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Nosy, Daring and Unguarded: The Case for a More Conversational Practice of Law

By Rachel M. Lary and Amber N. Thompson
April 30, 2025

When first practicing law, most lawyers think they need to sound like a lawyer. Not just any lawyer, but the kind of lawyer who uses words like "heretofore" and "whereas" in casual conversation. New lawyers are determined to project authority, to be taken seriously and to wield their words like a sword. But somewhere between their first set of discovery requests and their hundredth client meeting, good lawyers often reach the same conclusion: no one actually likes talking to a lawyer who sounds like a lawyer.

Clients don’t come to lawyers for a vocabulary test. Opposing counsel doesn’t care how many multi-syllabic words you can cram into an email. And judges? They appreciate clarity far more than theatrics. Yet so many lawyers cling to the belief that the only way to sound competent is to sound formulaic.

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