Who gives a F*CK about the Oxford Comma?

Perhaps you know the Vampire Weekend song?

Well, here’s why you should give a BIG f*ck:

⬇️

During my first year on LinkedIn, I posted a recommendation that you use the Oxford Comma—always—when writing in the legal context.

Enter Mary, a General Counsel with a flair for the dramatic.

She went on full-fledged-attack mode, asserting that she “hated” the Oxford Comma and SHE was a GC, so I must step down.

(As if her title somehow made her an authority on all things grammatical.)

But it didn’t stop there:

She went on to reply to every single law student who had commented, urging them to disregard my advice. 😲

Now I’ll confess:

It was my first year, and I was a little insecure.

So I let Mary’s acts knock me off my game for longer than I’d like to admit.

Big mistake.

But I got over it.

So I REPEAT: BLOCK out Vampire Weekend and Mary.

👉 The Oxford Comma is not just a stylistic choice; it’s a tool for clarity in legal writing.

Here’s a primer:

🟢 A, B, and C = ✔️ Best Practice

🔴 A, B and C = ✖️ Not Best Practice

RULE:

Always use a comma before “and” in a list of three or more in U.S. legal writing.

—For other types of writing, style guides may differ.
You might have learned another way—and that’s okay!

But in U.S. legal English, clarity is paramount: use a comma after B in A, B, and C.

Fondly, proudly, and defiantly, 🙂

💌 Amanda

P.S. I concede that the Oxford Comma can look awkward, but if you want to be clear, it’s always safer to include it and move on.

You can write “beautiful-looking” lists for other purposes later.

P.P.S. If you find yourself working for a “General Counsel” like Mary—one who refuses to acknowledge the Oxford Comma even in legal documents—then yes, follow her rules.

And good luck navigating that minefield!