Yes, you read that right. It’s International Waffle Day! Just an excuse for us to share with you the reasons why we believe (and many of our clients agree) that using plain English in legal documents is the way forward!

The Law Society too conquers that when it comes to ‘legalese,’ “the vast majority serve little or no purpose. Cut them out.”* So, where we can, we try to include as much plain English as possible so that you and your clients can communicate in the most effective way.

*Source: The Law Society: 7 legal writing mistakes to avoid (2016), Richard Heinrich. 

However, several lawyers are still hesitant to change their ways so we decided to list the 6 main benefits to introducing plain English into your business and with your clients:

W - Wave goodbye to unnecessary disputes

Using plain English means that there is a lower risk of misunderstandings with your clients. Meaning that, they will have a better understanding of what is required from them while reducing the likelihood of disagreements, saving you time and money long-term.

60% of people took less than 30 seconds to read a 100-word paragraph in plain language, nearly 50% better than a traditional non-plain text. Readers are also 38% more likely to understand text written in plain language*.

*Source: study: labrador reveals the effectiveness of plain language proven by data, July 2020.

A - Aim to communicate effectively

Ensuring that your clients feel comfortable in reaching out to you and not being intimidated by the complicated legal jargon will leave them feeling as though they have received a better service. They will feel safer throughout their journey with you as a result of a better understanding of every aspect of the process

F - Free up your time

Your clients will no longer need to contact you several times for clarification and assistance in translating the legal language difficult to understand. They will feel comfortable and confident in understanding the full purpose of the documents you provided for them. Leaving you free to use your time for other activities that will be more beneficial to your business.

F - Forget about old-fashioned branding

Would you be happy living in a house that hasn’t been renovated for decades, or working in an office that hasn’t been touched for years? Probably not. So why let your way of working be outdated? It is a way of showing your clients that you can remain professional whilst being modern and progressive in the way that you work. It ultimately proves that you as a business or a firm are not stuck in your old ways.

L - Let go of the old, bring in the new

The legal world is a very traditional and sometimes an “old-fashioned” environment. Changes can take a while to get used to however,  moving towards the use of plain English has been a tried and tested conversion successful with all of our clients.

E - Expand your customer base

Clients appreciate honesty and transparency, especially when it comes to handing over their life’s work to you. This way of producing documents means that you are always clear with your clients as to what you are providing them with. Reducing the risk of them feeling that they are not in control or lack an understanding of the purpose of the documents. This will provide your clients with a real sense of trust within you and your business. It’s also a selling point to the way that you do business.

In Summary, we really do believe in the progressive and modern way of thinking and using plain English fits perfectly into that attitude. 

If you’re not presently using WillSuite and our modern document drafting solution, book in for a demo or grab a free trial to see how you could revolutionise your business and drafting processes.

Thank you for reading!