Legal Drafting
Need help with Legal Drafting in the United States?
ContractsCounsel connects businesses and individuals with experienced legal drafting lawyers nationwide, providing fixed-fee quotes from vetted attorneys with the first proposal typically arriving in just a few hours.
Jump to Section
What Is Legal Drafting?
Legal drafting is a structured method of writing legal documents, whether court pleadings or employment contracts, that abides by the law and includes legal language that's appropriate for the document and the situation in which it will be used. Those in the field may refer to legal drafting in the following contexts:
- Writing legal text in a binding contract. The words you write will describe the rights and responsibilities of the involved parties.
- Preparing any legal document, such as a legal letter or court motion.
- Getting involved in a legal transaction, which can include legal documents but also negotiation, representation of clients, and more.
Why Is Legal Drafting Important?
Image via Unsplash by Mikhail Pavstyuk
Legal drafting is important because the process helps to make sure that legal documents are formatted correctly, that all parties who are involved in the document are happy with the details of it, that jargon is explained, and that everything you'll be presenting to the court or another presiding body is laid out as it should be. A legal document should explain its purpose, be amenable to all parties, and be drafted in such a way that it's legally binding and acceptable in the eyes of a court.
An error in a legal draft, however small, can severely affect the meaning of that document and have long-term consequences, especially if it's a legal document that is signed and executed and that all parties must abide by moving forward. A well-constructed document can make a big difference by helping an attorney win cases in court or preventing lengthy mediations in the workplace over an employment contract dispute.
How to Draft Legal Documents
When performing any legal drafting, an attorney should:
- Write with the recipient in mind. The language and amount of legalese in the document could differ depending on if the document is ultimately intended for a judge or for a layperson with no knowledge of the law who is signing a contract. The individual writing the legal document should be able to present a finished product that doesn't cause any confusion and allows the recipient to understand what they are reading.
- Use straightforward language. Even in the case of a legal document that contains negative issues by nature, a legal draft can still veer away from using offensive or negative language that can come across poorly to the end user. Instead, use straightforward language that educates, informs, and addresses the issue at hand directly without exerting too much bias or trying to appear confrontational to the document recipient.
- Avoid templates if possible. While some templates can be useful, it's essential to draft a document from scratch when able so that you aren't setting yourself up for potential plagiarism or for having items in the document that are incorrect or unverifiable. When you avoid templates altogether or only use them as a guide for your own document, you are enabling yourself to actually look up laws and other specific language that must be used in your document to make it as authentic and true as possible.
- Conduct legal research. Even if you think you're well aware of a particular law or very familiar with the outcome of a similar case that you're referencing in your document, conduct the research anyway. You don't want to have any erroneous information in your document, and you don't want to rely on your memory to get it right. Legal research will also help make sure that your document includes important and relevant background information that can set the stage for the rest of it.
- Structure the document appropriately. Depending on what the document is and who will ultimately need to see or use it can dictate how it's structured. All legal documents should be structured in a way that makes sense, but certain rules apply for different recipients. For example, a federal court may require that a pleading be written using specific language and in a particular structure, while a contract lawyer may have the ability to structure their contracts in a way that only needs to make sense to the named parties in the contract.
- Ask for and be open to receiving feedback. Especially if legal drafting is new to you, it can be a game-changer to receive feedback from the courts, your clients, a peer, or a mentor who has more experience with writing legal documents. Some of these individuals you can ask for feedback from before submitting your document while the court, for example, may provide feedback that you didn't even know you needed. If they have feedback for you on a document that has been submitted, take it in and remember it for next time. It's all a learning opportunity.
Legal Drafting Resources
Even highly experienced attorneys who have been drafting legal documents for a countless number of years could benefit from taking advantage of resources to help them draft up legal documents. Here are just some of the resources out there:
- Legal dictionaries: You'll feel a lot more comfortable legal drafting when you're able to understand legal language a little more. This is where a legal dictionary can help. In it, you can learn more about the language that's used in the field by attorneys, judges, legal scholars, and anyone who may be a part of court proceedings. Without the basic knowledge of how those in the legal field speak, you probably won't be able to form as effective of a legal draft as you otherwise may have.
- Form books: Form books house legal forms and example documents that you may find beneficial as you're structuring your own legal papers. Some form books are more generic, while others focus on a specific topic.
