International award 2018

Shawn Burton (The Case for Plain-Language Contracts)

Shawn argued passionately and eloquently for something we all know is long overdue: business contracts written in plain language. His article in the Harvard Business Review is an exemplary call for an end to corporate jargon.

“A contract should not take countless hours to negotiate. Business leaders should not have to call an attorney to interpret an agreement that they are expected to administer. We should live in a world where contracts are written in accessible language—where potential business partners can sit down over a short lunch without their lawyers and read, truly understand, and feel comfortable signing a contract. A world where disputes caused by ambiguity disappear.”