English Grammar and Usage
-
English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Ending Sentences With Prepositions
In last week’s Grammer Pole, you voted to overwhelmingly approve the use of split infinitives. Fifty-three percent of Above the Law readers said that splitting infinitives is acceptable, even if it should be done sparingly. An additional forty percent said, “Yes. It’s great to liberally split infinitives!” This suggests to me that ATL readers are […] -
Blind Item, English Grammar and Usage, Federal Judges, Harvard Law Review, Reader Polls, Richard Posner
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Split Infinitives
In an event Lat did a few years ago at the University of Chicago with Judge Richard Posner, Judge Posner tossed out a delicious little blind item. He mentioned a federal judge in Chicago who would fire law clerks for what she viewed as a very grave offense: splitting infinitives in written work product. But is splitting infinitives really such a crime? - Sponsored
How AI Is The Catalyst For Reshaping Every Aspect Of Legal Work
Findings from the "Future of Professionals Report," based on a survey of 1,200 professionals from North and South America and the UK. -
English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Post-Colon Capitalization
The most recent installment of Grammer Pole of the Weak showcased the sophistication of Above the Law readers. The poll results show that most ATL readers appreciate the distinction between “that” and “which” (which they like to show off in their legal writing). Today we tackle an issue that is less clear-cut, which will probably […]
-
English Grammar and Usage, John Roberts, Reader Polls, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Grammer Pole of the Weak: The Case of That v. Which
In last week's edition of Grammer Pole of the Weak, we turned to an issue of grammar with some stylistic flair that was brought to our attention by another member of SCOTUS, Chief Justice John Roberts. Roberts isn't a fan of the word "which" when used in legal writing. He much prefers use of the word "that".... -
Antonin Scalia, English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Substantive Footnotes
In Grammer Pole of the Weak — yes, “Grammer” is intentionally misspelled, as are “Pole” and “Weak” — we consider questions of English grammar and usage. Last week, for example, we looked at a fun an interesting topic: the adjectival use of “fun” (which over 85 percent of you support, even if traditionalists frown upon […] -
Continuing Legal Education / CLE, English Grammar and Usage, Lawyer Advertising, Pro Bono, Romance and Dating, Small Law Firms
Size Matters: Announcements and RFPs
With the departure of Jay Shepherd, small firm columnist Valerie Katz is now (at least temporarily) filling the role of small firm chica (Val) and small firm expert (Jay). Let me tell you, it is exhausting. So, she am going to do what any smart, small-firm partner would do in this situation, and she am going to delegate. And, by delegate, she means push the work off on you. She have a few new features that she would like to unveil (and she swears, it will be better than the new Facebook)... -
English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Got Any Fun Weekend Plans?
Everybody’s working for the weekend. But for now, while you’re still stuck at work, you should take a look at our latest Grammer Pole of the Weak, a column where we turn questions of English grammar and usage over to our readers for discussion and debate. Last week, we found out that even federal judges […] -
English Grammar and Usage, Small Law Firms
Size Matters: Project X
As you can likely tell, Valerie Katz is fascinated by terminology. She understands the importance of using language to market and promote your firm. She had never thought, however, about the use of terminology within a firm until recently. The word that inspired this revelation was "project." Project is used in many ways and with multiple connotations.... - Sponsored
Document Automation For Law Firms: The Definitive Guide
Legal document automation is no longer only for the exclusive few. -
English Grammar and Usage, Family Law, Non-Sequiturs, Tax Law, Technology, Unemployment
Non-Sequiturs: 09.07.11
* I thought the rule for how to cite a blog in your brief was “don’t,” but I have less use for a Bluebook than a homeless orphan (I hear kindling is hard to come by on the streets). [Adjunct Law Prof Blog] * More analysis on the mean mommy lawsuit reminds me of how […] -
Antonin Scalia, English Grammar and Usage, Gender, Reader Polls
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Gender-Neutral Language and You
Happy Friday, and welcome to the latest edition of Above the Law’s Grammer Pole of the Weak, a column where we turn questions of English grammar and usage over to our readers for discussion and debate. Last week, we discovered that 82% of our readers are willing to strangle, maim, and kill over the use […] -
English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Are You Serial with That Comma?
