Legal Writing

How to integrate your message, audience and channel

Posted on February 03, 2009
Ragan Communications provides a real-world, practical report onHow to integrate your message, audience and channel

Blogs on Legal Writing, via Squidoo

Posted on January 28, 2009
Remember Molly DiBianca? Her list of the top 30 writing blogs listed several blogs on legal writing. Most are on my Squidoo Lens on Legal Writing Blawgs. The Squidoo Lens provides the headlines to the most recent postings on each law blog, so you could subscribe to my Legal Writing Blawgs to get a quick overview of them...

Clear Language - plain language by Workplace Education Manitoba (2009)

Posted on January 27, 2009
An adaptation of one of my articles has been created by Workplace Education Manitoba. My original is available here or here.

New way to gather information on topic

Posted on January 20, 2009
A new approach to information gathering is available from Alltop. This service collates the top blogs on a given subject. I really like their set up better than I like using a blogfeed such as Bloglines. But I do use both, since Alltop does not have every category that interests me...

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More on Writing Blogs

Posted on January 17, 2009
Molly DiBianca listed her top 30 writing blogs and I have been commenting on her picks. The writing blogs I keep reading:Confident Writing is from Joanna Young, a writing coach, who organizes theme months and participates widely in blogger-world events...

More top 30 blogs on writing, plus a 31st

Posted on January 16, 2009
Molly DeBianca's selection of writing blogs... It is difficult to draw a line between writing style and grammar and usage but I'll try to comment on the different types of blogs in separate dispatches. Blogs about grammar and usage:I like ProWritingTips, which is not on her top 30 list, but I don?t subscribe to the blog itself...

One of the 30 Best Writing Blogs

Posted on January 15, 2009
Molly DiBianca has collected her list of 30 best blogs on writing. She has kindly included this blog:Building Rapport, The Plain Language Blog, is written by Canadian Cheryl Stephens. The blog's mantra sums up Stephens' philosophy quite well. The purpose of the blog is to "advocat[e] plain language, clear design, sensitivity to audience concerns, and civility...

A new perspective: Teaching ESL in Plain English

Posted on January 08, 2009
I think Ms. Lucy is a real Ms. Sweetie. She has permitted me to reprint her whole post below. She makes learning English easier by teaching plain English: Communication flows when all parties clearly understand the message. In companies, translating numerous documents to Plain English (often called Plain Language), can help employees better understand company rules, procedures, product information, sales strategies, employee benefits and more...

VIA strengths

Posted on January 07, 2009
Clearing out files, I found the report on my strengths according to the VIA Survey. I don't sound very serious, but don't I sound like someone you want to know?1. Zest, enthusiasm, and energy Regardless of what you do, you approach it with excitement and energy...

Visual presentation on plain language

Posted on January 06, 2009
Here is great piece on the benefits of simplicity in communication. Delivered last year at the Symposium of the US Plain Language Center, it is from Irene Etzkorn, Group Director of Simplification, Siegel+Gale, Amazingly Simple Stuff. (It is PowerPoint and takes awhile to download at 32MB)Find it on this page http://www...

Looking back on 2008

Posted on January 03, 2009
Some of the note-worthy events for the plain language movementInternationalMexico City conference of Clarity, the international lawyers' group, exhibited the growing influence of plain language in Latin America. Clarity celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2008...

3rd Anniversary Reassessment

Posted on December 30, 2008
I started this blog 3 years ago today. I am still interested in the same concerns, so this blog will continue "advocating plain language, clear design, sensitivity to audience concerns, and civility". I will be semi-retired in 2009, so I may have more time to devote to blogging...

No wonder I am confused

Posted on November 26, 2008

Visit Raymond Ward's blog to view

Posted on November 26, 2008
Visit Raymond Ward's blog to view a rendition of rap in fairly clear legal language:http://raymondpward.typepad.com/newlegalwriter/2008/11/freestyle-rap-duel-translated-into-legal-language.html

Plain Language Workshops

Posted on November 24, 2008
Linda Dessau reports on a session she attended, sponsored by the Editors' Association of Canada called Plain Language: Building Results and was presented by Frances Peck.Frances shared this definition of plain language: "The orderly and clear presentation of complex information...

