Since clients are the most important people in your practice, it makes sense to ensure that they understand you.
Cheryl Stephens, of Building Rapport, the plain language blog, is a leader in the field of plain language communication. Cheryl provides training and workshops to clients all over North America. She is making a guest appearance today promoting her new book, Plain Language Legal Writing:
In the early 90s, a survey by the British Columbia Plain Language Institute discovered that the more experience a person has with lawyers and legal documents, the more likely it is that the person is frustrated and angered by incomprehensible legal language.
Someone who has a lot of experience with lawyers and reading legal documents has reason to expect they will gain skill in deciphering them. Unfortunately, that doesn t usually happen. Legalese seems inherently indecipherable.
As a result, the clients lose confidence in the whole process, in the lawyer, and in their own ability to function effectively in legal situations.
When you provide plain, clear documents for your clients to sign, and they find they can actually understand those documents, it increases the clients' confidence in you as their lawyer.
Plain language means that when you advise your clients, they can understand and act upon their rights and obligations. They can make informed decisions and avoid legal complications. This inspires self-confidence and confidence in you.
But plain language is more than just writing clearly. The process involves considering your client's needs, abilities, and interests when you choose what and how to communicate, and it means being open to evaluating your services and your documents once they're created.
Using plain language for your clients’ benefit reduces clients’ frustration and increases their confidence and rapport with you.
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