Write Better Legal Documents With Microsoft Word

A large part of any attorney's job consists of trying to persuade someone (a client, opposing counsel, an arbitrator, a judge) that the legal arguments one is making are not only factually and legally correct, but logical as well. A poorly written memorandum, motion, or brief can push one farther from that goal, just as surely as a well-written one can bring one closer to it. Grammatical errors and stylistic inconsistencies can distract readers instead of leading them along the logical path one want them to follow. The word-processing program can help one write well. One can use Microsoft Word to check the document for grammatical errors and to point out instances where the document does not conform to the style guidelines one has selected.