Our Featured Topics

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The Art and Science of Legal Writing

Words carry weight in the legal profession. They’re our instruments for seeking justice, defending rights, and elucidating the truth. A lawyer’s writing becomes an extension of their intention, so excelling at it is more than a professional requirement...
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Plain Language: Unlock The Power Of Clear Communication.

Using plain language means that your message and conveyed information can be understood quickly and easily by your intended audience. Whether you're composing an article, email, report, or other documents, employing the principles of plain language...
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The Ultimate Guide to Grammar & Writing Mechanics for Legal, Business, and Government Professionals

Help your firm save time, increase the power of your documents, comply with jurisdiction requirements, and improve efficiency using Word and other Microsoft 365 products with these lessons from Affinity Consulting Group and WordRake...
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How to Connect Legal Writing, Innovation, and Process Optimization with WordRake for Better Client Outcomes

Legal innovation goes beyond buzzwords and disruptive technologies—it’s about improving the core of our daily work as legal professionals. Infusing even mundane tasks with an innovative mindset can catalyze meaningful progress...
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Paralegals are the backbone of the legal profession, supporting lawyers and clients alike. WordRake helps these unsung heroes excel.

Nearly everyone working in a law firm writes, and that writing must be done well. Particularly in the fast-paced world of legal practice, there’s a pressing need for clear, concise, and accurate communications...
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Use WordRake’s Law Firm Tech Video Series for Word and Outlook to save your law firm hours of time and to better serve clients.

Help your firm save time, increase the power of your documents, comply with jurisdiction requirements, and improve efficiency using Word and other Microsoft 365 products with these lessons from Affinity Consulting Group and WordRake.
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Use WordRake’s Business Writing Webinar Series to learn clear communication so you can lead teams, serve clients, and persuade stakeholders.

Even though you may see yourself as an executive, analyst, scientist, or other business professional, you must not forget that you are a writer, too. As a business professional...
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Use WordRake’s Proposal & RFP Response Tips to upgrade proposal writing with power moves that will help earn the winning bid.

Responding to government requests for proposals (RFPs) is essential for nonprofits seeking funding and companies seeking new business, but the process can be complex and time-consuming....

Exploring WordRake for your organization? Try WordRake Enterprise 

Articles

Writing is Thinking: Why Knowledge Workers Must Maintain Their Writing Skills

Writing is Thinking: Why Knowledge Workers Must Maintain T...

Since generative AI can produce polished text in seconds, it’s tempting to ask: Why write at all? If the end result, like a report, an email, a memo, or a presentation, looks the same whethe...
What Comes Before the Zero Draft? Exploring the Negative Draft

What Comes Before the Zero Draft? Exploring the Negative D...

Using Generative AI to Discover What You Don’t Want Writers often discuss the zero draft—a rough document where they begin shaping their ideas. Anne Lamott calls it the “shitty first draft.”...
Confused by Fused Participles? How to Use Pronouns and -ing Words Properly (and 2 Ways to Think About English)

Confused by Fused Participles? How to Use Pronouns and -in...

Have you ever had your work edited by a grammar whiz and found a note scrawled in the margin reading “fused participle”? Like most people, you probably wondered what the heck that note meant...
Weaknesses of AI-Generated Writing—and Why You Must Edit

Weaknesses of AI-Generated Writing—and Why You Must Edit

It may seem efficient to use generative AI (GenAI) tools to write content for you. You’re busy. Maybe you’re not deeply invested in the final product. Maybe you just want to be done. However...
Clearing the Fog: Simple Ways to Improve Scholarly Nonfiction

Clearing the Fog: Simple Ways to Improve Scholarly Nonfict...

Scholarly writing has the reputation of being dense, esoteric, and hard to understand, especially if you’re not a specialist. This may be an unfair characterization, but like many clichés, t...
Federal Favor: How Concise Writing Wins Contracts

Federal Favor: How Concise Writing Wins Contracts

Government proposals are a marathon of precision and persistence where every detail matters. Contract awards are guarded by a maze of technical specifications, multiple down-selection phases...
Let’s Talk About Myself: An Explanation of Reflexive Pronouns and First-Person Pronouns

Let’s Talk About Myself: An Explanation of Reflexive Prono...

Choosing the right pronoun to use when writing is harder than you might expect. Some pronouns serve several functions; some pronouns don’t change to show number or gender, and others seem re...
Writing in Reverse: How Planning, Checklists, and Outlines Can Improve Your Writing

Writing in Reverse: How Planning, Checklists, and Outlines...

Writing isn’t a linear process with a specific set of tools that a writer must use to succeed. It’s more like the messy, disjointed process of putting together a puzzle, where you don’t find...
5 Great Gifts for Graduates

5 Great Gifts for Graduates

At the end of the school year, we’re thinking about gifts for soon-to-be graduates. The ideal gift will set a graduate up for success and provide lasting value.
6 Ways to Save (or Start) Your Senior Thesis

6 Ways to Save (or Start) Your Senior Thesis

When you’re in the middle of research for your senior thesis, you know your topic so well that figuring out where to start when discussing it feels impossible. You’ve spent months or years e...
Leading with Generosity: The “Give First” Philosophy for Networking and Building Professional Relationships

Leading with Generosity: The “Give First” Philosophy for N...

I am a fan. An unabashed fan. I admire people openly and I tell them—and everyone within earshot. So if you want my advice on networking, that’s it: Be a fan.
Write A Strong Personal Statement with These 12 Tips

Write A Strong Personal Statement with These 12 Tips

Applying for college, fellowships, and graduate school is stressful; it can be daunting to select potential schools, take standardized tests, and secure letters of recommendation. The choice...
5-Step Editing Checklist for Your Thesis (and 1 Quick Way to Check Your Thesis for Free)

5-Step Editing Checklist for Your Thesis (and 1 Quick Way ...

Your thesis is the cornerstone of your degree. A thesis demonstrates a commitment to your field of study; you want to contribute to your areas of interest, not just learn about them. It enca...
5 Things to Do When Writing Letters of Recommendation for Lawyers—And What to Avoid

5 Things to Do When Writing Letters of Recommendation for ...

A successful letter of recommendation can open doors and make a lasting impression. A quick Internet search will tell you what to put in a letter of recommendation; but it is just as importa...
An Interview with WordRake Founder and Legal Writing Expert Gary Kinder

An Interview with WordRake Founder and Legal Writing Exper...

After years of teaching legal writing courses, Gary Kinder noticed a pattern in the mistakes people were making. Once he noticed, he knew there had to be a way to make editing for clarity an...
An Interview with Professor and Generative AI Researcher Kirsten K. Davis

An Interview with Professor and Generative AI Researcher K...

Legal writing is at a crossroads. When ChatGPT passed the bar exam, it became impossible to ignore the possibilities that generative AI holds for legal writers. Professor Kirsten K. Davis sp...
An Interview with Legal Ghost Writer Matt Sullivan

An Interview with Legal Ghost Writer Matt Sullivan

Not everyone feels confident in their writing, or has time to tackle every brief themself. Some attorneys turn to AI sources to help in those moments, but with more firms making rules about ...
A Legal Writing Interview with Attorney Brendan M. Kenny

A Legal Writing Interview with Attorney Brendan M. Kenny

Does your firm have a dedicated legal writing team? If you have the resources, it might be worth considering! Brendan M. Kenny from Hellmuth & Johnson works as a litigator himself, and a...
An Interview with Attorney and Legal Writing Coach Chinua Asuzu

An Interview with Attorney and Legal Writing Coach Chinua ...

What makes good legal writing? Clarity and simplicity! Attorney and legal writing coach Chinua Asuzu practices what he teaches. Even in this legal writing interview, he uses visual clues lik...
A Legal Writing Interview with Attorney Neven Selimovic

A Legal Writing Interview with Attorney Neven Selimovic

Tech tools, especially AI tools are a hot topic in the legal writing field, and a lot of legal writers are anxious about what they mean for the future. Not associate attorney and legal write...
An Interview with Legal Writing Coach Lisa G. Pearl

An Interview with Legal Writing Coach Lisa G. Pearl

Not everyone can teach. Senior partners may be expert legal writers, but it doesn't mean they all have the time, patience, or skill to help associates learn their craft. That's where legal w...
Three Ways to Improve Your Writing Process and Reduce Your Suffering

Three Ways to Improve Your Writing Process and Reduce Your...

If you’re a heartbroken poet living in an unheated garret in Paris, there’s no doubt your writing process includes suffering: the hours you spend gazing out the window, the inky splotches yo...
A Legal Writing Interview with Attorney and Blogger Claire E. Parsons

A Legal Writing Interview with Attorney and Blogger Claire...

Law is a high stress field. Lawyers finish school and descend into a meatgrinder in legal practice. The fast pace, high stakes, and need for perfection can overwhelm even the most skilled at...
Balancing Prescriptive and Descriptive Grammar in Editing

Balancing Prescriptive and Descriptive Grammar in Editing

Language and Status: An Introduction to Two Schools of Thought Language and status are closely intertwined. The language choices you make reveal information about your identity, background, ...
The Future of Legal Writing: A Discussion with Professor Susan Tanner

The Future of Legal Writing: A Discussion with Professor S...

The legal writing landscape evolves constantly, and lawyers and law professors alike must keep up. It's not just riding the wave of technological and linguist advancement, however. Professor...
Simplicity Mode: Engaged

Simplicity Mode: Engaged

Admit it: You’re proud of your writing skills. They give you enviable power. You can wield English grammar and vocabulary like a sculptor’s chisel or a warrior’s axe. You’ve thrived in field...
Learning Legal Writing with Professor Susan Tanner

Learning Legal Writing with Professor Susan Tanner

Those unfamiliar with the law might imagine it to be very black and white--but legal writing experts like Professor Susan Tanner know that legal practice is about holding tension between tru...
An Interview with Professor of Law Mark Cooney

An Interview with Professor of Law Mark Cooney

What's scarier to an experienced lawyer, a wall of indecipherable legal jargon and Latin-derived gobbledygook, or a brief written in clear, plain language? While the average layperson may be...
An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Kathryn Boling

An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Kathryn Boling

Legal writing is its own discipline, with its own conventions. While the process of learning this complex skill and weaving it into part of your professional identity is a daunting one, Kath...
How to Edit and Proofread Your Writing: Nine Tips for People Who Hate to Reread

How to Edit and Proofread Your Writing: Nine Tips for Peop...