- Writing manuals: With legal writing, everyone has to start somewhere. Scholars and other experts in the field have created writing manuals that you can use as a guide for your own documents. These writing manuals go over things like legal style and plenty of how to's, including how to analyze your sources and perform research before writing, how to structure your documents, how to write effective briefs, and steps on editing your work. Those who are new to the legal field can use these as an important resource, while more experienced writers may use them to refine their work.
- Federal and state rules of procedure: Law, by nature, can be fairly structured, so it may not be a surprise to learn that there are certain ways to format your legal documents and record legal citations in your writing when you're writing to the court. There are rules of procedure on the federal, state, and even local levels, and familiarizing yourself with them can help your legal drafting process go a lot smoother.
- Citation style manuals: There are style manuals that focus solely on this. The world of legal citations and the different ways to write them makes citation style manuals a much-needed part of drafting court documents. There are different citation preferences based on the court that will be receiving the document. Citation manuals can guide you appropriately, so you are following specific rules for this part of your document.
Doing legal drafting correctly is a tricky process that often takes many years of experience to perfect. Consider hiring a contract lawyer through Contracts Counsel where all lawyers are vetted and handpicked to ensure you get everything done right.
ContractsCounsel is not a law firm, and this post should not be considered and does not contain legal advice. To ensure the information and advice in this post are correct, sufficient, and appropriate for your situation, please consult a licensed attorney. Also, using or accessing ContractsCounsel's site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and ContractsCounsel.
How To Get Quotes For Legal Drafting
Meet some of our Legal Drafting Lawyers
Alen A.
Alen Aydinian is a seasoned real estate attorney with a wealth of experience in handling transactional matters, real estate transactions, and lease agreements. As a licensed real estate broker, Alen Aydinian brings a unique perspective to the table, allowing clients to benefit from both legal expertise and practical industry knowledge. He is a trusted advisor in the realm of real estate transactions and lease agreements. Whether representing buyers, sellers, landlords, or tenants, Alen Aydinian is committed to providing strategic counsel and dedicated advocacy every step of the way. Clients rely on him for sound legal guidance, proactive problem-solving, and unwavering support throughout the transaction process.
"I contracted Alen for a commercial lease review. I couldn't be happier with the results, as he exceeded my expectations. He completed the project 2 days ahead of the estimated timeframe, gave me high quality feedback, and suggested alternate language. We had a call at the end and he answered all of my questions in detail. Incredible value. I'm so happy I chose Alen, and I definitely recommend him to anyone else needing legal assistance."
Garrett M.
I am a solo practitioner with a practice mostly consisting of serving as counsel to start-ups and small business owners and investors. With a practical business background, I aim to bring practical, business minded solutions to my client's legal problems and pride myself on efficient yet effective work.
"Garrett was extremely professional, attentive, and adhered to the very tight deadlines we had set. I would like to highlight that, in addition to completing the task assigned to him, he took the initiative to research all parties involved in the contract to provide us with the best possible support. We are very satisfied and look forward to working with him again."
Billy Joe M.
I graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2006 with a degree in Political Science, Finance, and Economics. I stayed around Champaign for law school and graduated in 2009. I then worked at a big law firm in downtown Chicago. It was boring, so I quit in early 2011. I thought that I could not be happy practicing law - I was wrong. After I quit the traditional law firm life, I began representing my own clients. I realize now that I love helping normal people, small business owners, and non-profits address a variety of legal issues. I hope to hear from you.
"Billy Joe was great to work with on a demand letter related to a HOA dispute. He was understanding of my situation, thorough in communication, and worked with me through a complex situation. I'm not a lawyer and he was very personable, as well as responsive. Highly recommended!"
Phocus L.
G'day, my name is Michele! I work with startups, entrepreneurs and small/medium-sized businesses across the country in a wide array of industries. I help them with all of their ongoing, daily legal needs. This includes entity formation, M&A, contract drafting and review, employment, asset sale & acquisition, and business sales or shareholder exits. I'm half-Australian, half-Italian, and I've lived the last 20+ years of my life in America. I've lived all over the USA, completing high school in the deep south, graduating cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis, and then cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center. After law school I worked for the Los Angeles office of Latham & Watkins, LLP. After four intense and rewarding years there, I left to become General Counsel and VP of an incredible, industry-changing start-up called Urban Mining Company (UMC) that manufactures rare earth permanent magnets. I now work for Phocus Law where I help run our practice focused on entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs. I love what I do, and I'd love to be of help! My focus is on providing stress-free, enjoyable, and high-quality legal service to all of my clients. Being a good lawyer isn't enough: the client experience should also be great. But work isn't everything, and I love my free time. I've been an avid traveler since my parents put me on a plane to Italy at 9-months old. I'm also a music nut, and am still looking for that perfect client that will engage me to explain why Dark Side Of The Moon is the greatest album of all time. Having grown up in a remote, and gorgeous corner of Australia, I feel a strong connection to nature, and love being in the elements.
