In a study that was carried out in four states, almost 1,500 judges and lawyers were invited to choose between the A or B version of six different legal paragraphs. One choice was written in plain language and the other one in traditional style. And the readers inferred that the attorneys who wrote in legalese came from less prestigious firms than those who wrote in plain English. If some clients expect legalese, it's because they have been conditioned to think that legal documents have to be that way. Increasingly, clients are learning that it's not true.
Plain language is impossible because lawyers have to use terms of art.
The rest can be written in plain language, or a lot plainer than lawyers are used to writing. And even technical terms can often be translated into plain language at the cost of some extra words. Again and again, public delegates spoke of widespread public failure to understand the courts, the strange language that is spoken there, and the law's mysterious processes. Finally, the American Bar Foundation carried out a large survey of practicing lawyers. They asked these lawyers what skills are the most important from a list of about 17 different skills.