I got a note from “Thus” and “Therefore” overnight.
I got a note from “Thus” and “Therefore” overnight.
The note said:
1: “We’re overworked.”
2: “We’re bored of being first in sentences.”
3: “We’d like to sit next to someone other than a comma for once.”
I told them I would see what I could do.
So here’s this to you, my dear legal writer:
✏️
We’re relying on “thus” and “therefore” too often, and we’re unimaginative when we do.
—“Therefore, the plaintiff’s arguments are unpersuasive.”
—“Thus, the Court should grant the motion.”
Blah, blah, blah.
Our sentences are grammatically correct, but they’re also over-the-top predictable.
Such sentences make our prose plodding and uninspired if we don’t inject some variety.
🔷 A: You often don’t need “thus” or “therefore” at all—or any substitute for them. You can be more convincing by just cutting them altogether, at times.
🔷 B: But when something is absolutely needed to bridge your content flow, you have other options beyond “Thus, . . .” and “Therefore, . . .” to start sentences.
1️⃣
One is to use “And so” or “So” (no comma needed afterwards) as a substitute for “Thus” or “Therefore.”
This option is suggested by BriefCatch and is a good one, provided you’re comfortable with the more informal style.
—“And so the plaintiff’s arguments prove unpersuasive.”
—“So the Court should grant the motion.”*
{*I’m not sure I’d use “so” for such boilerplate, wrap-up sentences, but the word can work well in the body of a brief.}
2️⃣
A second option is to move “thus” and “therefore” to the middle of your sentences (no surrounding commas needed).
Doing so is less predictable and will add some variation to your sentence structure, which will improve your overall writing style.
Here are example sets using each word:
〽️ ORIGINAL: “Thus, we decided to delay the deposition.”
✅ TRY INSTEAD: “We thus decided to delay the deposition.”
🚫 NOT: “We, thus, decided to delay the deposition.”
——
〽️ ORIGINAL: “Therefore, his counsel ceded to our demands.”
✅ TRY INSTEAD: “His counsel therefore ceded to our demands.”
🚫 NOT: “His counsel, therefore, ceded to our demands.”
***
🗳️ How do you use “thus” & “therefore”? Do you use “so” or “and so”?
Fondly,
💌 Amanda
#DearLegalWriter
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