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CPD Course:
Essential
Drafting Skills
for Lawyers
Presented by
Mr. Christopher Southam,
Author, Trainer, Lawyer,
Former University Lecturer |
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| Code: |
EVT000000200 |
Level: |
Standard |
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| Date: |
6 December 2017 (Wednesday)
(Amended) |
Language: |
English |
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| Time: |
09:30 - 12:45
(Reception starts at 09:00) |
Accreditation(s): |
LSHK 3.5 CPD Points |
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Request for Rerun: |
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| Presenter's Profile: |
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Christopher was a partner in a law firm in London for many years. He has presented at many legal seminars in London and elsewhere on many topics including:
- Drafting commercial documents,
- Presentation, public speaking and advocacy skills,
- Marketing for lawyers,
- Career advancement through networking; and
- Management skills for lawyers.
He is also an experienced management trainer in both hard and soft skills. Christopher is a published author (on drafting employment contracts), former university lecturer and experienced trainer. He was recently retained to re-draft the corporate precedents of an international law firm in Hong Kong. |
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| Course Outline: |
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Writing concisely and clearly in plain English is an essential skill for any lawyer. Clients expect it as do other lawyers whose native language is not English. But for lawyers it is not merely an art - it is also a science. They must write not only to be understood but also not to be misunderstood.
Yet it’s not just about the form - for lawyers, content is crucial, so the lawyer needs to tread a fine line between plain language and ensuring that the legal interests of their clients are met. Expressing legal ideas in plain, understandable English is not an inherent skill but, with patience, practice and dedication, it can be acquired.
And it’s not just a question or clarity in drafting new documents - many lawyers simply do not understand their own precedents, some of which might have been drafted decades ago.
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| The course will cover the followings: |
- Why lawyers shouldn't be scared of plain English
- Why punctuation is your friend
- Death to ‘shall’?
- Lord Denning and cabbage seeds
- The fundamentals of drafting legal documents for ease of understanding
- How to plan your document
- Re-writing out-of-date precedents
- When brevity is a virtue,
- And when it's not
- Practical exercises:
- Analyzing and interpreting a complex clause for the non-lawyer or foreign counsel
- Re-writing gobbledegook
- Explaining Latin terms in simple language
- How to write persuasively
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This course is provided by: |
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Relevant CPD Courses |
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Telephone: +852 3118 2371 | Facsimile: +852 3118 2372 Postal Address: P.O. Box 9993, General Post Office, Hong Kong |
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