The Art of Consumer Drafting

Scribes Journal of Legal Writing, Vol. 11, p. 1, 2007

24 Pages Posted: 19 Jan 2009 Last revised: 10 Apr 2011

See all articles by Wayne Schiess

Wayne Schiess

University of Texas School of Law

Abstract

I made up the term "consumer drafting" a few years ago to describe legal drafting aimed at nonlawyers. I believe that most consumer drafting is bad. I believe that most consumer drafting cannot be read and understood by the people who need to read and understand it. And I believe that lawyers should do something about it. This piece discusses what I've done to prepare myself to improve consumer drafting. After highlighting the nature of the problem briefly, I first discuss some words-and-sentences, grammar-and-usage aspects of consumer drafting. Then, in the main part of the piece, I discuss the ways I had to change my thinking, the ways I had to become more like an artist than a lawyer. I believe that anyone can take the same steps and do some real work in consumer drafting. In taking the steps, you may come to believe, as I did, that consumer drafting is an art.

Keywords: plain English, plain language, consumer, drafting, legal drafting, nonlawyer

Suggested Citation

Schiess, Wayne, The Art of Consumer Drafting. Scribes Journal of Legal Writing, Vol. 11, p. 1, 2007, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1329038

Wayne Schiess (Contact Author)

University of Texas School of Law ( email )

727 East Dean Keeton St.
Austin, TX 78705
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.utexas.edu/law

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