Dear Legal Writer: Here’s a comma guide for clear, correct prose.

Dear Legal Writer,

Follow this comma guide to help you write clear, correct prose:

✅ A, B, and C -YES

❌ A, B and C -NO

✅ A, B & C -YES

❌ A, B, & C -NO

***
RULE: DO use a comma before “and” in a list of 3 or more.

EXCEPT: DO NOT use a comma before “&” in a list of 3 or more.

SCOPE: U.S. legal writing.

For other writing, the style guides on the comma after B disagree.
Like me, you may have learned to do things another way.
That was definitely not wrong, per se.

But in U.S. legal writing, use a comma after the B in A, B, and C.
If you care, that comma goes by the name “Oxford.”
Follow its Rule, word-for-word.

It furthers clarity.

Clarity is good.

Fondly,
💌 Amanda

#lawstudents
#lawyers
#legalwriting
#writing