May 10, 2006 A Note to Non-U.S. Lawyers
For three reasons, Adams’s approach to contract drafting is particularly relevant to lawyers outside the U.S.
First, just as the differences between British and American English are trivial, contracts drafted in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and Canada share the same basic contract concepts, use essentially the same language, and exhibit comparable layout. And the recommendations in this manual are aimed at allowing the drafter to express a given concept using language the meaning of which can be deduced without having to refer to case law. What this means for readers outside the U.S. is that Adams’s expertise is pertinent to their needs.
Second, lawyers who are not native English speakers routinely need to draft and negotiate contracts in English. Given that the prose of contracts is almost invariably deficient, it would seem hopeless to expect lawyers who are not native English speakers to learn how to draft proficiently by referring to whatever English-language contracts come to hand. Instead, the best way for them to learn would be to establish a solid foundation by coming to grips with the basic building blocks of contract language and layout. Adams is the only commentator whose writings focus on those building blocks.
Third, Adams has lived for much of his life outside the U.S. and is attuned to the needs of lawyers who are not native English speakers yet need to draft and negotiate contracts in English. Consequently, Adams expects to spend time speaking and teaching outside the U.S.
