From Biglaw to Boutique: Grammar Police
As lawyers, words are our stock and trade. What is an argument but a collection of ideas, expressed in words, intended to persuade?
Grammer Pole of the Weak: For ‘Who’ the Bell Tolls?
Welcome to the latest edition of Above the Law’s Grammer Pole of the Weak, a column where we turn questions of legal writing and English grammar and usage over to our readers for discussion and debate. Last week, we learned that 59% of our readers would never use “their” in the place of “his or […]
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Grammer Pole of the Weak: When Did ‘Their’ Start Replacing ‘His or Her’?
Welcome to the latest edition of Above the Law’s Grammer Pole of the Weak, a column where we turn questions of legal writing and English grammar and usage over to our readers for discussion and debate. Last week, we found out that our readers, 81% of them, in fact, couldn’t care less about being polite […]
Grammer Pole of the Weak: The Meaning of ‘Diversity’
In Grammer Pole of the Weak, we typically tackle issues of English grammar and usage, as well as questions of style (in terms of legal writing, not fashion). Last week, we delved into the fun topic of em-dash spacing, and learned that our readers are essentially deadlocked on whether to use a space before and […]
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Em Dash Spacing
In this week's Grammer Pole, we'll be turning to a question of spacing. We've already dealt with sentence spacing -- specifically, whether one space or two should be used between sentences -- but today, we're going to take a look at the em dash. Should you be using a space before and after an em dash?
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Pleaded v. Pled
Welcome to the latest edition of Above the Law’s Grammer Pole of the Weak, a column where we turn questions of legal writing and English grammar and usage over to our readers for discussion and debate. On Friday, thanks to popular demand from our readers, we turned to a contested issue among lawyers. What is the preferred past tense form for the verb plead -- pleaded or pled?
Chrometa: Turning Time Into Billable Value For Modern Lawyers
Adoption of Chrometa represents more than a technological upgrade; it reflects a professional philosophy that values accuracy, transparency, and efficiency.
Grammer Pole of the Weak: And I Was Like, ‘OMG!’
In Grammer Pole of the Weak — yes, “Grammer” is still intentionally misspelled, as are “Pole” and “Weak” — we consider questions of legal writing and English grammar and usage. Last week, for example, we looked at a legal issue, and found out that 81% of our readers voted to support the use of “act […]
Grammer Pole of the Weak: What Caused Your Claim, God or Nature?
Welcome to the latest edition of Above the Law’s Grammer Pole of the Weak, a column where we turn questions of legal writing and English grammar and usage over to our readers for discussion and debate. Last week, we discovered that roughly six percent of our readers use — and will continue using — the […]
Grammer Pole of the Weak: That’s Irregardless…
Welcome to the latest edition of Above the Law’s Grammer Pole of the Weak, a column where we turn questions of legal writing and English grammar and usage over to our readers for discussion and debate. This week, we turn to a question of grammar. Have you been using the word "irregardless" instead of "regardless"?
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Backburner for the Bluebook?
Welcome to the latest edition of Above the Law’s Grammer Pole of the Weak, a column where we turn questions of legal writing and English grammar and usage over to our readers for discussion and debate. Last week, we found out that only 29% of our readers lie back and think of England when dealing […]
The Trump Gold Card: A New $1 Million Pathway To A U.S. Green Card
A new proposal would let wealthy foreign nationals secure an opportunity for a U.S. green card with a $1 million 'gift' to the government, sparking legal and ethical debate.
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Punctuation and Quotation Marks
In last week's Grammer Pole, we called upon you to choose between nationalities instead of Supreme Court justices. When it comes to the placement of punctuation marks in relation to quotation marks, do you favor the British approach or the American approach? Let's review the differences....
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Getting Possessive with SCOTUS
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 found out that 52% of our readers thought it was acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition, but […]
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 […]
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?
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 […]