Samuel R.
My career interests are to practice Transactional Corporate Law, including Business Start Up, as well as Real Estate Law, Estate Planning Law, and Intellectual Property Law. I am currently licensed in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Utah, after having moved to Phoenix from Philadelphia in September 2019. I currently serve as General Counsel for a bioengineering company. I handle everything from their Business Transactional Agreements, Private Placement Memorandums, and Corporate Structures to Intellectual Property Assignments, to Employment Law and Beach of Contract settlements. Responsibilities include writing and executing agreements, drafting court pleadings, court appearances, mergers and acquisitions, transactional documents, managing expert specialized legal counsel, legal research and anticipating unique legal issues that could impact the Company. Conducted an acquisition of an entire line of intellectual property from a competitor. In regards to other clients, I am primarily focused on transactional law for clients in a variety of industries including, but not limited to, real estate investment, property management, and e-commerce. Work is primarily centered around entity formation and corporate structure, corporate governance agreements, PPMs, opportunity zone tax incentives, and all kinds of business to business agreements. I have also recently gained experience with Estate Planning law, drafting numerous Estate Planning documents for people such as Wills, Powers of Attorney, Healthcare Directives, and Trusts. I was selected to the Super Lawyers Southwest Rising Stars list for 2024 - 2026. Each year no more than 2.5% of the attorneys in Arizona and New Mexico are selected to the Rising Stars. I am looking to further gain legal experience in these fields of law as well as expand my legal experience assisting business start ups, and also trademark registration and licensing.
"Thanks Samuel for your thorough review of my materials. I'm incredibly impressed by your prompt turnaround in drafting my letter. The letter captured the facts perfectly and struck exactly the right tone."
David W.
The Law Office of David Watson, LLC provides comprehensive and individualized estate-planning services for all stages and phases of life. I listen to your goals and priorities and offer a range of estate-planning services, including trusts, wills, living wills, durable powers of attorney, and other plans to meet your goals. And for convenience and transparency, many estate-planning services are provided at a flat rate.
"David quickly put in a bid and began work. He was very responsive to any questions I had."
Alex M.
Mr. Mehdipour attended the University of California San Diego where he received his degree in political science. After graduating from UCSD, Mr. Mehdipour attended Southwestern University School of Law where he received his JD. Upon passing the bar, Mr. Mehdipour gained invaluable experience both in a law firm and business setting. Mr. Mehdipour uses his prior business and legal experiences to negotiate the most advantageous results for his clients.
August 28, 2021
Nicholas A.
I help small business owners build and protect their dreams. I always thought that I would just be a litigator. Then I joined an intellectual property clinic in law school. We were helping nonprofits and small businesses reach their goals. I fell in love with the work and decided to open my own firm so I could keep helping them. When I decided to start Victrix Legal, I decided that it would be a modern law firm designed to serve professionals. It would be different from every other law firm. In my experience, my law firms are designed to promote inefficiency and reactionary lawyering. Because in most firms, you make more money when you spend more time on a project. And you lose money if your client doesn't get sued. In my opinion, that's a built-in conflict of interest. My firm is different. I use flat fees for most basic projects to keep costs predictable for you and incentivize efficiency. I offer long-term advisory plans and legal audits to prevent issues from happening. I want my clients to see me as their business partner, not just the guy they call when they are in trouble. If any of that interests you, please reach out to me. I offer free consultations. Let's set aside some time and talk about what your legal needs are.
August 28, 2021
Gerald W.