Life lists

Posted on November 17, 2008
I decided to do something I saw on Janet's blog. If you want to play along just copy this and then bold the things you've done.I HAVE?.1. Started my own blog2. Slept under the stars3. Played in a band4. Visited Hawaii5. Watched a meteor shower6. Given more than I can afford to charity7...

Le'go that LEGO

Posted on November 15, 2008
LEGO is in the news, having lost its trademark in a European tribunal.Makes this a good time to share with you the very plain language product description filed with the Canadian court by LEGO's lawyers here:A rectilinear array of uniform, smooth-sided, flat-topped, cylindrical, co-planar protuberances,the proportions of height, diameter and center-to-center spacing of which are approximately 2 : 5 : 8...

An example of a simple list

Posted on November 02, 2008
I just came across this sentence on a website for a service center for people who cannot afford a lawyer. The problems with it are (at least):1. the sentence is left-handed (three items consented to)2. the sentence is too long3. the sentence cries out for a list...

Fall in Vancouver

Posted on November 02, 2008
A place where there a real seasons...

What Can We Do as Communicators?

Posted on October 27, 2008
What can we do?Eliminate Systemic DiscriminationThe legal system is text- based and antique. Yet the words affect our lives. Most people find legal documents difficult both for the language and the unfamiliar concepts. The CBA Task Force on Legal Literacy found this to be true...

What is literacy in general??the

Posted on October 25, 2008
What is literacy in general??the ability to understand and employ printed information in daily activities, * at home, at work and in community, * to achieve one?s goals, and * to develop one?s knowledge and potential.? International Adult Literacy Survey, 1993 - 1998 Since 1993 the Internet and other developments require us to ignore the ?printed? in this definition...

Legal rights and literacy.

Posted on October 24, 2008
Do you really know your rights? Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms, 1982, http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/const/annex_e.html#I Guarantee of Rights and Freedoms Rights and freedoms in Canada 1. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society...

The misinformed are often committed to the misinformation

Posted on October 08, 2008
AlterNet news discusses the fact that misinformation is hard to shake off--a particularly disturbing fact in the current election season.There is discussion of the issue and a link to the research paper on this:Why It's Hard to Change People's Minds By Sean Gonsalves, AlterNet...

Updated reosurce on plain language

Posted on September 30, 2008
I have just updated the info on my Squidoo Lens for "Plain Language aka Plain English".This lens provides an overview of resources on the subject.

Happy Birthday, Confucius

Posted on September 28, 2008
Confucius (551-479 BC) was a famous philosopher and teacher who lived in China nearly 2,500 years ago. His teachings were based on treating others in the same way as you treat yourself. He believed that peace and harmony are achieved by avoiding drastic action or wild thinking...

Rally Support for Plain Language Law

Posted on September 24, 2008
Support the U.S. Plain Language ActA proposed law requiring the US federal government to use plain language on certain forms and documents is stuck in a Senate committee, due to the opposition of the legal staff of Utah Senator Robert Bennett.The Plain Language in Government Communications Act of 2008 (S-2291) requires some federal government agencies to write some documents in plain language in the future...

Illiteracy: Democracy?s Invisible Threat

Posted on September 08, 2008
International Literacy Day, September 8, 2008Since 1966, International Literacy Day has been celebrated every September 8. Yet there are still millions who cannot read and write well enough to make well-informed decisions. What does it mean for democracy when half the electorate cannot read their daily paper?Literacy matters, says Adama Ouane of the UNESCO Institute for Education, ?because it?s the key to the toolbox that contains empowerment, a better livelihood, smaller and healthier families, and participation in democratic life...

Word order schmoder, break the chains

Posted on August 24, 2008
I have three links to share with you on the topic of word order of adjectives before nouns. As I came across each of these postings, I thought they were very helpful. But, as usual, the brain keeps working on the concept and now I have a different opinion: they are useful to those dedicated to verbosity...

Reading the reader's mind

Posted on August 23, 2008
A busy week of business travel behind me, I will resume posts soon.This cartoon is an apt representation of my work as a plain language consultant: http://www.comics.com/comics/fminus/index.html.

Creative inspiration is a basic need!

Posted on August 17, 2008
Having talked with a few left-brain types in my day, I know we all crave inspiration and creativity, when we stop to think about it! I think we need a creative outlet or source of stimulation in order to avoid left-brain burn-out.But many people hesitate to take up a creative activity because they "won't be any good at it"...

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