6. Conclusion

An Eye to the Future 

Legal professionals should continue to follow advancements in technology, particularly in the realms of AI and machine learning which are poised to significantly transform legal research, document drafting, and case analysis. The use of Plain Language to make legal documents more understandable, should expand, driven by both legal mandates49 and a growing recognition of its importance in promoting justice and equality. The future of legal practice will demand flexibility, technological proficiency, and a commitment to clarity and accessibility in communication, ensuring that the legal profession can meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.  

Conclusion  

Throughout this toolkit, significant emphasis has been placed on the importance of clarity, conciseness, and accessibility in legal writing. The primary responsibility of legal aid professionals is to advocate, inform, and assist their clients and the community effectively. By focusing on the fundamentals of legal writing stressing the importance of Plain Language, and leveraging modern technological advancements, this guide strives to empower legal aid practitioners to communicate in writing in a way that adheres to professional standards and is understandable to diverse audiences. 

Suggested Resources 

1. Association of Legal Writing Directors. ALWD Guide to Legal Citation. Aspen Law & Business, 2021. 

2. Bouchoux, Deborah E. Aspen Handbook of Legal Writing: A Practical Reference, 5th ed. Wolters Kluwer, 2021.  

3. Garner, Bryan A. Garner's Redbook: A Manual on Legal Style. 4th ed. Thomson Reuters, 2018. 

4. Harvard Law Review Association, Columbia Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and Yale Law Journal. The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, Claitors Publishing, 2020. 

5. Putnam, William. Pocket Guide to Legal Writing. 1st ed., Cengage Learning, 2005. 

6. Strunk, William Jr., and E.B. White. The Elements of Style. 4th ed. 2023.