I’m weird. I love editing. With a finished draft in hand, I’m eager to ask myself editing questions like
When to Cut “That” from a Sentence—and When to Keep It

When to Cut “That” from a Sentence—and When to Keep It

When you’re looking to cut words, that is a good target. It’s often redundant and space-wasting. But before your CTRL+F to delete every instance of that to get under page limits, reconsider....
An Interview with Legal Research and Writing Professor Jordan Carter

An Interview with Legal Research and Writing Professor Jor...

Sometimes professors give advice that feels theoretical rather than practical. They sometimes have romantic ideas about their craft and give poetic rather than concrete feedback. Jordan Cart...
An Interview with Director of Legal Writing Susie Salmon

An Interview with Director of Legal Writing Susie Salmon

What is your role and how did you get to where you are today? I’m currently the Director of Legal Writing and Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College ...
Is that Adjective Eligible for an Upgrade?

Is that Adjective Eligible for an Upgrade?

Have you ever been told not to modify certain adjectives? This advice stems from a concept known as absolute adjectives. Grammarians believe modifying these adjectives is illogical and impro...
An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Jan Levine

An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Jan Levine

How do you built a curriculum for teaching the next generation of legal professionals to write? Professor Jan Levine has spent his career wrestling with this exact question. Over the last fe...
An Interview with Author and Legal Writing Professor Diana Simon

An Interview with Author and Legal Writing Professor Diana...

What is your role and how did you get to where you are today? I am currently an associate clinical professor of law, but my journey to get here involved some detours. Growing up with a fathe...
An Interview with Legal Writing Coach Julie Schrager

An Interview with Legal Writing Coach Julie Schrager

Even experienced attorneys and paralegals sometimes need writing help, and if they're lucky, they've got a writing coach like Julie Schrager on staff at their firm to give them the tools the...
Why Active Verbs Create Vigorous Sentences While Adjectives Drain Energy from Weak Verbs

Why Active Verbs Create Vigorous Sentences While Adjective...

Be verbs have earned a bad reputation for creating boring writing—but they’re not alone. Copula verbs (also known as linking verbs), which include be, seem, feel, become, and remain, also cr...
An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Dyane O’Leary

An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Dyane O’Leary

Legal writing is all about precision and balance. Creating legal documents calls for precision and attention to detail, while requiring creative thinking and reasoning at each step. This can...
An Interview with Professor and Legal Writing Coach Bev Meyers

An Interview with Professor and Legal Writing Coach Bev Me...

What do you do when you’ve retired from the state attorney general’s office and you’re looking to do good in the world? For Professor Bev Meyers, the answer was to solve a problem she’d seen...
An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Wanda Temm

An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Wanda Temm

Some people are born to teach, and Professor Wanda Temm is one of them. Ever since she was a child, Professor Temm has been passionate about learning and teaching. Legal writing is a complex...
A Primer on Plain Language Laws

A Primer on Plain Language Laws

We talk about plain language a lot here at WordRake, and for good reason. Our software is specifically designed to make it easier to follow plain language laws. But what are plain language l...
The “Bite, Snack, Meal” Approach Helps You Feed Content-Hungry Readers

The “Bite, Snack, Meal” Approach Helps You Feed Content-Hu...

“How hungry is my reader?” When we sit down to write a web page, report, proposal, or blog post, we’re often plagued by uncertainty about our readers’ appetite for our content. Am I writing ...
How to Rescue Your Sentences from the Gerund Trap

How to Rescue Your Sentences from the Gerund Trap

When you see several potential verbs in a short sentence, but only one of them ends with -ing—and it isn’t driving the action—your sentence may have fallen into the Gerund Trap. If the -ing ...
24 Clichés to Leave Behind in 2024: Part 3

24 Clichés to Leave Behind in 2024: Part 3

Part 3 - Either annoying or disrespectful We all have phrases and words that just rub us the wrong way. Those show up in the office a lot. Whether it’s because one specific person abuses the...
An Interview with Plain Language Expert Kate Harrison Whiteside

An Interview with Plain Language Expert Kate Harrison Whit...

Every year WordRake celebrates International Plain Language Day by talking to experts and sharing some of their wisdom on our blog. Today we’re interviewing plain language expert and instruc...
24 Clichés to Leave Behind in 2024: Part 2

24 Clichés to Leave Behind in 2024: Part 2

Part 2 - Dishonesty Business jargon is often used to hide something, whether it’s an outright lie or a little misdirection. The easiest way to spot this is to ask whether the information bei...
24 Clichés to Leave Behind in 2024: Part 1

24 Clichés to Leave Behind in 2024: Part 1

Business clichés range from annoying to nonsensical to downright offensive. We’ve discussed them several times in the past, but today we’re looking at the ones you submitted—things that driv...
Why You Must Edit Your Business Emails

Why You Must Edit Your Business Emails

Email has become the primary method of business communication—72% of people prefer email as their main source of business communication. But are we truly communicating? Sixty-four percent of...
Tighten Your Writing by Condensing Tautologies

Tighten Your Writing by Condensing Tautologies

To tighten each sentence, search for redundant words where the meaning could be clearly expressed with a single word. Most writers know to eliminate doublets and triplets, but overlook other...
Keep Your Head in the Game: Gamify Your Editing Process

Keep Your Head in the Game: Gamify Your Editing Process

It's hard to keep your mind on your task. The New York Times recently reported that brain fog is becoming an increasingly serious issue for the American workforce. The blahs that come from s...
Understanding Why Common Phrases Are Actually Redundant

Understanding Why Common Phrases Are Actually Redundant

It’s common writing advice: Avoid redundancies. Redundant writing dilutes our message, kills subtlety, and wastes space and time. The words you waste with redundant language could be better ...
A Primer on Passive Voice: What It is, When to Use It, How to Fix it

A Primer on Passive Voice: What It is, When to Use It, How...

Everyone remembers their high school English teachers admonishing them against using the dreaded passive voice. According to composition class lore, using passive voice was the chief writing...
An Interview with Professor Stephen Horowitz

An Interview with Professor Stephen Horowitz

Learning any language is hard, and English is no exception. Professor Stephen Horowitz has lived and worked abroad, and brings the lessons he learned from his time teaching in Japan to his i...
An Interview with Professor Daniel Edelson

An Interview with Professor Daniel Edelson

The decision to write in plain language is usually a simple matter, but is it always the best choice? Professor Daniel Edelson of Seton Hall University School of Law is a proponent of plain ...
An Interview with Information Designer Annie Burger

An Interview with Information Designer Annie Burger

Plain language isn't all about word choice and sentence structure: it's also about design. Where does information sit on a page or website? Are your graphics adding information and function,...
An Interview with Author Kathy Walsh

An Interview with Author Kathy Walsh

We've all run into technical instructions for a product that flew way over our heads. This is annoying when it's something for fun, but when it comes to things like medication and medical de...
An Interview with Writing Coach Leslie O’Flahavan

An Interview with Writing Coach Leslie O’Flahavan

If you've never specifically written in plain language before, it can be difficult to know where to start. Most of us were taught that big words and complex sentences would make us sound sma...
An Interview with Education Director Michael Hughes

An Interview with Education Director Michael Hughes

What do you do if you work for the government and need to learn how to communicate clearly and concisely with the public? You go to the annual Communication School, organized by Education Di...
An Interview with NAGC President-Elect Leslie Gervasio

An Interview with NAGC President-Elect Leslie Gervasio

Even with 20 years of writing, reporting, and government communications experience under her belt, National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC) President-Elect Leslie Gervasio fin...
Feedback Can Be Something to Look Forward To

Feedback Can Be Something to Look Forward To

Giving and receiving feedback on our writing is as much emotional work as it is intellectual. Writing is a process of opening one’s thoughts to examination and critique by whoever reads it, ...
An Interview with Plain Language Consultant Fraser Buffini

An Interview with Plain Language Consultant Fraser Buffini

Everyone needs access to certain information from their governments and service providers. Those tasked with creating those documents have a responsibility to use language that their citizen...
An Interview with Diplomat Jeremy Lang

An Interview with Diplomat Jeremy Lang

Diplomacy requires clear communication, and empathy for the needs of allies and strangers alike. Jeremy Lang has spent his career cultivating that sense of connection and use of plain langua...
An Interview with Plain Language Leader Casey Mank

An Interview with Plain Language Leader Casey Mank

You can write your documents in short sentences with small words, and they may still not qualify as "plain language." As Center for Plain Language board member Casey Mank explains, plain lan...
An Interview with Professor Joe Kimble

An Interview with Professor Joe Kimble

There are many approaches to plain language, but one central goal: clear communication. Professor Joe Kimble was introduced to the basics of editing legal writing for plain language from a 1...
An Interview with Professor Michael Blasie

An Interview with Professor Michael Blasie

Plain language is innovative. Every time a writer decides to place their reader first, they embark on a new way to communicate. For Professor Michael Blasie, the need for clear communication...
An Interview with Copywriter Sara Rosinsky

An Interview with Copywriter Sara Rosinsky

Plain writing isn't boring or simple: it's writing with compassion and creativity. Whether you're composing a letter, advertising a hot new product, or creating instructions for applying to ...
An Interview with Technical Writer Paul Stregevsky

An Interview with Technical Writer Paul Stregevsky

Nothing is more unpleasant to read than a long, humorless, convoluted technical document filled with jargon and run on sentences. For technical writer Paul Stregevsky, plain language is not ...
Why So Many Words? Cut Nominalized Phrases to Spotlight Your Ideas and Arguments

Why So Many Words? Cut Nominalized Phrases to Spotlight Yo...

Maybe you’ve heard folks complaining about how young people tend to verb their nouns—adulting comes to mind. These new word constructions come from the need to make a static thing dynamic. I...
Pack More Punch in Your Writing: Choose Verbs over Verb Phrases and Nominalization

Pack More Punch in Your Writing: Choose Verbs over Verb Ph...

