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Law vocabulary · Legal Writing & Drafting

Draft

Meaning in law, with examples

/drɑːft/verbCore term

In law, draft means: To write a legal document such as a contract, letter or court submission, usually as a first version that others will review and change.

In Turkish: kaleme almak, taslağını hazırlamak, yazmak

How it is used

A daily task for junior lawyers: 'draft a contract', 'draft a letter before action', 'draft submissions'. As a noun, 'a draft' is an unfinished version: 'first draft', 'final draft'. 'Drafting' is also the name of the skill itself.

Example sentences

  1. Can you draft a reply to their letter and send it to me by four?

  2. The agreement was poorly drafted, which is why both sides read clause 9 differently.

Common collocations

  • draft a contract
  • first draft
  • poorly drafted
  • draft submissions
  • drafting skills
  • clauseA numbered section of a contract or other legal document that deals with one particular point, such as payment, termination or confidentiality.
  • draw upTo prepare a formal written document, such as a contract, a will or a list, usually carefully and in its complete form.
  • memorandumA written document, often called a memo, in which a lawyer analyses a legal question and gives conclusions, usually for a colleague, a partner or a client.
  • provisionA part of a law or a legal document that states a particular rule, condition or requirement.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Legal Writing & Drafting

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.