Style Guide / Remove Legalese

The table below shows examples of legalese in the left column and the recommended standard English replacement in the right column.

Legalese	Translation
a large number of	many
a number of	some, several, many [or something more precise]
accord (verb)	give
accord respect to	respect
acquire	get
additional	more
additionally	also
adjacent to	next to, near
advert to	mention
afforded	given
aforementioned	that, these, previously mentioned [or best omitted]
ambit	reach, scope
amidst	amid
amongst	among
and/or	“and” or “or” or possibly “A or B or both”
any and all	all
approximately	about
as to	about, of, by, for, in
ascertain	deternine, find out
assist	help
at present	now
at the place	where
at the present time	now
at this point in time	now, currently
at this time	now, currently
attempt (verb)	try
because of the fact that	because
cease	stop
cease and desist	stop
circumstances in which	when, where
cognizant of	aware of, knows
commence	start
conceal	hide
concerning the matter of	about
consensus of opinion	consensus
consequence	result
contiguous to	next to
demonstrate	show
desire	want
despite the fact that	despite, although
does not operate to	does not
donate	give
due to	because
due to the fact that	because
during the course of	during
during the time that	while
e.g.	for example
echelon	level
elucidate	explain, clarify
endeavor (verb)	try
evince	show
excessive number of	too many
exclusively	only
exit (verb)	leave
facilitate	help
firstly, secondly, …	first, second, …
for the duration of	during or while
for the purpose of doing	to do
for the reason that	because
forthwith	immediately, promptly
frequently	often
fundamental	basic
has a negative impact	hurts, harms
hereby	[omit; no need for replacement word]
herein	below [or omit and then cross-reference]
hereinabove	above [or omit and then cross-reference]
hereinafter	below [or omit and then cross-reference]
hereinbefore	above [or omit and then cross-reference]
hereto	[omit; no need for replacement word]
heretofore	[avoid]
hereunder	under this agreement
I would argue that / it is arguable that / it could be argued that	[don’t say what you’ll argue; just argue it]
i.e.	in other words
in a case in which	when, where
in accordance with	by, under
in an X manner	Xly [for example, “hastily” instead of “in a hasty manner”]
in any manner whatsoever	[delete]
in close proximity	near
in lieu of	instead of
in light of the fact that	because, given that
in order to	to
in point of fact	in fact [or omit altogether]
in reference to	about
in regard to	about
in the course of	during
in the event that	if
IN WITNESS WHEREOF	Signed
indicate	show, say, mean
individual (noun)	person
inquire	ask
instant case	here, this case
inter alia	among other things
is able to	can
is binding on	binds
is desirous of	wants
is dispositive of	disposes of
is unable to	cannot
it has been determined that	[omit]
it is apparent that	clearly or omit
it is clear that	clearly or omit
it should be noted that	[omit]
KNOW YE BY ALL MEN PRESENT	[REMOVE!]
literally	[delete]
locate	find
manner	way
methodology	method
modify	change
mutatis mutandis	with the necessary changes
negatively affect	hurt, harm, decrease
notify	tell
notwithstanding	despite
null and void	void
numerous	many
objective (noun)	goal
observe	see, watch
obtain	get
on a number of occasions	often, sometimes
on the part of	by
owing to the fact that	because, since
pari passu	equally
per annum	per year, a year, annually
period of time	time, period
permit	let, allow
personnel	people
point in time	time, point
portion	part
possess	have
prima facie	on the face of it, it appears
prior to	before
procure	get
provide	give
provided that	if, but only if
provision [of the agreement]	term
provision of law	law
purchase	buy
pursuant to	under or in accordance with [depending on context]
rate of speed	speed
referred to as	called
remainder	rest
render assistance	help
request (verb)	ask
require	need
retain	keep
said (adjective)	the, this [for example, “said contract” can often be changed to “the contract”]
same	it, them
sell, transfer, and assign	sell
set forth	set out, stated in, in
subsequent	later
subsequent to	after
subsequently	after, later
substantiate	prove
such	that, this, those, the [potentially omit]
sufficient	enough
sufficient number of	enough
termination	end [depending on context]
the case at bar	this case
the fact that	that
the instant case	this case
the manner in which	how
thereafter	later in it, in them, inside
therein	of, from, because
thereof	of that
thereto	about, to that or it
this case is distinguishable	[all cases are distinguishable; what you probably mean is that this case is different]
to the effect that	that
until such time as	until
upon	on
utilize	use
very	[consider omitting]
was aware	knew
whereas	[omit for recitals and any other use]
wherein	in the
whilst	while
with respect to	in connection with

Sources

Adobe, Adobe Legal Department Legal Style Guide

Prof. Eugene Volokh, UCLA Law School, Eschew, Evade, and/or Eradicate Legalese

Joseph Kimble