If your job requires you to write regularly, consider your readers and today’s changing exposure to words when drafting your work. With every day’s onslaught of content from emails, text mes...
How to Spot Nominalizations and Transform Them into Active Verbs

How to Spot Nominalizations and Transform Them into Active...

Nominalizations—verbs or adjectives that have been converted into nouns—are common sources of obscurity, wordiness, and needless complexity in professional writing. While nominalizations may...
How to Eliminate Clichés to Communicate Clearly and Meaningfully

How to Eliminate Clichés to Communicate Clearly and Meanin...

Effective business communication relies on clear, concise, specific, and meaningful writing. Clichés fail all four requirements. In your first draft, a cliché may feel so easy and familiar t...
Clearing Collaboration Roadblocks by Writing with Authority

Clearing Collaboration Roadblocks by Writing with Authorit...

Being understood in writing can be complex. The words we use express our expectations and tone, but readers often misinterpret the intention the author wishes to convey. In this edition of o...
Plain Language News! ISO Releases Plain Language Standards

Plain Language News! ISO Releases Plain Language Standards

It’s one thing to want to communicate clearly, but knowing how to do it is a different matter. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) made it easier last month by releasing...
Using Track Changes and Comments for Collaborative Editing in Microsoft Word

Using Track Changes and Comments for Collaborative Editing...

Business and legal documents must be precise, clear, and carefully structured because they serve as legal records, define relationships, and document important decisions. But writing in thes...
Why AI-Generated Text Sounds Wordy and Choppy

Why AI-Generated Text Sounds Wordy and Choppy

Something feels off about your new robot co-worker—besides the fact that your co-worker is a robot. This robot produces grammatically correct text at lightning speed. The writing seems natur...
Simple Beats Fancy Every Time

Simple Beats Fancy Every Time

When you’re writing for work, it can be tempting to show off. Big words and elaborate details make us feel confident, certain that they make us seem smart and impressive. In reality, overly ...
Stop Fighting the Hypothetical: Using the Subjunctive Mood and Conditional Phrasing in Legal Writing

Stop Fighting the Hypothetical: Using the Subjunctive Mood...

Lawyers encounter hypothetical scenarios and conditional situations daily, so they must consider what might happen or what could have happened. Two powerful tools help lawyers write about hy...
Sharpen Your Message by Deleting Intensifiers

Sharpen Your Message by Deleting Intensifiers

Intensifiers are like vitamins— they’re meant to strengthen but become poisonous when you exceed the recommended dose. Let’s save you from your childhood writing (and chewable vitamin) mista...
How to Stop Writing When You’ve Said Enough

How to Stop Writing When You’ve Said Enough

In sales and marketing you’re advised not to talk past the point of the sale. That means when the buyer says yes, you stop trying to sell them. Continuing to talk may turn your yes into a no...
How to Cut Sentence-Starting Clutter

How to Cut Sentence-Starting Clutter

Writers slow down their sentences with unnecessary words that delay the point. They may do this because middle school English teachers told them to use transitions; they read great 19th cent...
Are You Over-packing Your Writing?

Are You Over-packing Your Writing?

One of the most difficult parts of writing is figuring out which information is necessary to convey, and which is excess background information that detracts from the overall idea you’re try...
Writing Educational Content for Government Employees

Writing Educational Content for Government Employees

For government organizations to run smoothly, it’s important that employees stay informed and stay on the same page. Read on to learn three key aspects to remember when creating effective ed...
Who Must Write in Plain Language? The Answer is Broader Than You Might Expect

Who Must Write in Plain Language? The Answer is Broader Th...

Who must comply with plain language laws? Nearly everyone in business. According to Professor Michael Blasie, the leading expert on plain language laws, in addition to the federal government...
Can Action Verbs Be Written in Passive Voice?

Can Action Verbs Be Written in Passive Voice?

Writing in active voice is often cited as a core part of plain language. Though the idea seems simple, it becomes confusing when you see phrases like active voice and active verbs used inter...
Complying with Federal Plain Language Guidelines

Complying with Federal Plain Language Guidelines

Writing in plain language helps you communicate with your audience. If that’s not enough incentive to write clearly and organize information logically, then consider this: Professionals thro...
How Trimming Time Expressions Reduces Redundancies

How Trimming Time Expressions Reduces Redundancies

Even the best writers fall back on common expressions that add unnecessary and repetitive words to their writing. This repeated information is most often added as time-related information to...
Writing Easy-to-Read Marketing Reports

Writing Easy-to-Read Marketing Reports

If you don’t know where your business stands, you won’t know how to move towards future success. And if the data or roadmap is incomprehensible, your company could make a costly mistake. Fol...
How to Develop Powerful Funding Proposals for Nonprofit Donors

How to Develop Powerful Funding Proposals for Nonprofit Do...

Nonprofit organizations and universities usually rely on two main sources of funding: public grants and private donations. Public grants usually draw straightforward proposals. Usually, the ...
8 Guaranteed Ways to Improve Your Writing

8 Guaranteed Ways to Improve Your Writing

Small changes make a big difference in your writing’s clarity and brevity. One of the best professional writing tips is to simplify. Simpler is better for sentence structure, word choice, an...
6 Tips to Improve Your Proposal Writing

6 Tips to Improve Your Proposal Writing

No matter how many times you’ve done it, writing a proposal is always a little nerve-wracking. Whether you're applying for grant funding or pursuing professional services contracts, pressure...
Plain Language Health Communication and the Myth of Universal Design

Plain Language Health Communication and the Myth of Univer...

Terminology note: I’ll use the term “patients” to refer to people who have direct lived experience with a health condition and who receive services from the healthcare system. Different peop...
Gained in Translation: Making Health Information Plain Across Languages

Gained in Translation: Making Health Information Plain Acr...

Terminology note: I’ll use the term “patients” to refer to people who have direct lived experience with a health condition and who receive services from the healthcare system. Different peop...
Part Four: How to Get Useful Feedback

Part Four: How to Get Useful Feedback

You have carefully crafted your report, blog post, or project proposal, and now it’s time to get other people’s feedback. Asking for feedback is never easy. Ideally, everyone will rave about...
Part Three: Divide and Conquer the Writing

Part Three: Divide and Conquer the Writing

You need to write an important report or blog post. It’s a task like any other, right? You set aside a block of time and swear not to leave the desk until it’s done. If you have high standar...
Co-Creating Plain Language Health Information

Co-Creating Plain Language Health Information

Terminology note: I’ll use the term “patients” to refer to people who have direct lived experience with a health condition and who receive services from the healthcare system. Different peop...
Power Dynamics and Plain Language in Healthcare

Power Dynamics and Plain Language in Healthcare

Terminology note: I’ll use the term “patients” to refer to people who have direct lived experience with a health condition and who receive services from the healthcare system. Different peop...
Plain English and Narrative: What's the Story?

Plain English and Narrative: What's the Story?

I was in Boise, Idaho yesterday and you know how conservative that state can be and we went out for a walk to get a coffee and it was a cold day and within a quarter hour I must have seen 15...
Reporting for Duty: Plain English in Corporate Reports

Reporting for Duty: Plain English in Corporate Reports

K.I.S.S. Spotting plain English in a corporate report can be like finding Waldo! It’s because people often fear they’ll look stupid by presenting complex ideas simply. But, making informatio...
Part Two: Schedule Incubation Time for Your Ideas

Part Two: Schedule Incubation Time for Your Ideas

An idea for a new project comes to you when you’re in the shower. Or you’re on the way home from work when you think of the perfect words to convince your executive team to fund your initiat...
Are You Friend or Foe?: Legalese Versus Plain English

Are You Friend or Foe?: Legalese Versus Plain English

When we first meet someone, we ask ourselves, “Is this person friend or foe?” Our subconscious—or conscious—answer decides what follows. That’s why the legal profession must be so careful wh...
Knowledge Management Q&A with Jordan Galvin

Knowledge Management Q&A with Jordan Galvin

Your firm knows they must implement a knowledge management system to be competitive, and they have a plan for how it’s going to happen—but why are there still so few materials in the databas...
Knowledge Management Q&A with Marlene Gebauer

Knowledge Management Q&A with Marlene Gebauer

There are many barriers to effective knowledge management in law firms, but human emotions around ownership and workplace culture can be some of the hardest to overcome. In this interview, k...
Knowledge Management Q&A with Jack Shepherd

Knowledge Management Q&A with Jack Shepherd

Legal documents are full of valuable knowledge. They are also the easiest source of knowledge to improve the firm’s future document creation and strategies. But a sea of data is useless unle...
Knowledge Management Q&A with Bárbara Gondim da Rocha

Knowledge Management Q&A with Bárbara Gondim da Rocha

Are there moments at work that make you think, “There has to be a better way to do this”? Everyone has had this thought at some point, but it takes significant time and coordination with cow...
Knowledge Management Q&A with Nicola Shaver

Knowledge Management Q&A with Nicola Shaver

The purpose of knowledge management is to collect, organize, and enable the effective use of knowledge across an organization. The most successful law firms understand that knowledge is an a...
Knowledge Management Q&A with Evan Shenkman

Knowledge Management Q&A with Evan Shenkman

Technology is constantly evolving, and it’s up to every company to stay relevant and competitive in their field by adopting technology to improve their practice. Lawyers are knowledge worker...
8 Tips for Plain English

8 Tips for Plain English

Even if we’re winning at our job, know more than the average Joe, and are a member of an influential alma mater, clients and peers often judge us most by how well we write. In a nutshell—do ...
Part One: Four Questions to Ask Before You Write

Part One: Four Questions to Ask Before You Write

Successful professional writing starts with clear thinking. In the rush of deadlines and projects, it’s tempting to jump right in and knock something out. Faster is better, right? Instead, t...
How to Use Possessive Pronouns to Show Ownership

How to Use Possessive Pronouns to Show Ownership

Pronouns help writers shorten their sentences and vary their word choices so writing doesn’t seem repetitive. A pronoun is a short, generic word that replaces a noun. It can have one of thre...
Pronouns 101: How to Use Short Words to Avoid Repetition without Losing Clarity

Pronouns 101: How to Use Short Words to Avoid Repetition w...