Welcome to Above the Law's latest Friday series: Grammer Pole of the Weak. Readers, the title of this weekly poll is supposed to be ironic. Are you serial with all of these emails correcting our spelling? Speaking of being serial, let's turn to the topic of this week's discussion: the serial comma.... -
English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls
Grammer Pole of the Weak: It's All Right?
Here at Above the Law, we've been discussing English grammar and usage forever -- well, at least since 2006. We've now decided to formalize the discussion. Every Friday we will raise an issue of grammar, spelling, or style, in our newest ATL feature: Grammer Pole of the Weak. Today's topic: "all right" versus "alright." Let's discuss.... -
English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls, Small Law Firms
Small Firms, Big Lawyers: A Period Piece
My overlords here at ATL thought it would be fun to run a poll about whether there should be one space or two after a period. As if these things are decided by popularity, rather than by rules. This is strange, really, because just about all of you reading this are lawyers or studying to […]
Sponsored
Sponsored
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use.
Sponsored
How AI Is The Catalyst For Reshaping Every Aspect Of Legal Work
Findings from the "Future of Professionals Report," based on a survey of 1,200 professionals from North and South America and the UK.
Sponsored
Are Small Firms Going Big On Legal Tech?
Please help us benchmark your firm against your peers through this (always) brief and anonymous survey and enter for a chance to win a $250…
Sponsored
Sponsored
Document Automation For Law Firms: The Definitive Guide
Legal document automation is no longer only for the exclusive few.
Sponsored
Profit Powerhouse: Elevating Law Firm Financial Performance
In this CLE-eligible webinar on April 10th, we’ll explore the most common accounting pitfalls and how to avoid them for your firm.
-
English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls
A Random Friday Poll: One Space or Two Between Sentences?
Members of this profession really, really like rules, especially rules about proper English grammar and usage. Be it confusion over a homophone, misuse of a hyphen, or incorrect placement of a semicolon, every grammar Nazi has a special place reserved in his heart for the idiot who screws these things up. And that is why the topic of last week's reader poll was about how many spaces one should use between sentences.... -
Drugs, English Grammar and Usage, New Jersey, Non-Sequiturs, Prisons
Non-Sequiturs: 07.28.11
* I’m standing in the middle of a desert, waiting for my ship to come in. But now no joker, no J.D. degree, can take your losing hand, and make it win; you should be leaving Las Vegas. [WSJ Law Blog] * If Miami Law could somehow figure out a way to actually do this, […] -
Associate Advice, English Grammar and Usage, Small Law Firms
Small Firms, Big Lawyers: 20 Ways to Write Like a Tool
Being a lawyer is like being a member of an elite club, but sounding like a lawyer is sometimes the same as sounding like a "tool." Small firm columnist Jay Shepherd has come up with 20 lawyerisms that do nothing to advance the message lawyers are trying to send, and do, in fact, make lawyers sound like complete tools in their writing. -
Adam Liptak, English Grammar and Usage, New York Times, Quote of the Day, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Quote of the Day: But What's the Alternative?
I think that it’s probably wrong, in almost all situations, to use a dictionary in the courtroom. Dictionary definitions are written with a lot of things in mind, but rigorously circumscribing the exact meanings and connotations of terms is not usually one of them. — Jesse Sheidlower, editor at large of the Oxford English Dictionary, […] -
English Grammar and Usage, Small Law Firms
Small Firms, Big Lawyers: The 'Lost' Art of Hyphens
Did you watch Lost? I was a big fan of the show, which ran on ABC from 2004 to 2010. The series required quite a commitment from its viewers, since it had a large ensemble cast and was a true serial — you really couldn’t miss any episodes. After the third season, the producers made […] -
Antonin Scalia, Books, English Grammar and Usage, Jeffrey Rosen, John Yoo, Media and Journalism, New York Times, Real Estate, Torture, Wall Street
In Today's New York Times
If you happen to be on the frigid East Coast today, currently experiencing the coldest temperatures of the season, grab yourself a cup of cocoa and a copy of the Sunday New York Times. The NYT often has articles of interest to a legal audience, but this weekend’s edition has an especially high number of […] -
English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls
A Random Friday Poll: ‘Lawyer’ or ‘Attorney’?
Happy Friday! Time for one of our quirky queries about style, usage, and grammar. On Fridays past, we have solicited your views on preferred email sign-offs, whether to refer to a marked-up document as a “blackline” or a “redline,” whether to use “pleaded” or “pled” in legal writing, how to spell a certain naughty word, […]