Effective January 2020
As of May 2019, WLG member firms are able to edit their firm’s web profile (as displayed on the "Profile” tab of your firm’s page) and publish PDFs or text of four main types of content to www.theworldlawgroup.com. These are:
1. "Legal Updates” which are usually reports on/analyses of major legal developments, such as new laws or regulations affecting businesses operating in the firm’s "WLG jurisdiction” (see definition below);
2. "Member Firm News” which can be brief news reports on significant transactions, cases and other matters in which the firm played a major role, and other important news/announcements relating to, for example, new or expanded offices (except where these are located in another WLG member’s jurisdiction), new partner announcements, etc.
3. "WLG Collaborations” (formerly "Success Stories”) which are collaborations with other WLG member firms including working together on client matters and collaborating on marketing and business development opportunities (meet-ups, client and firm presentations, articles, webinars, etc.)
4. Awards & Accolades (Chambers, Legal500, IFLR, and other rankings)
The Content Publishing Guidelines apply to all types of content, including your firm’s Profile on www.theworldlawgroup.com.
These Guidelines are intended to protect and promote:
a) The value of the WLG’s primary communications channel for all users by discouraging posting of irrelevant or primarily promotional content, and
b) WLG member firms’ exclusive presence in their WLG jurisdictions, where relevant.
All content posted by WLG member firms should:
1. Be of significant interest/practical relevance to lawyers in WLG member firms and their clients internationally.
2. Primarily deal with legal developments or firm news in the submitting firm’s "WLG jurisdiction” only. (E.g., a U.S. member firm should not post legal updates, firm news, etc. that primarily deal with subject matter in the U.K., Europe, etc. and vice versa.) Articles comparing laws or legal developments between two or more jurisdictions are acceptable and encouraged if they are co-authored by the relevant member firms.
3. Not be overtly or primarily promotional in nature.
4. Be written in clear, correct English. Ideally, content will be written to accommodate many website users whose first language is not English.
5. Include firm branding and contact information for the author(s). The WLG receives many articles/updates without this information. Omitting contact information prevents readers from following up for more information, leading to the loss of potential business development opportunities for the author/firm.
6. Include disclaimers, as appropriate. All legal updates and similar articles should include an appropriate disclaimer, e.g., "This article is intended to be a general summary of the law and does not constitute legal advice. You should consult with counsel to determine applicable legal requirements in a specific situation.”
If you or anyone else in your firm has any questions about these Content Posting Guidelines, please contact WLG Manager, Communications & Network Development, Hanna Shea.
Five Quick Tips - Writing for an International Audience
1.Remember that frequent users of and occasional visitors to www.theworldlawgroup.com arefrom all over the world and many have a first language other than English. In addition, lawyersin different specialties may not be familiar with terms familiar to those in your own. So brieflyexplain words or terms that international and "lay” readers may not be familiar with.
2.For the same reasons, write in full, on first use, names of organizations and other terms allreaders may not be familiar with. Follow the first full mention with the abbreviation or acronym,in brackets, e.g., International Fiscal Association (IFA).
3.Use short, "everyday” words when they convey the meaning intended rather than long, lessfamiliar equivalents. E.g.: "start” or "begin” rather than "commence”; "improve” rather than"ameliorate”; "use” rather than "utilize”.
4.To improve brevity, clarity and readability, use the more familiar "active” verb forms rather thanpassive forms. E.g., "The committee took no action” Rather than "No action was taken by thecommittee.”
5.For all of the reasons above, keep sentences and paragraphs shorter than you usually employ inlegal or scholarly documents. Rules of thumb employed by many online editors are that mostsentences should contain 15 words or fewer; most paragraphs three to five sentences maximum.