Posted in:
Flab
Your prose should be tight, toned and vigorous if you want to engage rather than repel your reader.
Too often, though, lawyers resort to flabby and lethargic constructions like these:
- Please be advised that … [omit and just give the damn advice]
- make available [offer, provide]
- … when I am able [heard on voicemail and seen in out-of-office replies; do people think when I can is too colloquial? it’s perfectly good]
- quoted as saying [this always sounds like either I’m not saying that this person actually said this (in case I get into trouble for suggesting that) but she has been reported (by others!) to have said … or just I haven’t bothered to check, but …]
- duly authorised [something can’t be unduly authorised, can it? duly authorised is a redundancy]
Start the discussion!