Hey Plain Jane

What a great first #PlainTalk session with Robert de Rooy, Liezl van Zyl, and Elizabeth de Stadler 🎈yesterday. ICYMI, Rob shared his journey to creating the world's first comic contract, but, more importantly, his favourite Dolly Parton song. And then she features in the Guardian this morning 👇🏼 You can watch the full interview with Rob here: https://lnkd.in/dYfZa_jB #PlainLanguage #DollyParton #ComicContracts

People say there are no shortcuts, but we don't agree. Sure, what you put in is what you get out, but time after time, in our 6-week plain language course, we have watched people skip ahead to the good stuff: • Ditch the #legalese (it’s going to make your clients, colleagues and other human beings like you more).  • Learn how to communicate clearly and kindly (it’s going to make you a better lawyer).  • Remember how #legalwriting can also be #funlaw (the revolution starts here). The course has already begun (sorry!), but the good news is that we also do these courses in-house. If your team needs a plain language makeover, let Liezl van Zyl know ([email protected]). Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash

In 2 days’ time, the first episode of the Plain Talk Show is going live with the brilliant and compassionate Robert de Rooy as our inaugural guest. Here’s what Rob has said about contracts in the past: “I started to wonder if I could create a contract using only pictures, and then one morning I thought of comics. If a comic could tell a story in pictures, and a contract is a dialogue about a future relationship, maybe a contract can be expressed as a comic?” If you want a preview, here is a video that makes Elizabeth de Stadler 🎈cry every time she sees it: https://lnkd.in/d3nBJqvj If you want to join us, register here: https://lnkd.in/deEZbSpu

Our Plain Language Writing for Lawyers course with Rehabilitated Lawyer is just around the corner. There are still a couple of seats left! This is what we noticed: ✏️ Yes, this course helps you sound more friendly to your clients, but it also impacts how people approach the client-lawyer relationship. ✏️ Participants apply the principles to all their writing, not just legal documents. ✏️ It inspires all kinds of creativity. ✏️ They don't just learn; they also have fun! Wondering what the course is about? 👇 You can register here: https://lnkd.in/euKCy3_a #plainlanguage #legaldesign

On 31 October we are talking to Robert de Rooy and you are invited! 255 people are already joining us. Robert will be telling us about his inspiring comic employment contract and about dignity in contracting. He is our very first guest on The Plain Talk Show. Come along: https://lnkd.in/deEZbSpu #comiccontracts #plainlanguage #contractdesign Novcon

We are getting ready to host Robert de Rooy on the first ever episode of The Plain Talk Show. Here is what we're doing to prepare: ☕ We are having special talk show mugs made. Just like Oprah has. 🤸 We're working out, to make sure we can keep up with Rob. 😭 We're stocking up on tissues. Rob always makes Elizabeth de Stadler 🎈cry. You can sign up here: https://lnkd.in/deEZbSpu

What happens when we don’t use plain language? Yesterday was international #PlainLanguageDay, which means lots of posts celebrating the benefits of plain language, and we are here for that. Yes, plain language is always friendlier and easier to understand but it is not just a nice to have. If people, companies and governments don’t use plain language, either out of ignorance or to deliberately gatekeep information, people can feel excluded, disempowered and angry. If you want your clients or team to feel the opposite of that, give us a call, we can help make your communication clear, your contracts friendly and your customers feel included. #PlainLanguage #TheRightToUnderstand #Clarity

James Gerber is a recent graduate of our #plainlanguage #writingcourse for lawyers. We gave James a standard (yawn-inducing) employment contract and showed him how he could take it from zzzz to 🎆 using plain language principles with a bit of #funlaw thrown in. This 👇 is what James turned it into. Do you also want to learn how to make your legal writing kind, clear and nice to look at? Be like James. Sign up for our next course here https://lnkd.in/euKCy3_a

Tomorrow, when we send out our next #newsletter, all the clever people who have already signed up are going to get: 💰 An article by Liezl van Zyl explaining how banks can up their #plainlanguage game ☄️ An infographic of Dr Annie Burger-Boshoff’s tips for using white space like a boss 👋 An introduction to new team members Kristeen Swanepoel and Ambre Nicolson 🚀 How to sign up for the launch of The Plain Talk Show with Elizabeth de Stadler 🎈 and Liezl van Zyl You have 24 hours to sign up for the next edition. Aaaand go! https://lnkd.in/d7Rbam7B

If you haven't signed up for the first episode of The Plain Talk Show, there's still time! Here is the link: https://lnkd.in/dQxDtGeK Hope we see you there! #PlainLanguage #ContractDesign #ComicContract #FunLaw #LegalDesign #Live