"My legal writing professor opened the class with these prophetic words, "If lawyers got paid by the word, we'd all be wealthy. But we don't, and we're not." As attorneys, we have a habit of using longer, complicated words when we could be concise and to the point.

Rewriting is an essential element of good writing. If you have to read something twice for it to make sense, you need to rewrite it and make it clear.

Just remember, your writing is a reflection of your ability to communicate clearly. Clients will appreciate your lawyering skills all the more if you display superior writing skill, are not self-conscious about style and technique, and are able to execute complex writing tasks quickly, intelligently and effectively."

Elizabeth Lampert, Attorney-at-Law.

This checklist was inspired by Elizabeth Lampert's work on legal writing.