Dear Legal Writer, Don’t be Demi Moore!

Remember the court scene in “A Few Good Men”?

Tom Cruise says, “I object,” and the court overrules.

But Demi Moore isn’t satisfied. She just has to get up and say: “I strenuously object.”

“Strenuously” didn’t make the objection any more convincing there, did it? Instead, Demi looked desperate.

OK, she looked like a fool.

So let’s avoid that in your legal writing, shall we?

🔷 The lesson is: Axe your adverbs!

—> Adverbs like “clearly” and “plainly” are the worst culprits in legal writing (so definitely axe those), but the rule applies broadly to all adverbs.

For example:

▪️Instead of: “The plaintiff spoke softly.”

 Try: “The plaintiff whispered” or “murmured.”

▪️ Instead of: “The company grew quickly.”

 Try: “The company expanded or flourished.”

▪️ Instead of: “The negotiations ended abruptly.”

 Try: “The negotiations collapsed or broke down.”

▪️ Instead of: “The argument continued endlessly.”

 Try: “The argument dragged on or persisted.”

***
BONUS: Oomphy verbs not only add punch to liven your prose, they also take up less space.

—> Livening your prose and saving space are always good in legal writing.

So might you axe some adverbs in that draft you’re working on today?

💌 Amanda

P.S. Try the “OneLook” thesaurus online.

You can enter two words (weak verb + adverb), and the site will give you back ONE strong verb that says the same thing. —> It’s fun to play around with!

P.P.S. What’s your most-despised adverb in legal writing?

(Mine is “clearly” (with “plainly” coming in a close 2nd).)

#DearLegalWriter