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 about the importance of the outcomes of our legal writing. The heavy weight of our work keeps us from doing what our writing should do most: Tell a compelling, human story that makes the reader care. Journalists' words bear a similar weight—a news story can shape the way the world thinks.

The most significant difference between lawyers and journalists is that journalists put the story first, then they allow the story to drive structure and flow. Lawyers rarely apply storytelling to their writing. In this interview, award-winning journalist, blogger, and lawyer Bob Ambrogi shows how we can bring journalistic storytelling into legal writing to draft better documents. (He will also make you laugh!)

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 story will help you plan and focus your writing. And with that focus, you’ll know what’s important to your audience and deliver on deadline.

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; and make general audiences feel smart about specific topics. We can learn these skills from journalists through reading their work, and, if we’re lucky, through journalists' edits on their own work.

In a creative—and brave—step away from the status quo, in 2010, top law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP hired Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Jesse Katz to help the firm’s lawyers write better documents. We interviewed Jesse about his role and got his advice about lessons from journalism that we can apply to law. Here, Jesse models how to say more with fewer words and inspires you to write legal briefs worthy of the front page.

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 management expert Maya Markovich lays out the ingredients for a culture of change. She addresses both sides of the recruiting equation and explains what to look for in the change agents of tomorrow.

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, cultural changes that encourage it, and individuals who are open to new approaches. If any elements are overlooked, change efforts are unlikely to succeed.

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 organizational psychology with her JD and practice experience in her role at Nextlaw Labs, a global legal technology accelerator and innovation catalyst. In this three-part interview, Maya explains what drives behavior and why understanding it matters in the legal profession today.

When a law student graduates from law school, they quickly realize there is more to learn than what law school taught them. WordRake recently spoke with Michael Bloom, founder of Praktio, an online learning platform for lawyers. Michael is a former lawyer and law school professor turned tech entrepreneur.

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 needs. The most successful professionals and executives do both. Together, these skills make you a trusted leader. And whether you are trusted to lead is the difference between a rainmaker and a service partner. If you dream of becoming a power player, this interview is for you.

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 process after verifying our knowledge—and without getting to the reader’s needs. It happens because experts often conflate communicating accurately with communicating clearly. But they’re not the same.

In this engaging interview, Ben Riggs confronts the assumptions that lead to unclear communication and shows us the empathy that we should have for readers facing life-changing decisions. Read on for Ben’s lessons in plain language and health communication through storytelling.

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 the transition. That’s where plain language expert Andrew Pegler excels. He converts legal contracts and business reports to plain English, then trains the organization’s lawyers and staff to do the same.

Andrew has built his career convincing corporations and law firms that plain language has brand advantages, then helping them write in a new way. Andrew’s work is a study in successful change management. He delivers his plain English workshops at an appropriate level, respects and develops the existing knowledge and skills of staff, and provides useable writing and editing tips and techniques. 

We spoke with Andrew about plain language in law. In this interview, you’ll learn how plain language is a brand advantage and get eight tips for using plain language in your own writing. Read on for Andrew’s lessons.