the book was published on 25th July 2017.
