LAWS6950 - Plain English in Legal Writing

Objectives

• Examine the role of plain English in legal writing, with particular emphasis on contract drafting, property documents, statutes, and advice-writing.
• Analyse the reasons for the “traditional” style of legal writing, the research into the advantages and disadvantages of plain English, and the techniques for writing law in plain English.

Content

The assumptions behind using plain English in law; the problems with terms of art and judicially-defined words and phrases; the causes of ambiguities in legal documents and aspects of document design.

Session

Sydney Law School in Europe
Robinson College, Cambridge University, United Kingdom
Semester 1 Intensive
24-25 & 27-28 May 2010

The timetable is subject to frequent changes. Please refer to the latest version of the Postgraduate Timetable.

Assessment

• 1 x 4,000 Word Research Assignment (40%)
• 1 x 4,000 Word Substantial Drafting Exercise (40%)
• Class Participation (20%)

Assumed Knowledge

Undergraduate law degree, completed legal studies as part of a business or commerce degree or LAWS6252 - Legal Reasoning & the Common Law System.

Courses this unit is available in

Master of Laws | Graduate Diploma in Law | Master of Global Law | Master of Business Law | Graduate Diploma in Commercial Law