Dear Legal Writer: How to use “Here” & “There” to improve your legal writing

Dear Legal Writer,

When you write a legal research memo or brief, you spend a lot of time writing about how your case compares to other cases. A dilemma you face is how to refer to your case.

You have many options, including:

➖ In this case

➖ In the present case

➖ In the instant case

➖ In the case at bar

All of these options are correct. But I urge you to avoid them in your legal writing—for this year and beyond.

✏️ Just write “here.”

* * *

(To be sure, someone will produce an example where more than “here” is needed for clarity, and certainly, if you find yourself writing such an example, favor clarity. But almost always, a simple “here” will do.)

Fondly,

💌 Amanda