What difference can three or four letters make? When they form pronouns, these short words can have a big impact. Pronouns are words used in place of other nouns. They reduce repetition, whi...
Affect vs. Effect: Understanding the Difference and Choosing the Right Word

Affect vs. Effect: Understanding the Difference and Choosi...

If you confuse the words affect and effect, you’re not alone. These two words are some of the most commonly confused words in the English language! Because they sound alike, it can be even h...
Q&A with Paralegal Shawn D. Andrews

Q&A with Paralegal Shawn D. Andrews

What happens before a brief gets filed or a case gets argued? The visible, exciting, and sometimes glamorous parts of legal practice are built on the hard work of a behind-the-scenes team. I...
Q&A with Paralegal and Legal Translator Richard Lackey

Q&A with Paralegal and Legal Translator Richard Lackey

The legal world is vast and there are many ways to contribute to it aside from being a lawyer. The narrow view of who may contribute to law seems even smaller when it comes to contracts (as ...
Q&A with Paralegal Renee Tiun

Q&A with Paralegal Renee Tiun

Paralegals bring with them diverse skillsets, perspectives, and experiences that can elevate a law practice. One often-overlooked path is that of a lawyer educated outside of the United Stat...
Q&A with Paralegal Educator Doug Lusk

Q&A with Paralegal Educator Doug Lusk

The most efficient legal service team combines the complementary strengths of its members. While lawyers may understand the “why” of the work, paralegals understand the “how.” And, together,...
Q&A with Melanie Henriques, Law Firm Partner & Paralegal

Q&A with Melanie Henriques, Law Firm Partner & Paralegal

It’s time to re-imagine law firms and legal work. Consider a world where paralegals can hold ownership interests in firms, represent clients, and do substantive legal work. Though regulators...
Q&A with Paralegal-Turned-Lawyer Ryan Groff

Q&A with Paralegal-Turned-Lawyer Ryan Groff

Though paralegals often help with document-creation tasks, they are not merely typists. Paralegals have a deep understanding of a firm’s workflows and, if given the opportunity and respect, ...
Q&A with Paralegal Educator Keith Shannon

Q&A with Paralegal Educator Keith Shannon

Contrary to what many lawyers believe, paralegal work is not synonymous with clerical work. A well-trained paralegal can draft documents, investigate claims, engage with clients, and more. E...
Q&A with Paralegal-Turned-Lawyer Elmer Thoreson

Q&A with Paralegal-Turned-Lawyer Elmer Thoreson

Paralegals are essential but often-overlooked members of legal services teams. Because of the hierarchical nature of the legal profession, many people refuse to see how much value paralegals...
Q&A with Paralegal Tisha Delgado, ACP®

Q&A with Paralegal Tisha Delgado, ACP®

Paralegals are essential to the legal practice because they have a practical understanding of how to complete each piece of the legal process and how each piece connects. All legal professio...
Q&A with Paralegal Educator Debra C. Galloway

Q&A with Paralegal Educator Debra C. Galloway

“Paralegals hold a significant and invaluable position, offering skills and performing job duties that are indispensable,” says paralegal educator Debra C. Galloway. Seeing the value that pa...
Q&A with Paralegal Educator Jackie Van Dyke

Q&A with Paralegal Educator Jackie Van Dyke

Paralegals are key players in law firms and can set the tone for clients. They’re often the first voice or the first face that a client encounters when seeking legal advice. With formal trai...
Q&A with Paralegal Berlinda Bernard

Q&A with Paralegal Berlinda Bernard

Effective communication with clients is required for success as a legal professional. In this enlightening interview, paralegal Berlinda Bernard debunks some myths about paralegals, what par...
Q&A with Privacy Expert Shaun Jamison

Q&A with Privacy Expert Shaun Jamison

Many privacy professionals will persuade by drawing on the fear that private information may be disclosed, but Shaun takes a different approach: He draws interesting distinctions between sim...
Q&A with Privacy Lawyer Jessica Brown

Q&A with Privacy Lawyer Jessica Brown

User-generated and crowd-sourced content have become familiar terms with the rise of social apps. Though user-generated content has existed outside of the social media context for years, we ...
Q&A with Document Privacy Expert Chris Cangero

Q&A with Document Privacy Expert Chris Cangero

Have you heard about the importance of metadata but you’re not sure what it is or how to address it? Metadata is data about data, and lawyers are must keep it confidential according to the e...
Q&A with Privacy Expert Donata Stroink-Skillrud

Q&A with Privacy Expert Donata Stroink-Skillrud

Anyone using technology should read the fine print in privacy policies, especially legal professionals. The tools used in the business and practice of law have access to confidential client ...
Q&A with Privacy Expert Cat Coode

Q&A with Privacy Expert Cat Coode

Privacy policies and regulations can seem like an inscrutable web of unmanageable obligations. However, a unified theory of privacy can help these seemingly disparate ideas fall into place a...
Q&A with Privacy Expert Nerushka Bowan

Q&A with Privacy Expert Nerushka Bowan

For this interview series, we spoke with privacy experts who looked beyond the obvious, expected, and attention-grabbing privacy issues, to the mundane issues that average people face—but ma...
Q&A with Privacy Expert Irene Mo

Q&A with Privacy Expert Irene Mo

When lawyers hear “inadvertent disclosure” or “exposed client confidences,” they immediately think of stray emails and shadowy hackers. That narrow understanding means we don’t recognize whe...
Journalist Q&A with Bob Ambrogi

Journalist Q&A with Bob Ambrogi

Even the most lauded legal writers struggle in some way. Too wordy. Too granular. Can’t start. Can’t stop. Wedded to the language of caselaw. But these struggles make sense when we think abo...
Don’t Make Me Cringe

Don’t Make Me Cringe

Let's Talk About Business Jargon Business jargon, also known as business-speak or corporate jargon, is rampant in the workplace. While you may think you’re reinforcing your insider status or...
Journalist Q&A with Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman

Journalist Q&A with Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman

Journalists excel at asking good questions and finding the story, which are the foundation of good writing. Good questions will reveal to you the story yearning to be written. Knowing your s...
Journalist Q&A with Jesse Katz

Journalist Q&A with Jesse Katz

There is no requirement that legal writing must be boring. Let’s take direction from journalists: Make introductions captivating; craft animated sentences that compel you to keep reading; an...
Control Your Emails – Don’t Let Emails Control You!

Control Your Emails – Don’t Let Emails Control You!

Remote work makes effective communication more important than ever. One of the most common communication methods is email—yet email can be tricky to get right. We often stumble with tone, fo...
Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 3

Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 3

Part 3: Creating a Culture of Change in Law Firms If culture eats strategy for breakfast, then what’s the recipe for a culture that works? In the final part of this three-part series, change...
Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 2

Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 2

Part 2: Change Management in Law Firms Convincing people to embrace change is the biggest challenge of change management. It requires a combination of structural changes that reward change, ...
Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 1

Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 1

Part 1: Behavioral Economics and Legal Business There’s a science to changing minds and changing behaviors—and Maya Markovich has studied it. She combines her Masters in social and organizat...
Executive Communication Q&A with Expert Jay Sullivan

Executive Communication Q&A with Expert Jay Sullivan

A strong writer doesn’t just deliver information, she convinces you of its veracity and value. A strong communicator doesn’t just talk, she listens to uncover and understand her audience’s n...
Are you busy or are you productive?

Are you busy or are you productive?

Being busy does not mean you’re being productive. If you work long hours struggling to complete your to-do list each day, but you aren’t reaping the rewards of your work, then you may be bus...
Clear Writing Q&A with Ben Riggs from Kettering Health

Clear Writing Q&A with Ben Riggs from Kettering Health

Effectively communicating about complex topics like health, law, and finance requires that we think about what we know and who else needs to know it. The problem arises when we stop the proc...
Plain Language Q&A with Andrew Pegler

Plain Language Q&A with Andrew Pegler

When it comes to plain language, law and finance are two of the industries most reluctant to change. But changing gets easier when you have a plain language partner who knows how to guide th...
Access to Justice Q&A with Felicity Conrad and Kristen Sonday

Access to Justice Q&A with Felicity Conrad and Kristen Son...

Have you ever considered that legalese might be a barrier to lawyers’ understanding, too? Once lawyers get outside of their practice area, the language they encounter feels like confusing le...
Plain Language Q&A with Russell Willerton

Plain Language Q&A with Russell Willerton

Plain language expert Russell Willerton believes that professionals have an ethical imperative to write plainly in certain situations. He hopes to get us to spend less energy talking “at” so...
Plain Language Q&A with Barbra Kingsley

Plain Language Q&A with Barbra Kingsley

Consider the consequences of unclear communication. It’s more than closing a browser window in frustration or scratching your head in confusion. In this straightforward interview, plain lang...
Plain Language Q&A with Christopher Trudeau

Plain Language Q&A with Christopher Trudeau

Plain language helps people to find what they need, understand what they find, and have enough information to act on and meet their needs. The intersection where health and law meet seems li...
Plain Language Q&A with Deborah S. Bosley, PhD

Plain Language Q&A with Deborah S. Bosley, PhD

Using plain language makes good business sense—and plain language expert Deborah S. Bosley, PhD has dedicated her work to helping corporations and government entities communicate clearly. In...
Access to Justice Q&A with Dorna Moini from Gavel

Access to Justice Q&A with Dorna Moini from Gavel

Our language choices can create a barrier to understanding, but they can also do something worse. The words we use can disempower, retraumatize, and confuse the people most needing the resou...
Plain Language Q&A with Iva Cheung

Plain Language Q&A with Iva Cheung

Editors help writers meet the needs of their audience. Plain-language editors do even more. Plain-language editors evaluate written content, assess how easy it would be for a member of the g...
Clear Writing Q&A with Roy Peter Clark

Clear Writing Q&A with Roy Peter Clark

Anyone who writes for the public must do so clearly. While it’s easy to complain about legalese, business-speak, and medical jargon, unclear writing that harms the public can come from anoth...
Plain Language Q&A with Cheryl Stephens

Plain Language Q&A with Cheryl Stephens

A common assumption about plain language is that it requires “dumbing down” material for readers to their disadvantage. But plain legal language researcher and advocate, Cheryl Stephens, kno...
Why Your Content Marketing Writing Needs to Be Polished and Professional

Why Your Content Marketing Writing Needs to Be Polished an...

