When it comes to how to proofread legal documents, there are specific things you need to know. Legal documents are not like other kinds of documents you may review. As much as the details matter in any client document, they especially matter in the legal world. A typo in a novel is mildly distracting to the astute reader. The same typo in a legal document can wreak havoc.
Proofreading legal documents, then, requires a specific knowledge set; a clear understanding of the document being reviewed; paying extremely close attention to details, facts and figures, and capitalization; and utilizing the right resources.
Do you need a background in law?
When learning how to proofread legal documents or bidding for legal proofreading jobs, it is not entirely necessary to have a background in law. At the same time, many clients will prefer to hire a freelancer with a legal background.
Having a law degree will definitely open doors for you in this subfield of proofreading. If you do have a legal background, this could be a great place to focus when looking for proofreading clients.
If you don’t have a legal background, you may have to sell your services to legal clients on the basis of other positive traits at first. Once you have a history of satisfied legal proofreading clients, it will be easier to win jobs.
Be aware of the purpose and audience
The first step in learning how to proofread legal documents is to understand the purpose and audience. There are a variety of types of legal documents (e.g., contract, summons, will) and people to whom a legal document can be written (e.g., judges, lawyers, renters).
It’s important to understand both the intended purpose of the document and the audience being addressed. This is necessary to ensure the language used is appropriate for the overall context.
Pay close attention to detail
In legal documentation, the details are critical. The most famous example of this is a 2014 case from Maine that hinged on the lack of an Oxford comma. The case dealt with overtime pay for delivery-truck drivers. The result was the company was forced to dole out $5 million in back pay.
With potentially such large consequences on the line, you may need to go the proverbial extra mile when proofreading legal documents. Take your time, read through the content multiple times, and verify any questions you have. Use the resources listed below when necessary.
When done, you should be 100 percent confident the document is perfect.
Check the accuracy of facts and figures
Accuracy is also essential when it comes to how to proofread legal documents. It is imperative that all numbers, dates, and proper names are correct and consistent. This may mean adding up figures in charts and tables or looking up how to spell a person’s name.
Follow capitalization guidelines
Capitalization is another key aspect of law documents.
You may have noticed in any contract you have read or signed that certain words are capitalized that normally would not be—for example, words like Contract, Party, and Services. The reason for this is contracts and other legal documents use words with specific meanings. A word that is capitalized is being used in the way that is defined in the document.
Oftentimes, there is a section of the document where key definitions are listed. Definitions may also be embedded throughout the text. Regardless, a capitalized word refers specifically to the term as defined in the document, as opposed to having a more common or generic meaning. Thus it is important to ensure any word that is specifically defined in the legal document is capitalized.
Legal proofreading resources
Legal proofreading is extremely technical and requires precision. Therefore, it should not be a surprise that there are legal-specific resources you may need to consult.
Below are listed several of the most important resources to be aware of and utilize to ensure error-free legal documents. These resources should be viewed as complementary to the standard books and references you need as a proofreader.
The Bluebook
Originally written in 1926, this is the go-to style guide when it comes to legal writing. It provides guidance regarding capitalization, use of italics, and citations, among many other topics. You can purchase a hard copy or an annual online subscription. If you just need to verify a quick citation, the website has a free guide for this purpose.
ALWD Guide to Legal Citation
As the title implies, this book provides guidance specifically on citations. It is very thorough in this regard, laying out and explaining over 40 citation rules. It also notes the differences between various types of legal writing. This is a very in-depth book for those who expect to do a significant amount of legal proofreading.
Garner’s The Redbook: A Manual on Legal Style, 5th Edition
For general legal writing and proofreading considerations, The Redbook is a great resource. The author, Bryan Garner, is a preeminent legal editor and with this book has sought to produce a comprehensive legal-writing equivalent to Chicago or AP. The one caveat is The Redbook does not cover citations.
Black’s Law Dictionary, 11th Edition
Also produced by Garner, this legal dictionary defines 55,000 law-related words and phrases and discusses both their historical and present-day nuances. It is comprehensive in nature, coming in at several thousand pages. It is meant for lawyers and others who spend a significant amount of time working with legal documents.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law
This dictionary is less comprehensive than Black’s, but it still defines more than 10,000 legal words and phrases using plain terminology. It also includes example phrases and quotations to help you ensure legal terms are being used correctly in context. It is also the most modestly priced resource on this list at around $10. This would be a good choice if you only occasionally have legal proofreading clients and don’t want to make the investment in Black’s.
Alternatively, uscourts.gov has a glossary of legal terms that you can access online free of charge. This is a good resource if you just need to quickly verify a legal term.
Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition, sec. 14.269–14.304
Assuming you have a copy of CMOS, there is a section in the book on legal and public documents that is worth familiarizing yourself with, although when you do you’ll notice that it’s primarily a summation of or introduction to The Bluebook rules.
Summing it up: How to proofread legal documents
Proofreading legal documents requires a very specific skill set. Having a law degree or background in law can be a big asset if you want to pursue legal proofreading, but there are plenty of resources to help you succeed regardless.
Furthermore, details matter in legal documents perhaps more than in any other content. Therefore, it is imperative to spend the time and effort to verify things like spelling, facts and figures, and capitalization, giving them even more careful attention than normal.