This Course is now fully booked. Please email lawsocietyskillnet@lawsociety.ie should you wish to be put on a waitlist. 

*This Law Society Skillnet discount is applicable to all practicing solicitors working in the private sector. (The standard fee for this course is €395)

Maximum 12 participants in the masterclass. Break refreshments and a light lunch will be provided.

Aims and Objectives
This workshop aims to demonstrate good formal writing skills by analysing participants’ personal writing style. Through a series of exercises participants will develop techniques to ensure they deliver clear and formal written communications. 
Solicitors need to master a variety of writing styles from instructing counsel to basic informational emails as well as advice on complex subjects. The techniques outlined in this workshop will examine these different writing styles. Some of the key topics will include:

• Clear English that presents information that is easy to understand but remains formal rather than casual 
• Concise language that uses the minimum amount of words 
• Identifying how jargon and technical language negatively influences written clarity 
• Typical legal speak and plain English alternatives 
• Understanding how your audience will be impacted by your writing style 
• The essential principles of good legal writing 
• How to write critically about anything 
• Your firm’s house style and manual (or lack thereof) 
• On-the-spot writing exercises

Before the Masterclass
Participants will be expected to submit one example of what they believe to be good writing and one example of bad writing. Each example should be accompanied by a short explanation of the reason for their belief.

Trainer
Edward Donelan, PhD, MA, Barrister-at-Law (Kings Inns, Middle Temple), Dip. Eur. Law, Dip. Arb.
Edward Donelan is Adjunct Professor of Regulatory Governance, University College Dublin. He has worked with governments worldwide as a specialist in legislative drafting and developing regulatory governance and regulatory management. This work has included policy making, legislative drafting, public consultation, Regulatory Impact Assessment and managing stocks of legislation. He has been a speaker and trainer of legislative drafting at seminars and workshops in over 30 countries. His latest book is Policy - Making, Law Drafting and Managing the Stock of Legislation in the 21st Century (published by Palgrave Macmillan May 2022).

IMPORTANT

• This is a live in-person event and will not be available online or as a recording.
  
• For information  on CPD requirements see https://www.lawsociety.ie/Solicitors/Practising/CPD-Scheme
• For full workshop details download the Brochure
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• If you have technical or other queries, contact a member of the team on: lawsocietyskillnet@lawsociety.ie