Communication has always been important, perhaps no more important than today given people’s short attention spans. Business communication is no exception. While press releases and newspaper...
Own Your Expertise, Earn Your Authority

Own Your Expertise, Earn Your Authority

“Trust me, I’m an expert.” That declaration doesn’t get you far in today’s divided world, where many voices compete for attention and influence. How can you write with authority and earn rea...
How Writing Coaches Help Promising Professionals Reach Their Potential

How Writing Coaches Help Promising Professionals Reach The...

Coaching helps improve performance. It hones talent, turns expectations into reality, and helps promising professionals realize their true potential. If you’re curious about how a business w...
Q&A with Newest WordRake Hire Colin S. Levy

Q&A with Newest WordRake Hire Colin S. Levy

We sat down with the newest member of the WordRake team, Colin S. Levy, who joined us in early February as our Director of Marketing and Business Development. An experienced lawyer and legal...
The Importance of Powerful Storytelling in Writing

The Importance of Powerful Storytelling in Writing

We tell ourselves stories in order to live.” - Joan Didion, writer and journalist
Get Started on Your Writing Journey with Insights from Ben Riggs

Get Started on Your Writing Journey with Insights from Ben...

Many dream of becoming a published author and turning writing into a full-time job. Others simply strive to capture their thoughts, experiences, and stories in writing to share with a few fr...
The Science Behind Successful Task-Switching

The Science Behind Successful Task-Switching

What difference can one minute make? It may surprise you to learn that one minute can be the difference between successfully completing two tasks—or fumbling them both. Let’s explore how thi...
Q&A with Nicole Abboud-Shayan, WordRake's Newest Hire

Q&A with Nicole Abboud-Shayan, WordRake's Newest Hire

What made you decide to join WordRake? It was simply a great opportunity presenting itself at the right time. After over three years of growing my marketing and branding company, where I wor...
Clear Legal Writing Made Easy: Reduce Brain Strain for Your Readers

Clear Legal Writing Made Easy: Reduce Brain Strain for You...

Writing short, simple, clear prose isn’t merely good practice. Science tells us it ensures that overwhelmed readers understand your message quickly and easily.
What’s In Your Business Writing Library?

What’s In Your Business Writing Library?

When you run a business, demonstrating credibility and persuading others are your primary goals. You can’t do that without great business writing. But strong writing is easier discussed than...
What’s In Your Legal Writing Reference Library?

What’s In Your Legal Writing Reference Library?

Your legal writing reference library should include more than the five standards: the Bluebook, the Redbook: A Manual on Legal Style, A Manual of Style for Contract Drafting, Garner’s Dictio...
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An Interview with Plain Language Expert Kate Harrison Whiteside
Plain Language

An Interview with Plain Language Expert Kate Harrison Whiteside

Plain language expert Kate Harrison Whiteside shares her experience as one of the founders of the English Plain Language Movement.
An Interview with Information Designer Annie Burger
Plain Language

An Interview with Information Designer Annie Burger

Information Designer Annie Burger talks about how information design and plain language are connected.
An Interview with Professor Daniel Edelson
Plain Language

An Interview with Professor Daniel Edelson

Associate Professor Daniel Edelson talks about living abroad, ESL and differing language needs as part of our series for International Plain Language Day
An Interview with Professor Stephen Horowitz
Plain Language

An Interview with Professor Stephen Horowitz

Professor of Legal English Stephen Horowitz talks about ESL and clear communication as part of our series for International Plain Language Day
An Interview with Author Kathy Walsh
Plain Language

An Interview with Author Kathy Walsh

Author and Plain Language Expert Kathy Walsh shares the importance of plain language in scientific and technical writing for Intl Plain Language Day 2023
An Interview with Writing Coach Leslie O’Flahavan
Plain Language

An Interview with Writing Coach Leslie O’Flahavan

Writing coach Leslie O'Flahavan emphasizes the writer's obligation to the reader as part of our International Plain Language Day series.
An Interview with Education Director Michael Hughes
Plain Language

An Interview with Education Director Michael Hughes

NAGC Education Director Michael Hughes describes the importance of Plain Language in public communication as part of our Intl Plain Language Day Series
An Interview with NAGC President-Elect Leslie Gervasio
Plain Language

An Interview with NAGC President-Elect Leslie Gervasio

Leslie Gervasio President Elect of the National Association of Government Communicators talks about sharing info with the public for Plain Language Day '23
An Interview with Plain Language Consultant Fraser Buffini
Plain Language

An Interview with Plain Language Consultant Fraser Buffini

Plain Language Consultant Fraser Buffini combines theory and practice in a discussion of the need for clear communication for Intl Plain Language Day 2023
An Interview with Diplomat Jeremy Lang
Plain Language

An Interview with Diplomat Jeremy Lang

Diplomat and educator Jeremy Lang shares his insights on clear communication and the public good as part of our International Plain Language Day Series.
An Interview with Professor Joe Kimble
Plain Language

An Interview with Professor Joe Kimble

Plain Language Expert Professor Joe Kimble shares his experience with clear writing in an interview for our International Plain Language Day series.
An Interview with Plain Language Leader Casey Mank
Plain Language

An Interview with Plain Language Leader Casey Mank

Center for Plain Language Board Member Casey Mank shares the importance of clear consumer facing communication in an interview for Intl Plain Language Day
An Interview with Technical Writer Paul Stregevsky
Plain Language

An Interview with Technical Writer Paul Stregevsky

Technical Writer Paul Stregevsky talks about the importance of creativity and human writing as part of our series for International Plain Language Day 2023
An Interview with Copywriter Sara Rosinsky
Plain Language

An Interview with Copywriter Sara Rosinsky

Creative Copywriter Sara Rosinski shares her insights on why it's important to use clear, concise language in advertising for Intl Plain Language Day 2023
An Interview with Professor Michael Blasie
Plain Language

An Interview with Professor Michael Blasie

Professor Michael Blasie talks about the reasons to use plain language all the time as part of our series for International Plain Language Day.
Knowledge Management Q&A with Jordan Galvin
Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management Q&A with Jordan Galvin

Knowledge management and innovation expert Jordan Galvin discusses barriers to building KM systems and how KM creates successful innovation initiatives.
Knowledge Management Q&A with Jack Shepherd
Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management Q&A with Jack Shepherd

Former lawyer Jack Shepherd explains the importance of defining goals, realistic strategies, and putting in the work when implementing KM technologies.
Knowledge Management Q&A with Marlene Gebauer
Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management Q&A with Marlene Gebauer

Knowledge management expert Marlene Gebauer explains barriers to KM, how KM can affect document creation, and who will make a good fit to enter the KM field.
Knowledge Management Q&A with Bárbara Gondim da Rocha
Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management Q&A with Bárbara Gondim da Rocha

In this interview, Bárbara Gondim da Rocha shows us how knowledge management can develop solutions that keep your company profitable and clients satisfied.
Knowledge Management Q&A with Nicola Shaver
Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management Q&A with Nicola Shaver

In this interview, Nicola Shaver views document content as unstructured data and how that approach allows her to create long-term value for knowledge management.
Knowledge Management Q&A with Evan Shenkman
Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management Q&A with Evan Shenkman

Knowledge management expert and former lawyer Evan Shenkman sheds light on how tech has propelled legal knowledge management to new heights.
Q&A with Paralegal Shawn D. Andrews
Paralegals

Q&A with Paralegal Shawn D. Andrews

Paralegal Shawn D. Andrews explains how litigation paralegals keep the judicial process moving forward and how you can be a high-value member of the legal team.
Q&A with Paralegal Renee Tiun
Paralegals

Q&A with Paralegal Renee Tiun

Renee Tiun discusses her path to becoming a paralegal and how her unique experience gives her an advantage when serving international tax clients.
Q&A with Paralegal and Legal Translator Richard Lackey
Paralegals

Q&A with Paralegal and Legal Translator Richard Lackey

Richard Lackey explains his new role in legal technology as a contract review specialist at LegalSifter and his experience as a legal translator and paralegal.
Q&A with Paralegal Educator Doug Lusk
Paralegals

Q&A with Paralegal Educator Doug Lusk

Learn more about paralegal training with formally-trained lawyer Doug Lusk. Read on to learn why paralegals are a key part of the legal service team.
Q&A with Paralegal-Turned-Lawyer Ryan Groff
Paralegals

Q&A with Paralegal-Turned-Lawyer Ryan Groff

In this insightful interview with Ryan Groff, he explains how paralegals can help firms reach new heights of productivity and efficiency through technology.
Q&A with Paralegal Educator Keith Shannon
Paralegals

Q&A with Paralegal Educator Keith Shannon

In this interview, Keith explains how he moved from practicing law to teaching paralegals and the challenges he trains the paralegals in his program to meet.
Q&A with Melanie Henriques, Law Firm Partner & Paralegal
Paralegals

Q&A with Melanie Henriques, Law Firm Partner & Paralegal

In this interview, Melanie Henriques discusses her path to partnership and how paralegals can help law firms provide cost-effective legal services to clients.
Q&A with Paralegal Educator Debra C. Galloway
Paralegals

Q&A with Paralegal Educator Debra C. Galloway

In this interview, Debra C. Galloway explains the importance of working with your paralegal and shares her insights on the skills paralegals must possess.
Q&A with Paralegal Tisha Delgado, ACP®
Paralegals

Q&A with Paralegal Tisha Delgado, ACP®

In this interview, Tisha Delgado explains how lawyers can better work with paralegals and leverage their technical know-how for success.
Q&A with Paralegal-Turned-Lawyer Elmer Thoreson
Paralegals

Q&A with Paralegal-Turned-Lawyer Elmer Thoreson

In this interview, Elmer Thoreson reveals the many ways paralegals can contribute to an effective, efficient, innovative legal practice that clients will love.
Q&A with Paralegal Berlinda Bernard
Paralegals

Q&A with Paralegal Berlinda Bernard

In this enlightening interview, paralegal Berlinda Bernard debunks some myths about what paralegals do, and how writing skills are fundamental to her work.
Q&A with Paralegal Educator Jackie Van Dyke
Paralegals

