Practical guides on writing, proofreading and translating legal English — drawn from nearly 30 years of working with law firms, academics and businesses across Poland and the EU. Written by Nick Faulkner.
There is a moment that comes for most European lawyers who work in English. The document is finished, the argument holds together — then a small doubt arrives. Does this read the way an English lawyer would write it?
Read the guide →There is a word that appears in millions of contracts every day. It looks authoritative and sounds serious. That word is shall. The problem is that shall does not do any of those things reliably.
Read the guide →Polish lawyers are producing more English-language legal work than ever. This guide focuses on the specific problems that come up most often — not grammar basics, but the subtler issues that spellcheckers miss.
Read the guide →Writing for an English-language journal is not the same as writing in your first language and translating the result. The reader expects a particular shape of argument, a particular relationship between evidence and claim.
Read the guide →When the document matters — when a single misread word can change a contract, a court filing or a research paper — AI is not yet the safe pair of hands many people think it is.
Read the guide →AI writing tools have changed the way academics draft, edit and communicate. For non-native writers producing academic work in English, these tools are tempting: they promise faster drafts, cleaner grammar and a more natural result.
Read the guide →More guides in preparation
Further articles on legal and academic English are in preparation. Check back soon or get in touch if there is a topic you would like covered.
Nick Faulkner has been proofreading legal documents and translating from Polish to English in Warsaw since 1997. He works with international and local law firms, academic institutions and businesses across Poland and the EU. Read more about Nick →
