How professional writers should behave

In a recent post on The (New) Legal Writer, Raymond Ward discussed his research into the word sandbagging. After receiving criticism for using the word in a brief--his critics said the word was too colloquial--he did what serious professional writers should do, but what far too many lawyers wouldn't: He looked it up.

He consulted the Oxford English Dictionary, Black's Law Dictionary, and even U.S Supreme Court opinions. What he found was that sandbagging has a special meanning in law; it is recognized by judges and used in many court documents--including judicial opinions.

I say if more lawyers behaved this way as to all their written work, the profession as a whole would have a much better reputation for writing.

Read his post here.