Q&A with Paralegal Educator Jackie Van Dyke

Professor of paralegal studies Jackie Van Dyke, explains the value of training and shines a light on the essential skills paralegals bring to a law firm.
Q&A with Privacy Expert Shaun Jamison
Privacy

Q&A with Privacy Expert Shaun Jamison

Professor Shaun Jamison gets us to think critically about our data habits and challenges our assumptions about rules that previously seemed straight-forward.
Q&A with Privacy Lawyer Jessica Brown
Privacy

Q&A with Privacy Lawyer Jessica Brown

In this interview, privacy lawyer Jessica Brown explains how the user-gerated content of our documents grant access for word-processing software.
Q&A with Document Privacy Expert Chris Cangero
Privacy

Q&A with Document Privacy Expert Chris Cangero

Chris Cangero talks about the information in your documents—that doesn’t appear on the page—and discovers where it fits in your privacy and security analysis.
Q&A with Privacy Expert Donata Stroink-Skillrud
Privacy

Q&A with Privacy Expert Donata Stroink-Skillrud

In this interview, privacy expert Donata Stroink-Skillrud explains how to assess privacy policies and which questions to ask when considering new software.
Q&A with Privacy Expert Nerushka Bowan
Privacy

Q&A with Privacy Expert Nerushka Bowan

South African privacy expert Nerushka Bowan shows us that privacy is truly an everyday issue. Read on for an eye-opening interview about common privacy matters.
Q&A with Privacy Expert Cat Coode
Privacy

Q&A with Privacy Expert Cat Coode

Cat Coode explains how discrete information is more important than we might expect and how we fundamentally misjudge the information we trade away.
Q&A with Privacy Expert Irene Mo
Privacy

Q&A with Privacy Expert Irene Mo

Privacy expert Irene Mo reveals our privacy blind spots and gives us new ways to think about our work so we keep confidentiality front of mind.
Journalist Q&A with Bob Ambrogi
Journalism

Journalist Q&A with Bob Ambrogi

In this interview with journalist and blogger, Bob Ambrogi shows how we can bring journalistic storytelling into legal writing to draft better documents.
Journalist Q&A with Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman
Journalism

Journalist Q&A with Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman

This interview with award-winning journalist, Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman shows us how we can write more compelling legal documents—and deliver them on time.
Journalist Q&A with Jesse Katz
Journalism

Journalist Q&A with Jesse Katz

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jesse Katz talks about his role in helping the firm’s lawyers and the lessons we can apply from journalism to law.
Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 3
Change Management

Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 3

Part 3: Creating a Culture of Change in Law Firms with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich.
Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 2
Change Management

Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 2

Part 2: Change Management in Law Firms with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich.
Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 1
Change Management

Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 1

Part 1: Behavioral Economics and Legal Business with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich.
Clear Writing Q&A with Ben Riggs from Kettering Health
Plain Language

Clear Writing Q&A with Ben Riggs from Kettering Health

Ready to learn about plain language? In this engaging interview, Ben Riggs shows us the empathy we should have for readers facing life-changing decisions.
Plain Language Q&A with Andrew Pegler
Plain Language

Plain Language Q&A with Andrew Pegler

Ready to learn about plain language? Read this interview about plain language with Andrew Pegler, Principal, Andrew Pegler Media.
Access to Justice Q&A with Felicity Conrad and Kristen Sonday
Plain Language

Access to Justice Q&A with Felicity Conrad and Kristen Sonday

Ready to learn about how plain language impacts access to justice? We spoke with Felicity Conrad and Kristen Sonday from Paladin. Read on for more insights.
Plain Language Q&A with Barbra Kingsley
Plain Language

Plain Language Q&A with Barbra Kingsley

Learn about plain language in this interview with Barbra Kingsley, PhD, Chair, Center for Plain Language and Managing Partner, Kingsley-Kleimann Group.
Plain Language Q&A with Russell Willerton
Plain Language

Plain Language Q&A with Russell Willerton

How can you communicate with clarity and empathy when people need it most? Read this interview about plain language with Russell Willerton.
Plain Language Q&A with Christopher Trudeau
Plain Language

Plain Language Q&A with Christopher Trudeau

The public relies on professionals to interpret and deliver important information. Ready to communicate clearly? Read this interview with Christopher Trudeau.
Plain Language Q&A with Deborah S. Bosley, PhD
Plain Language

Plain Language Q&A with Deborah S. Bosley, PhD

Ready to learn about plain language? Read this interview about plain language with Deborah S. Bosley, Ph.D., founder, and principal, the Plain Language Group.
Plain Language Q&A with Iva Cheung
Plain Language

Plain Language Q&A with Iva Cheung

People encounter confusing language when they receive medical treatment—but this is when understanding is critical. Read this interview with Iva Cheung, Ph.D.
Access to Justice Q&A with Dorna Moini from Gavel
Plain Language

Access to Justice Q&A with Dorna Moini from Gavel

Ready to learn about how plain language impacts access to justice? Read this interview with Dorna Moini, CEO and Co-founder of Documate. Check it out.
Plain Language Q&A with Cheryl Stephens
Plain Language

Plain Language Q&A with Cheryl Stephens

Ready to learn about plain language? Read this interview with Cheryl Stephens, Consultant, Plain Language Wizardry and Author, Plain Language Legal Writing.
Clear Writing Q&A with Roy Peter Clark
Plain Language

Clear Writing Q&A with Roy Peter Clark

What do you know about civic clarity and clear writing? Read this interview with renowned author Roy Peter Clark, Senior Scholar at The Poynter Institute.
The Importance of Powerful Storytelling in Writing
Plain Language

The Importance of Powerful Storytelling in Writing

It’s important for writers to tell good stories to maintain readers’ interests and connect on a deeper level. Learn how to tell a good story with your writing.
Get Started on Your Writing Journey with Insights from Ben Riggs
Plain Language

Get Started on Your Writing Journey with Insights from Ben Riggs

Every writer can benefit from a writing coach. We’ve gathered the best insights from author Ben Riggs to help you get started with your writing journey.
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WordRake Tips & Tricks

Don’t Dismiss that Dialog Box!
WordRake Tips & Tricks

Don’t Dismiss that Dialog Box!

Dialog boxes often feel disruptive, but sometimes we’re so quick to dismiss dialog boxes that we miss key information. Some hidden gems are tucked away in WordRake’s dialog boxes.
For Best Results, Rake Twice
WordRake Tips & Tricks

For Best Results, Rake Twice

WordRake’s complex algorithms are contextual—that’s what makes its editing suggestions so powerful and accurate. The algorithms operate using signals and triggers. So when you Rake a document and accept changes or otherw...
Have You Discovered These WordRake Hidden Features?
WordRake Tips & Tricks

Have You Discovered These WordRake Hidden Features?

Our users rely on WordRake for quick and reliable editing for clarity and brevity. Every feature and function was designed to work within that streamlined user experience, focused solely on delivering accurate editing su...
How to Become a WordRake Power Editor
WordRake Tips & Tricks

How to Become a WordRake Power Editor

When asked to edit an author’s work, how quickly can you turn around a document? If you’re an editor getting paid a flat or per-word fee, every second you save adds to your bottom line. And if you’re simply doing a favor...
Are You a WordRake Power User?
WordRake Tips & Tricks

Are You a WordRake Power User?

The most vocal and dedicated software users are powerhouses. To work more efficiently, power users tweak their apps and seek out hidden features. You hear about Microsoft power users, but did you know you can be a WordRa...

Staff Stories

Leading with Generosity: The “Give First” Philosophy for Networking and Building Professional Relationships
Staff Stories

Leading with Generosity: The “Give First” Philosophy for N...

I am a fan. An unabashed fan. I admire people openly and I tell them—and everyone within earshot. So if you want my advice on networking, that’s it: Be a fan.
Q&A with WordRake Founder Gary Kinder
Staff Stories

Q&A with WordRake Founder Gary Kinder

What gave you the idea for WordRake? Although I have a law degree, I’ve devoted my career to writing and teaching writing. I’ve taught to businesses, universities, government agencies, and writing/publishing conferences....
Life Lessons from Writing Competitions
Staff Stories

Life Lessons from Writing Competitions

Writing competitions don’t reflect sustainable writing habits, but they can teach great life lessons. So far, I’ve written a 55,000-word novel, participated in 10 writing competitions and challenges, and placed in severa...
Q&A with Ivy B. Grey, WordRake's Newest Hire
Staff Stories

Q&A with Ivy B. Grey, WordRake's Newest Hire

We sat down with the newest member of the WordRake team, Ivy B. Grey, after completing her first month on the job. Ivy joined us in early November as our Director of Business Strategy. A legal tech entrepreneur and forme...
Use Your Commute for Effective Writing
Staff Stories

Use Your Commute for Effective Writing

When I describe the distance between my apartment and WordRake’s office as “walkable,” people usually envision a fifteen- or twenty-minute walk. My next line is that my commute is an hour and just under four miles.
How to Complete Your NaNoWriMo Novel
Staff Stories

How to Complete Your NaNoWriMo Novel

National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, is an annual sprint to write a 50,000-word novel in November. According to NaNoWriMo’s website, over 394,000 people tried to write 50,000 words in November 2017, and more than ...

Quizzes

Quiz on Bright & Lively Writing

Can you turn boring bluster into engaging prose? Take this short quiz to test your knowledge about bright and lively writing!

Writing lively sentences matters because lively sentences hold our readers’ attention and make them more receptive to our message. In this quiz, test your knowledge of the two most common ways we bore our readers: writing with passive voice and nominalizations.

Punctuation Quiz

Do you know your punctuation rules? Take this short quiz to test your knowledge about punctuation!

Punctuation should clarify your points and improve your sentence flow. See if you know when it’s appropriate to use a comma, semicolon, dash, period, or colon. Take this short quiz to test your knowledge about punctuation!

Quiz on Writing for Clarity & Brevity

Do you know how to write clear and concise prose? Take this short quiz to test your knowledge about clarity and brevity!

Writing clearly and concisely gets your point across and engages readers. See where you can remove unnecessary words to tighten and tone the sentences below.

Nominalizations Quiz

Can you recognize nominalizations and convert them to lively verbs? Take this short quiz to test your knowledge about nominalizations!

