WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR LEGAL WRITING

Though mastering legal writing or contract writing takes much time & practice, with the help of some steps, you can polish yourself easily.

• 1.Take note of every detail &create an outline. This will maintain a flow throughout your draft and help you to figure out the missed points.
• 2.Legal writing drafts are used to inform, warn, or instruct anyone. Engage the reader in the information you present.
• 3. A categorized content portrays your proficiency in writing hence your draft should be well-categorized & systematically framed.
• 4. Stay to The Point and Eliminating the irrelevant, unnecessary words imparts a more clear meaning & adds a professional impression to your writing.
• 5.Try framing your sentences using Active Voice.
• 6. Keep a practice of proofreading your content as many times as you can.

WRITING STYLE OF A LEGAL E-MAIL

Your e-mail will act as your representative. A perfect e-mail ensures clear communication, your legal e-mail should be clear of the objective of writing it and a few pointers to be kept in mind while drafting Emails.

• 1. Subject – Crisp, clear, and a single line gist of the content of the email.
• 2. CC & BCC - Always add the necessary recipients at the end just after you proofread the whole email.
• 3. Attachments – Always carefully attach the correct document with an appropriate name to the document.
• 4. Speed-Readers – Today everyone is on the wheels so put your most important info in the first sentence. Headers and Bullet points come at a rescue for speed reading.
• 5. Keep it short but be professional – Try to keep short informative sentences, leaving the white space wherever possible. Starting with warm greetings, trying to maintain a personal touch by mentioning the Recipient's name in between.
• 6. Keep a practice of proofreading your content as many times as you can.

TIPS TO CREATE A PURCHASE ORDER

A Purchase is an official commercial document shared between the Buyer and the supplier which includes the purchased items, their quantity, and price. Few pointers which need to be carefully attended while drafting a PO are as below.

• 1. PO Number – Every purchase order is tracked or referred to using the PO number.
• 2. Issuing Date – Date is mandatory, as it helps you to keep track of when you placed the order.
• 3. Date of Receiving Material – Mentioning the receiving date, helps while tracking or computing the material information.
• 4. Buyer & Supplier’s Information – The contact information of Buyer & Supplier helps for a smooth communication whenever needed.
• 5.Shipping Address – Clicking on the “Ship To” button, you can enter the address. Enter a detailed address for easy delivery.
• 6. Payment Terms – Specify the mode and date of payment in the order
• 7. Item description – Specifying every item individually with a number, color, and size will add up for better understanding. Also, enter the cost of every item carefully to avoid any misunderstanding.
• 8. Terms & Conditions – To avoid misunderstanding or disputes, incorporate a section mentioning terms & conditions.

For a better understanding we have curated a quick downloadable reference of the Purchase order. Please click on the link to download. click here

TIPS TO DRAFT AN APPOINTMENT LETTER

An appointment letter is a formal welcoming document designed for the newly joined employee, vendors, consultants for a specific project. The letter consists of various key points related to his/her employment. The mandatory contents of an appointment letter are shared below.

• 1. Salutation – Write the name of the employee with a proper salutation. This shows your humble approach towards him/her.
• 2. A Welcome Paragraph – Start with a welcome paragraph & use a warm tone while writing. Always feel delighted in making that employee a part of your company.
• 3. Fundamental Information - Crucial information like salary, working hours, offered leaves, job title, benefits, etc. should be mentioned clearly in this part.
• 4. Date of Joining/Starting the Work – Don’t forget to ask the employee about a convenient joining date to start the work.
• 5. Mentioning Copyrights & Ownership Clause – According to the “At-will employment clause, the employer has full right to terminate the employment regardless of the reason.
• 6. Date & Signature – Ask the employee for the signature with a date from a security point of view.
• 7. Closing – Close the letter on a positive note, mentioning that the company is looking forward to having you on-board.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Terms & conditions are the set of rules summed up as a legal agreement between the service providers & users who use their services. The most common clauses are mentioned below and can be used for different scenarios.

WHY TERMS & CONDITIONS ARE IMPORTANT?

• 1. Prevents the Abuse of Services
• 2. The Liability
• 3. Helps to Establish Ownership

WHAT YOU SHOULD INCLUDE IN TERMS & CONDITIONS

• 1. Returns – A properly mentioned return policy always helps in reducing later conflicts regarding the same.
• 2. Pricing & Payment Schedule – It is necessary to establish the shipping terms, order cancellation, and accepted mode of payments. A decided payment schedule with properly mentioned stages of works and the percentage of payment helps in reducing monetary conflicts.
• 3. Cancellation/Termination – Clauses about any reasons for Termination is advisable.
• 4. Insurance & Liabilities – The insurance and liabilities clause covers insurance against accidental injury of any worker or loss of materials.
• 5. Penalties – Under any situations if the agreed conditions are not met then the liability of paying penalties should be discussed in advance.
• 6. Warranty Clause – Under circumstances when Equipment and Machinery are purchased, it is wiser to include this clause.
• 7. Supervision – This clause may be needed when Installation and Supervision come under the discussed Liability.
• 8. Safety – If there are any risks involved in the given work, it is better to clear
• 9. Completion – A certain date or time should be provided for the completion of the project. This clause binds them to finish the work within the decided time.
• 10. Changes in Work – An amicable solution, if there are any changes in the discussed scope of work, is necessary.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Scope of Work (SOW) is where the work to be performed is described. The SOW should contain any milestones, reports, deliverables, and end products that are expected to be provided by the performing party. The SOW should also contain a timeline for all deliverables.

• 1. Project Overview – a clear outline of the key objectives, purpose, motive, and the goals to be achieved are mentioned.
• 2. Deliverables – Each project works on some specific expectations & targets which need to be fulfilled from time to time.
• 3. Project Schedule – the whole work is dependent on the schedule and to achieve the delivery milestones, the required tasks need to get completed on time.
• 4. Roles & Responsibilities – Continuing the chain, tasks need efficiently working employees.
• 5. Project Management – An efficient system for completing a project is mentioned.
• 6. Reporting Requirements – A clear mentioned approval process for the smooth functioning of your project.
• 7. Break Down the Scope – For clarity, categorize your SOW into parts like compiling the sub-contractors involved in the project. Then estimate the timing part required for every task to visualize a clear situation.
• 8. Objectives & Deliverables – The project manager should include the objectives & deliverables mentioned in the contract to avoid unnecessary delays.
• 9. Include Drawings – Maintain easy access to drawings and visuals of the project as the drawings & designs will help to show a clear picture of the completed milestones & the remaining work.
• 10. Signatures – Every stakeholder in the project should agree on the discussed scope of work.
• Learn how to manage expectations and address red flags before they become an issue. Just know you can always work through any issue. Whatever you draft, stand firm and reiterate the importance of being clear in your objectives and intentions.