Lawyers take the words they put on the page seriously. But I fear that they often neglect the very last step in the writing task: making sure that those words are formatted effectively on the page. Just as our language must be precise and well thought-out, our documents must also be formatted in a thoughtful way. For one thing, good formatting enhances readability; poor formatting impairs it. It’s hard enough to get the substance of our legal writing to be clear. We don’t need poor formatting undermining us. A well-formatted page also creates a good first impression in your reader’s mind—a crucial step in building credibility and interest.
Citation
Joe Fore, Improving Document Design with Better Spacing, 69 Virginia Lawyer 62 (April, 2021).