My clients know me as more than just an attorney. First and foremost, my background is much broader than that. Prior to attending the Valparaiso University School of Law, I earned a Master of Business Administration and ran a small business as a certified public accountant. Thanks to this experience, I possess unique insight which in turn allows me to better assist my clients with a wide range of business and tax matters today. In total, I have over 20 years of experience in financial management, tax law, and business consulting, and I’m proud to say that I’m utilizing the knowledge I’ve gained to assist the community of Round Rock in a variety of ways. In my current practice, I provide counsel to small to medium-sized businesses, nonprofit organizations, and everyday individuals. Though my primary areas of practice are estate planning, elder law, business consulting, and tax planning, I pride myself on assisting my clients in a comprehensive manner. Whenever I take on a new client, I make an effort to get to know them on a personal level. This, of course, begins with listening. It is important that I fully understand their vision so I can help them successfully translate it into a concrete plan of action that meets their goals and expectations. I appreciate the individual attributes of each client and know firsthand that thoughtful, creative, and customized planning can maximize both financial security and personal happiness. During my time as a certified public accountant, I cultivated an invaluable skill set. After all, while my legal education has given me a deep understanding of tax law, I would not be the tax attorney I am today without my background in accounting. Due to my far-reaching experience, I am competent in unraveling even the most complex tax mysteries and disputes. My CPA training benefits my estate planning practice, too. In the process of drafting comprehensive wills and trusts, I carefully account for every asset and plan for any tax burdens that may arise, often facilitating a much smoother inheritance for the heirs of my clients. Prior to becoming certified as a CPA, I made sure to establish a solid foundation in business both in and out of the classroom, and the acumen I’ve attained has served me well. Not only am I better able to run my own practice than I otherwise would be; I am able to help other small business owners fulfill their dreams, as well.
Anna K.
Anna is an experienced attorney, with over twenty years of experience. With no geographical boundaries confining her practice, Anna works on corporate, healthcare and real estate transactions. Anna brings extensive big firm experience, garnered as an associate in the Miami office of the world's largest law firm, Baker and McKenzie, and the Miami office of the international law firm Kilpatrick Townsend. Her areas of expertise include: mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, private placements, healthcare transactions, corporate finance, commercial real estate transaction and acting as a general corporate counsel. Anna is certified to practice law in Florida and was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1998. Anna is also a Certified Public Accountant. She passed May 1995 CPA Exam on the first sitting. She is fluent in Russian (native).
Clara D.
October 8, 2021
Clara D.
Clara Duffield is a seasoned financial services, technology, privacy, business, intellectual property, and real estate lawyer, with in-house and large firm experience. She currently represents a range of clients, from start-ups to large, heavily-regulated companies, in a wide variety of transactional matters. After graduating from The University of Chicago Law School, Clara spent eight years in private practice representing clients in complex commercial real estate, merger and acquisition, branding, and other transactional matters. Clara then worked as in-house counsel to a large financial services company, handling intellectual property, vendor contracts, technology, privacy, cybersecurity, licensing, marketing, and otherwise supporting general operations. She opened her own practice in September of 2017. Duffield Law provides strategic and flexible representation to businesses of all sizes. Its clients include entrepreneurs and early-stage startups to Fortune 100 companies. From outside general counsel or volume work to discreet assignments, our small firm model allows us the flexibility to provide only the legal services a client needs, without sacrificing the quality all clients deserve. With a depth of in-house and large law firm experience, we work with clients to thoughtfully assess risk, identify and engage subject matter experts, and manage legal spend.
Find the best lawyer for your project
Browse Lawyers Now
Quick, user friendly and one of the better ways I've come across to get ahold of lawyers willing to take new clients.
View Trustpilot ReviewNeed help with a legal contract?
We are here to help. Get started. No upfront payment.
GET FREE PROPOSALSLegal Drafting lawyers by city
- Atlanta Legal Drafting Lawyers
- Austin Legal Drafting Lawyers
- Boston Legal Drafting Lawyers
- Chicago Legal Drafting Lawyers
- Dallas Legal Drafting Lawyers
- Denver Legal Drafting Lawyers
- Fort Lauderdale Legal Drafting Lawyers
- Houston Legal Drafting Lawyers
- Las Vegas Legal Drafting Lawyers
- Los Angeles Legal Drafting Lawyers
Contracts Counsel was incredibly helpful and easy to use. I submitted a project for a lawyer's help within a day I had received over 6 proposals from qualified lawyers. I submitted a bid that works best for my business and we went forward with the project.
View Trustpilot Review
I never knew how difficult it was to obtain representation or a lawyer, and ContractsCounsel was EXACTLY the type of service I was hoping for when I was in a pinch. Working with their service was efficient, effective and made me feel in control. Thank you so much and should I ever need attorney services down the road, I'll certainly be a repeat customer.
View Trustpilot Review
I got 5 bids within 24h of posting my project. I choose the person who provided the most detailed and relevant intro letter, highlighting their experience relevant to my project. I am very satisfied with the outcome and quality of the two agreements that were produced, they actually far exceed my expectations.
View Trustpilot Review