One major cause of wordiness is a word many people
have never even heard: “nominalization.” A nominalization is a noun that should be a verb. When we convert a nominalization to its verb form, we enliven our writing. Do you know how to spot a nominalization? Check with our five-question quiz:

eBooks

Digital Due Diligence
White Paper

Digital Due Diligence: A Practical Guide to AI and Ethics in the Legal Profession

Legal writing is a key part of how lawyers serve their clients, but many lawyers now have a new starting point for their text: generative AI. While this new technology changes our workflows, it does not change our ethical duties—the duties just come up in surprising new ways.
WRD_380x220_How to Write the Perfect Brief_01
eBook

How to Write the Perfect Brief

Every brief is like a mini-trial—it is an opportunity to show the court why your client should prevail. Briefs serve as written guides to help the fact-finder understand why your position is the most meritorious. And...
WRD_380x220_The Art & Science of  Writing Business Email_01
eBook

The Art & Science of Writing Business Email

A well-written email distinguishes us and endears us to our readers, which makes them more likely to respond well to our messages. Effective emails aren’t just persuasive; they’re clear, concise, well-organized, and...
WRD_380x220_How to Write the 
Perfect Memorandum_01.jpg.jpeg-1
eBook

How to Write the Perfect Memorandum

Memoranda written by associates are the lifeblood of a law firm. Partners rely on them to advise clients and strategize. But writing a clear, well-researched memorandum is difficult. What if you could secretly ask...
WRD_380x220_Secrets to Writing Clearly & Concisely_01
eBook

Secrets to Writing Clearly & Concisely

Clear and concise writing is the key to effective communication. To help you become an effective communicator, we’re sharing the “8 Secrets” for spotting useless words...
WRD_380x220_3 Secrets to Writing Bright & Lively Sentences_01
eBook

3 Secrets to Writing Bright & Lively Sentences

After we’ve removed the needless words from our writing, what else can we do to make our writing more engaging?
WRD_380x220_The Ethical Duty of Technology Competence_01
eBook

The Ethical Duty of Technology Competence

The duty of technology competence was introduced in 2012; now 39 states have adopted revised Comment 8 to Model Rule 1.1. In the nine years since its introduction, it has become clear that technology awareness, wisdom, and adoption are necessary...
Choose_Your_Own_Adventure-_Decisions_Pivots_and_Possibilities_DOTS-1
eBook

Choose Your Own Adventure

Success in the legal field does not follow a prescribed path. To find it, you must be willing to deviate from what you perceive as the standard path.
WRD_380x220_Using Analogies to Explain_01
eBook

Using Analogies to Explain

In legal, technical, and scientific fields, apt analogies help people both understand and remember important concepts. 
WRD_380x220_Mastering the Revision Process_01
eBook

Mastering the Revision Process

Revision isn’t simply a matter of finding and fixing errors in your writing. The goal of revision is to meet the reader’s needs. Doing so requires planning and strategy.
WRD_380x220_The Simple Workbook for Legal Innovation_01
eBook

The Simple Workbook for Legal Innovation

s tough to keep up with the constant changes taking place in the legal industry. Every day, we see dozens of new articles about the latest “must-know” legal innovation and technology.
WRD_380x220_Punctuating on Purpose_01
eBook

Punctuating on Purpose

Many of us approach punctuation and punctuating sentences like we're stepping into a mine field while wearing clown shoes: We're bound to trip on something unpleasant.
WRD_380x220_Restyling the Federal Rules of Evidence_01
eBook

Restyling the Federal Rules of Evidence

American court systems rely on standardized legal procedures to secure a just and speedy determination of legal actions and to regulate the evidence that may be used reach a verdict. Even for regular players in the system, rules...
WRD_380x220_Developing Your LinkedIn Strategy_01
eBook

Developing Your LinkedIn Strategy

Do you ever sense that an opportunity exists, but you just don’t know how to take advantage of it? For most lawyers, one unrealized opportunity is social media, particularly LinkedIn. Still, lawyers who try to seize the opportunity don’t reap the benefits because they treat LinkedIn...
WRD_380x220_Know Your Point_01
eBook

Know Your Point

The purpose of all business communication is to make a point—and convince others of its truth or value. This is true for written communication, including internal emails or legal briefs; and verbal communication, including formal speeches or department meetings.
WRD_380x220_30 Tips to Grow Your LinkedIn Influence_01
eBook

30 Tips to Grow Your LinkedIn Influence

Social media offers business and professional networking opportunities, but to turn those opportunities into business you must do more than simply exist. Building your reputation and growing your business requires daily work. LinkedIn holds promise—but where do you start?
WRD_380x220_The Power of Newsjacking_01
eBook

The Power of Newsjacking

Nothing catches people’s attention like breaking news. Whether it’s the latest celebrity divorce or a well-known software company announcing its latest release, there is always something happening in the news that piques people’s interests...
WRD_380x220_The Businesses We Build_01
eBook

The Businesses We Build

What does it mean to be a good lawyer? How confident are you that others would agree with your definition? If you’re struggling with conflicting advice about how to succeed as a lawyer then Lawyer Forward: Finding Your Place in the Future of Law is a great place for answers.
WRD_380x220_Explore Your Expertise & Assemble Your Authority_01
eBook

Explore Your Expertise & Assemble Your Authority

Imposter syndrome keeps many experts from sharing their valuable knowledge. It’s easy to assume you must do many more years of research and learning before you can call yourself and expert and share what you know. But that’s not true. 
WRD_380x220_Syntactic Ambiguity_01
eBook

Syntactic Ambiguity

The right word in the wrong order can cause a reader to draw unintended meaning from a sentence. When the reader and the writer see the same words, but find different meanings, the words are ambiguous—and this ambiguity can lead to litigation.
WRD_380x220_Clarity and Coherence_01
eBook

Clarity and Coherence

A writer creates coherence through the choice and order of words in a sentence, sentences in a paragraph, and paragraphs in a chapter. Without attention to how each part and sub-part relates to the whole, it is impossible to deliver clear meaning to the reader.
WRD_380x220_Be Productive_01
eBook

Be Productive

The road to law firm partnership is cloaked in mystique—and attaining partnership seems more like a wishful fairytale than a real career path. With ill-defined milestones and an unmarked roadmap, it's no wonder we cling to the crumbs of vague advice we receive. But that’s about to change.
WRD_380x220_Challenge Every Word_01
eBook

Challenge Every Word

Communication that is satisfying to our audience requires us to put their needs first. Rather than thinking about what we want to say, we must consider what they must hear to find value in the message.
WRD_380x220_Professional Drafting in MS Word__01
eBook

Professional Drafting in MS Word

What makes an effective legal document? Any legal professional would recognize the importance of creating a document rich with high-quality analysis, careful drafting, and thorough research. But many legal professionals would overlook document form and creation.
WRD_380x220_Thinking Like Your Editor_01
eBook

Thinking Like Your Editor

At work, we are all non-fiction writers—and it is our job to make our proposals, briefs, and memos tell a story, argue, and persuade.
WRD_380x220_Thinking Like a Writer_01
eBook

Thinking Like a Writer

The first paragraph of a document is not necessarily an introduction, yet many lawyers treat it as if it were. That’s because lawyers think about what they want to say, not what the readers want to know. If that describes you, this chapter is sure to change your approach.
WRD_380x220_The Science Behind the Art of Legal Writing_01
eBook

The Science Behind the Art of Legal Writing

Even when writing for work, it can feel intensely personal. So when we get feedback about our writing, we tend to dismiss it as a superficial style preference. This framing conveniently allows us to ignore any advice we don’t like.
WRD_380x220_Good Authority_ How to Become the LeaderYour Team Is Waiting For_01
eBook

Good Authority: How to Become the LeaderYour Team Is Waiting For

In Good Authority, author and former lawyer Jonathan Raymond combines insights from his work as an executive, entrepreneur, team leader, and leadership trainer to give you a framework for developing employees to greatness.
WRD_380x220_Choosing High-Value Words in Writing_01
eBook

Choosing High-Value Words in Writing

You don’t have to be a high-powered executive to write well for work. You just need someone to show you the way. With help from writing professor and international educator Erin Lebacqz, new professionals can learn to communicate confidently.
WRD_380x220_Unwelcome Wall of Words in Email_01
eBook

Unwelcome Wall of Words in Email

What type of writing is worthy of your editing time? If you forgot to consider email as important writing, then you may need some help rethinking your approach.

Start your 7-day free trial

Webinars

Practical Guide to AI & Ethics 07-09-2024-thumb
Webinars

A Practical Guide to AI and Ethics

Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI in legal practice presents both opportunities and ethical challenges. This one-hour program aims to give legal professionals practical insights on the ethical considerations in AI's role in legal research and writing.
Establishing Your Work Reputation through Clear & Concise Writing 06-18-2022
Webinars

Building Your Reputation at Work through Writing

Learning how to clearly and effectively communicate your value, your ideas, or your legal arguments as a young lawyer is a powerful way to advance your career. When you’re still new to the legal profession..
AALS Presentation Title Slide-2
Webinar

Balancing Ethics, Inclusion, and Innovation: Preparing Future Lawyers for the Age of AI

As AI technologies like ChatGPT make deeper inroads into the legal profession, it's clear that our legal education system needs to keep pace with these advancements. This presentation focuses on how law professors, practitioners...
AI and Legal
Webinar

AI and Legal Ethics--An ABA Roundtable

Lawyers Damien Riehl, Ivy B. Grey, Jayne Reardon, Kenton Brice, and Jim Calloway (Moderator) discuss the ethics implications and requirements for using generative AI in legal practice.
main pic big
Webinar

Make Microsoft Word Work for You

Microsoft Word is one of the most used tools of the legal trade—isn’t it time we learned to use it well? In this fast-paced Ignite-style presentation Ivy B. Grey will share Microsoft Word tips and tricks...
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Webinar

Building Legal Judgment Through Technology (Webinar)

Clients get frustrated when lawyers don’t spend enough time on thoughtful, high-value work but still produce a hefty bill based on repetitive, low-value work. When you’re in the thick of things
Connecting Technology Training and Substantive Legal Writing Skills Webinar 11-19-2023-thumb
Webinar

