Laura L. Medinas

Senior legal editor for a federal appellate court. Writer. Lawyer. Plain English, clear prose enthusiast. #legaleditor. #editor. #writer. #plainEnglish. #law.

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

"Enter" or "enter into" a contract? We enter into contracts.

#legal writing
#editing

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@sociablepiranha @UPS They’ve failed to deliver 2 packages to me in just the last few weeks. Though they claim they did. And have fun with the glitchy website and with getting through to a human. When you do speak to a human, it’ll be someone chained to a desk in India.

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@UPS UPS brings no joy—or packages. For the SECOND time in just a few weeks, UPS has claimed to have delivered a package, but there’s no package to be found.

[David Burge @iowahawkblog]

I love how people think the White House is staffed by a bunch of hyper competent professional crisis managers striding around the West Wing spouting Aaron Sorkin dialog, and not Dunder-Mifflin for idiot poli-sci majors

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@VaDOT Thank you, VDOT, for all you do. Your road crews are heroes.

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@HumphreyBogart All all-time fave. Mr. Bogart’s performance as the tragically flawed Dixon Steele always scuffs my heart. So does the gorgeous screenwriting—“I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me.” Best wishes @HumphreyBogart ❤️

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@HumphreyBogart Love this film. Agnes Moorhead was also brilliant.

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@VaDOTNOVA 👍👍👍👍👍

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@VaDOT @Vdot 👍❤️

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@VDOT promotes safety with humorous and charming posts. In this morning’s wee hours I witnessed another thing VDOT does—VDOT sends highly competent and selfless service professionals to do DANGEROUS work in helping stranded motorists. I’m truly #grateful.

[VDOT @VaDOT]

Whether you are hitting the road or riding the trails this weekend, be safe!
👁️ Eyes ahead
📵 #PhoneDown
🚲 Share the road: #MoveOver and give bikers, pedestrians & other vulnerable road users extra room
🌻 Be nice

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@FrankTracy Have seen it. Gloria Graham was great in everything she did.

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@FrankTracy This is the best thing I’ve learned on this platform. Saluting you, sir.

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@FrankTracy 😁

[H.W. Fowler Style @HenryWFowler]

The expression “we as a society” is invariably three words too long.

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@HenryWFowler @chronicle 😁👍

[H.W. Fowler Style @HenryWFowler]

I think this has to be considered a failed metaphor, @chronicle. https://t.co/PelRjVu2mC

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

Whether (or Not) Report

“Whether” usually doesn’t need “or not”:

Let’s see whether we can get a table by the window.

But “whether” needs “or not” if we mean “regardless of whether”:

We’re going to eat here whether or not we get a table by the window.

#editing #writing

[Laura L. Medinas @EditLawWriteLaw]

@HenryWFowler @WSJ ✅

[H.W. Fowler Style @HenryWFowler]

If there is a more superfluous word than “utilize” in the English language, @nytopinion, I don’t know what it is. Please utilize “use.” https://t.co/IDRKmrkv2N