Legalese

The modern trend towards the use of non-technical language - the Plain Language Movement – focuses a great deal on Legal English, which mixes modern English with vocabulary borrowed from numerous other languages and legal traditions. Over the centuries, Legal English has developed a dense style and tradition which is not easily understood by non-lawyers. Understandably – but unfortunately – many lawyers who must use Legal English try to mimic the style of their native English-speaking counterparts.

Drafter’s Tip

To avoid any confusion which may reult, use plain language. Plain language can help reduce mistakes in communication, particularly if you are using English as a foreign language. In order to improve your Legal English, consider using the following plain language alternatives to the wordy and technical style of traditional English legalese.

Legalese	Plain language alternative
a large amount of	a lot of
a large number of	many
a number of	some / several / many
ab initio	from the start / beginning
accord (as a verb)	give
acquire	get
acquire knowledge	learn
additional	more
additionally	also
adequate	enough
adjacent to	next to / near
afforded	given
aforementioned	this / that
aforesaid	this / that
albeit	although / though
ambit	reach / scope
antecedent to	before
any and all	all
appraise	tell / inform
approximately	about
as a consequence of	because of
as previously stated	again
as regards	about
ascertain	find out
assist	help
at no time	never
at present	now
at the place	where
at the present time	now / currently
at this point in time	now
at this time	now / currently
attempt	try
aver	state
because of the fact that	because
bona fide	good faith
by means of	by
by necessity	necessarily
by reason of	because of / due to
case at bar	this case
case sub judice	this case
cease	stop
cease and desist	stop
circumstances in which	when / where
cognizant of	aware of / knows
commence	start / begin
comment	say
conceal	hide
concept	idea
concerning	about / on / or
concerning the matter of	about
conjecture	guess
consensus of opinion	consensus
consequence	result
consequently	so / thus
constitute	be / form / make up
contiguous to	next to
couched	phrased
demonstrate	show
demonstrate	show
desire	want
despite the fact that	despite / though / although
deteriorate	get worse
directive	order
discontinue	stop
does not operate to	does not
donate	give
due to the fact that	because
during such time as	while
during the course of	during / while
during the time that	while
dwell	live
elapse	pass / go by
elucidate	explain
emphasize	stress
endeavour	try
envisage	see
erroneous	incorrect / mistaken / wrong
evince	show / demonstrate
eventuality	event / possibility
evince	show
exceedingly	highly
excessive number of	too many
exclusively	only
exit (as a verb)	leave
expenditure	expense / payment
facilitate	help
for the duration of	during / while
for the purpose of doing	to do
for the reason that	because
for this reason	thus
forthwith	immediately / now
forward	send
frequently	often
fundamental	basic
gratuitous	free
have knowledge of	know
hence	from this / from there
henceforth	from now on / from then on
henceforward	from now on / from then on
herein	here
heretofore	until now
hitherto	until now
implement	carry out
in a case in which	when / where
in accordance with	by / under / according to
in as much as	because
in close proximity	near
in conjunction with	with / together with
in excess of	more than
in lieu of	instead of
in light of the fact that	because / given that
in order to	to
in receipt of	have
in reference to	about
in regard to	about
in respect to / in respect of	respecting
in the amount of	for
in the course of	during
in the event of	that / if
in the event that	if
in the near future	soon
inception	beginning
indebtedness	debt
indicate	show / say / mean
indication	sign
individual	person
inform	tell
initial	first
inquire	ask
instant	this
instant case	this case
inter alia	among other things
inter partes	between parties
inter se	among themselves
is able to	can
is authorized to	may
is binding on	binds
is desirous of	wants
is dispositive of	disposes of
is required to	must
is unable to	cannot
it has been determined that	omit
it is apparent that	clearly
it is clear that	clearly
it would appear that	apparently
locality	city / town / etc.
locate	find
make reference to	refer to
make / take a decision	decide
manner	way
methodology	method
negatively affect	hurt / harm / decrease / some such
nevertheless	but / even so
notify	tell
notwithstanding	despite
null and void	void
numerous	many
objective (as a noun)	goal
observe	see / watch
obtain	get
on a number of occasions	often / sometimes
on behalf of	for
on the part of	by
opportune	convenient
originate	come from
outcome	result
owing to the fact that	because / since
period of time	time / period
permit	let / allow
personnel	people
pertaining to	about
point in time	time / point
portion	part
possess	have
pray	ask for
precede	go / come before
prior to	before
procure	get
provide	give
provided that	if / but
provision of law	law
purchase	buy
rate of speed	speed
referred to as	called
regarding	about
remainder	rest
render assistance	help
request	ask
require	need
requisite	needed / required
retain	keep
save	except
significant	meaning
simultaneously	at the same time
subsequent	later
subsequent to	after
subsequently	afterwards / later
substantial	large
substantially	largely
substantiate	prove
such (as an adjective)	the / this / that
sufficient	enough
sufficient number of	enough
take into consideration	consider
termination	end (sometimes)
the case at bar	this case
the fact that	that
the instant case	this case
the majority of	most
the manner in which	how
thereafter	from it / from that
therein	in it
thereof	of it
theretofore	until then
thereupon	then
thitherto	until then
to wit	namely
transmit	send
ultimately	in the end
until such time as	until
unto	to
upon	on
utilize	use
was aware	knew
whence	from where
whereat	where
wherein	where / in which / when
with regard to	about / regarding
with the exception of	except for