Connecting Technology Training and Substantive Legal Writing Skills

Legal writing instructors often believe that they must choose between teaching substantive legal writing skills or teaching technology skills. But those two objectives are not in conflict... 
NEW AI Engagement Framework Webinar 11-09-2023-thumb
Webinar

AI Engagement Framework

As we expand our use of AI in law and lower (or remove) the barriers to accessing these tools, it is ever more important for us to be discerning users. We must question, verify, and scrutinize...
Editing for Law Review Thumbnail
Webinars

Using Technology toImprove the Editing Process

Law review is an honor, a privilege, and a highly coveted credential, but checking superficial details often detracts from substantive work—it can even get in the way of your classwork.
Clear Drafting - Clarity Webinar 2024
Webinar

Clear Legal Drafting Webinar

On November 14, 2024, Ivy B. Grey presented as part of a three-part webinar hosted by Cooley Law School’s Kimble Center for Legal Drafting in partnership with Clarity International. 
Learning Ethics Through Storytelling 2024
Webinar

5 Scenarios that Show GenAI’s Risks

Gain an understanding of the risks of using generative AI through a discussion of five realistic fact-patterns. Each fact-pattern is designed to address an ethical issue raised in ABA Formal Opinion 512 and show you some of the surprising ways ethical questions arise. In this 30-minute presentation, you’ll get an introduction to GenAI with basic definitions, an introduction to related Model Rules, and an in-depth discussion of the fact-patterns.
Tech Competence Webinar 2022
Webinar

The Duty of Technology Competence

Lawyers have an ethical obligation to competently represent their clients. Competence includes both the substance of the legal work and the technology used to provide legal services to clients.  
Viewpoint Project Documentary
Webinar

Legal Writing Technology Documentary

One area where lawyers use technology the most—but rarely consider the risks or opportunities—is document creation. A great document can change the outcome of a legal matter. Clients trust lawyers to get it right and pay them handsomely to do so. Since documents are so important, lawyers should use every tool available to increase document quality and efficiency, including technology. In this documentary, Ivy B. Grey, Dyane O’Leary, and Jessica Tseng Hasen discuss the value of writing improvement technology. Watch it now!

Podcasts

WRD_380x220_Pioneers and Pathfinders_01
Podcasts

Pioneers and Pathfinders Podcast

Ivy Grey with J. Stephen Poor
WRD_380x220_Fresh Voices on Legal Tech_01
Podcasts

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech

Ivy Grey with Dennis Kennedy
and Tom Mighell
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with John Strohmeyer Five Star Counsel March 1, 2021_01-1-1
Podcasts

Five Star Counsel

Ivy Grey with John Strohmeyer
WRD_380x220_Gary Kinder with Sharon Berman Law Firm Marketing Catalyst February 26, 2020_01
Podcasts

Law Firm Marketing Catalyst

Gary Kinder with Sharon Berman
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Joe Regalia and Nick Rishwain LegalTechLIVE November 26, 2019_01
Podcasts

LegalTechLIVE

Ivy Grey with Joe Regalia and Nick Rishwain
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Natalie Worsfold and Peter Aprile Building New Law Podcast June 4, 2019_01
Podcasts

Building New Law Podcast

Ivy Grey with Natalie Worsfold and Peter Aprile
WRD_380x220_Gary Kinder with Don Hutcheson Discover Your Talent, Do What You Love Podcast June 3, 2019_01
Podcasts

Discover Your Talent, Do What You Love Podcast

Gary Kinder with Don Hutcheson
WRD_380x220_Gary Kinder with Pat Iyer Legal Nurse Podcast November 2017_01
Podcasts

Legal Nurse Podcast

Gary Kinder with Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway
WRD_380x220_Gary Kinder with Ben Olson Thinking LSAT Podcast April 3, 2017_01
Podcasts

Thinking LSAT Podcast

Gary Kinder with Ben Olson
WRD_380x220_Gary Kinder with Brian Cardile The Weekly Appellate Report Podcast February 17, 2017_01
Podcasts

The Weekly Appellate Report Podcast

Gary Kinder with Brian Cardile
WRD_380x220_Gary Kinder with Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway The Digital Edge Podcast February 9, 2017_01
Podcasts

The Digital Edge Podcast

Gary Kinder with Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway
WRD_380x220_Gary Kinder with Craig Moen and Shye Gilad  Business Owner_s Radio January 16, 2017_01
Podcasts

Business Owner's Radio

Gary Kinder with Craig Moen and Shye Gilad 
WRD_380x220_Gary Kinder with Ed Poll LawBiz Podcast September 30, 2013_01
Podcasts

LawBiz Podcast

Gary Kinder with Ed Poll
WRD_380x220_Gary Kinder with Ari Kaplan Reinventing Professionals Podcast October 10, 2013_01
Podcasts

Reinventing Professionals Podcast

Gary Kinder with Ari Kaplan
WRD_380x220_Gary Kinder with Vicki Voisin Paralegal Voice Podcast July 19, 2013_01
Podcasts

Paralegal Voice Podcast

Gary Kinder with Vicki Voisin
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert Geek in Review Podcast January 24, 2019_01
Podcasts

Geek in Review (Podcast)

Ivy Grey with Maya Markovich
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Megan Zavieh Lawyers Gone Ethical Podcast October 9, 2018_01
Podcasts

Lawyers Gone Ethical Podcast

Ivy Grey with Megan Zavieh
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Adriana Linares New Solo Podcast October 20, 2017_01
Podcasts

New Solo Podcast

Ivy Grey with Adriana Linares
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Jon Tobin at ABA TechShow Using Tech to Replace or Improve Admin Work (Podcast) March 5, 2022_01
eBook

Using Tech to Replace or Improve Admin Work (Podcast)

Ivy Grey with Jon Tobin at ABA TechShow
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey and Chris Cangero LegalTech Live - The Effectiveness Project November 9, 2021_01
Podcasts

LegalTech Live - The Effectiveness Project

Ivy Grey and Chris Cangero
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Sarah Cottrell Former Lawyer Podcast April 12, 2021_01
Podcasts

Former Lawyer Podcast

Ivy Grey with Sarah Cottrell
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Davina Frederick Wealthy Woman Lawyer Podcast February 2, 2021_01
Podcasts

Wealthy Woman Lawyer Podcast

Ivy Grey with Davina Frederick
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Jim Hacking and Tyson Mutrux Maximum Lawyer Podcast July 28, 2020_01
Podcasts

Maximum Lawyer Podcast

Ivy Grey with Jim Hacking and Tyson Mutrux
WRD_380x220_Nicole Abboud-Shayan with Jack Newton Clio’s Daily Matters Podcast July 28, 2020_01
Podcasts

Clio’s Daily Matters Podcast

Nicole Abboud-Shayan with Jack Newton
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Jack Newton Clio’s Daily Matters Podcast July 20, 2020_01
Podcasts

Clio’s Daily Matters Podcast

Ivy Grey with Jack Newton
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert Geek in Review Podcast January 24, 2019_01
Podcasts

Geek in Review Podcast

Ivy Grey with Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Nefra McDonald Rocket Matter Podcast July 17, 2018_01
Podcasts

Rocket Matter Podcast

Ivy Grey with Nefra McDonaldv
WRD_380x220_Ivy Grey with Tim Baran Good2BSocial Podcast March 20, 2018_01
Podcasts

Good2BSocial Podcast

Ivy Grey with Tim Baran
WRD_380x220_Gary Kinder with Jules Miller       Evolve the Law Legal Luminary Podcast July 25, 2017_01
Podcasts

Evolve the Law Legal Luminary Podcast

Gary Kinder with Jules Miller 

Infographics

Ready to purchase? See buying options 

WordRake offers over 50,000 editing algorithms based on subject matter and linguistic expertise

How Does it Work?

WordRake is editing software designed by writing expert and New York Times bestselling author Gary Kinder. Like an editor or helpful colleague, WordRake ripples through your document checking for needless words and cumbersome phrases. Its complex algorithms find and improve weak lead-ins, confusing language, and high-level grammar and usage slips.

WordRake runs in Microsoft Word and Outlook, and its suggestions appear in the familiar track-changes style. If you’ve used track changes, you already know how to use WordRake. There’s nothing to learn and nothing to interpret. Editing for clarity and brevity has never been easier.

See How Professionals Like You Use Wordrake

“WordRake turned me from the C+ law student I was 35 years ago, to an A-writer today. It’s like having a writing teacher on demand.”
Loren Molever
Co-Managing Member, Molever Conelly PLLC
“WordRake is my second pair of eyes for everything that I draft in Word or send in Outlook. It makes my writing more concise and professional. I use it every day.”
Chris Cummings
Attorney, Christopher J. Cummings, P.C.
“We used WordRake to upgrade all existing templates and we’ve made it part of our standard drafting process so we can consistently create better documents going forward. We love WordRake!”
Janelle Eveland Belling
Director of Legal Project Management, Perkins Coie LLP
“WordRake is amazing! It's like having an extra editor by my side, helping me to scrape the lawyer dust off my documents.”
John Strohmeyer
Proprietor, Strohmeyer Law PLLC
“WordRake not only helps with real-time editing, it also helps writers think about their work going forward. Very useful.”
Karl Ackermann
Principle, WriteSpace, LLC
“Work Rake cleans up all the messy little errors that we make as speed through the creation of documents. If you don't have it, you can pay a big price in value lost in the presentation of poorly crafted work to important clients.”
Edward Blakely
Consultant Lawyer, Chalk and Beherent
Try WordRake on your own documents now! 
Download your 7-day free trial here.
No credit card required.

WordRake is available for Word on Mac and Windows. WordRake is also available for Outlook on Windows.

WordRake System Requirements
Mac System Requirements(WordRake for Word)
  • Operating Systems: Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, or Catalina
  • Applications: Office 365*, MS Word 2024, 2021, 2019, or 2016
Not compatible with Word 2011 or web-only versions of Word
Windows System Requirements(WordRake for Word and/or Outlook)
  • Operating Systems: Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Server 2022, Server 2019, Server 2016
  • Applications: Office 365*, MS Word and/or Outlook 2024, 2021, 2019, 2016, and 2013 
*Not compatible with Outlook 2007, or web-only versions of Office 365