📚✨ Discover the 11 Deadly Sins of Legal Writing! 🚨📝
Eighth sin: “The imbalance in the relationship between "potency"and "weight" creates dissonant texts.
Author: Andrés Felipe Rivas
in collaboration with WOW Legal Experience and Copernico
Today, we immerse ourselves in the eighth sin: the imbalance in the relationship between “potency” and “weight” creates dissonant texts.
Diego López Medina offers us a valuable perspective on another common “sin” in legal writing: the imbalance in the “weight” / “potency” relationship of texts. In this case, “weight” is the structure of the text, and “potency” is the efficiency to convey the message to the reader. Therefore, a legal text is harmonious when this relationship is balanced. That is, when the structure and efficiency of the text allow the reader to receive the message clearly and concisely.
In the Colombian case, López Medina points out that often “weight” is prioritized over “potency” in legal writings.
That is, we tend to create texts without correct weight where we prefer to make them dense (with deficient structure), thereby reducing the potency of the idea we want to convey.
This imbalance between “weight” and “potency” can hinder the comprehension and effectiveness of our writings, and thus, negatively impact our professional practice.
Of course, — and if we consider the “defect of extremes” — this does not mean that writings should be more “potent” than “weighty”. A text with potent arguments implies that they also have the appropriate weight.
Together with WOW Legal Experience,, we want you to find that balance in your writings. That’s why we recognise the importance of turning the “sins” of our series into principles. Due diligence in lawyering starts with good writing and promoting clarity in legal communication in your organization. 💼🌟
La versión en español puede encontrarse aquí:https://www.linkedin.com/posts/afrivas_balance-lo-buscamos-constantemente-en-las-activity-7183795913587339264-gG5n?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
#LegalWriting #ConnectAndWrite #EasyReading #WOWLEGAL #TaxLitigation #LegalDesign #LegalDrafting 🌐👩⚖️👨⚖️
