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TOOLS OF THE TRADE
By Andy Maslen
Welcome to the start of your legal career.
We begin your tour in the armoury:
every word you’ll use for work is here.
Down there, in polished cases lined with satin,
is our collection of antiques.
Yes, that is where we keep… the Latin.
[clears throat]
You’ve got your accidentalia negotii,
your ratio decidendi.
Ab initio, bona fide,
ius praeferendi.
Obiter dictum, there’s another,
not forgetting ad valorem.
And as for threats that shout, ‘Back off!’,
hit them with in terrorem.
What’s that? It’s old hat, a stodgy trudge?
I couldn’t agree more, though it’s much
loved by a certain type of judge.
Yet, even as we reject that ancient lingo,
we must beware its interloper offspring:
the legalese that leads to buzzword bingo.
Plain language is your greatest friend.
Shorn of ornament, honed to an edge,
each word is fit for purpose and will not bend
to the meaning your opponent would ascribe.
Remember: strong cases need simple language –
sometimes a financial inducement is just a bribe.
Wield your words wisely, keep sharp every blade;
for they are your weapons, the tools of your trade.
Discover more poems
More poems coming soon…
TRUST THE LAW
By Andy Maslen
LAW HAS
GONE MISSING
By Deanna Rodger
A TURNAROUND
AGAIN TAKES FLIGHT
By Rishi Dastidar
WEIGHING UP YOUR OPTIONS
By Leyla Josephine
THE JACK
OF ALL LAWS
By Rishi Dastidar
SEE HOW MANY DIFFERENT WORDS THERE ARE FOR...
By Deanna Rodger
LAWYERS
By Leyla Josephine
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING AROUND*
By Brian Bilston
THE NIGHT
BEFORE
By Leyla Josephine
THE INVISIBLE HAND’S
HIDDEN HELPER
By Rishi Dastidar
THE TOP OF
COMPLETION HILL
By Leyla Josephine
DISCOVER MORE POEMS
More poems coming soon…
THE TOP OF COMPLETION HILL
By Leyla Josephine
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING AROUND*
By Brian Bilston
More poems coming soon…
SEE HOW MANY DIFFERENT WORDS THERE ARE FOR...
By Deanna Rodger
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING AROUND*
By Brian Bilston
THE NIGHT
BEFORE
By Leya Josephine
THE INVISIBLE HAND’S
HIDDEN HELPER
By Rishi Dastidar
LAWYERS
By Leyla Josephine
WEIGHING UP YOUR OPTIONS
By Leyla Josephine
LAW HAS
GONE MISSING
By Deanna Rodger
More poems coming soon…
THE JACK
OF ALL LAWS
By Rishi Dastidar
TRUST THE LAW
By Andy Maslen
A TURNAROUND
AGAIN TAKES FLIGHT
By Rishi Dastidar
To provide a fresh perspective, law firm Addleshaw Goddard turned to poets, because lawyers and poets use the same tools… words. These two professions use words to convey meaning; inspire change; and help us understand and navigate our world.
DISCOVER MORE
To provide a fresh perspective, law firm Addleshaw Goddard turned to poets, because lawyers and poets use the same tools… words. These two professions use words to convey meaning; inspire change; and help us understand and navigate our world.
DISCOVER MORE
MORE IMAGINATION & IMPACT
By Brian Bilston
LOST IN TRANSLATION
By Matt Abbott
POSSIBILITIES
By Deanna Rodger
POSSIBILITIES
By Deanna Rodger
LOST IN TRANSLATION
By Matt Abbott
MORE IMAGINATION & IMPACT
By Brian Bilston