Legal documents are very often the key artifacts that people interact with in the context of legal services. Each reader needs to be able to read, understand, and act or react to all the documentation. To ensure that this is possible to the widest possible range of people, legal document accessibility is key.
Accessibility is a fairly wide and complex topic. So in this quick, actionable guide, it is distilled into nine dos and don’ts to create more accessible legal documents.
This applies whether you are placing Terms and Conditions on the Web or prepping a document to send via email. Using the guidelines below, you can make small adjustments to immediately enhance the accessibility of your texts.
Why accessibility matters
There are many reasons why accessibility matters in general. To highlight a few specifically in legal context:
- Most people already struggle with reading legal texts, regardless of any limitations.
- People have limited attention spans. Furthermore, not many are eager to spend a lot of time reading legal documents in general. This is ever more stringent for example for a new parent, a busy law firm partner, or business decision maker.
- Accessibility is also a sound business decision. By intentionally including as many people as possible, you can widen your user base.
- Clear, understandable contracts could lead to fewer queries and disputes.
- Last, but not least, it is a decent thing to do. As you will see below, getting the basics right is not that much work. So the karmic cost-benefit ratio is fairly high.
Dos and dont’s of creating accessible legal documents
Check the contrast
Did you know that in 2024, out of 1 000 000 tested home pages, 81% had issues with insufficient contrast? (source)
High contrast means that there is a sufficient difference between the colors you use for background and text.
Long story short: that light gray footnote color is just not going to cut it. Same with corporate colors: if your brand blue is too light, do not use it in documents, even if it is on brand. If you are not sure, you can use a contrast checker to guide you.
Additionally: black text on white paper (a trusted combination for lawyers), can also induce fatigue over time. A very dark gray (#101415) on an off white background (#fafafa) could be more comfortable for extended reading of long legal texts.
Use appropriate language
Think about your users. If you intend your document for the broader public or just general users, plain language can enhance the readability of your text. To get started, check out my plain language checklists
If writing for experts and only for use among experts, reasonable use of established terms may be a good option.
It is all about knowing who you are intending to reach, and then optimizing for that.
Structure the text
Walls of text are scary. So put an effort into structuring the text into reasonable, navigable, consistent, and predictable chunks.
Make sure there are proper headings and consider using bullet points to help the audience process the information.
If you are using a text editor (such as MS Word or Google Docs), do not just use formatting, but make sure to use the styles. And please, use the bullet points and numbering features, instead of writing the numbers by hand. MS Word also has a useful accessibility checker (go to the Review -> Check Accessibility).If your text is on a webpage, make sure to use proper HTML syntax to achieve the formatting.
Align mindfully
This is a very controversial point with the lawyers. Lawyers are obsessed with justifying text. In fact, Typography for Lawyers notes that “Compared to left-aligned text, justification gives text a cleaner, more formal look.“
But justification can actually negatively impact the readability of the text. Left aligned text has regular spaces between specific words. The spacing of justified text without hyphenation is irregular, making it difficult to follow. Therefore always make sure to check that your alignment is appropriate.
Use color mindfully and not on its own
First of all, when choosing color, make sure that the contrast is right.
Secondly, you could use color to underscore some of your messaging. For example, red, orange, and green are often used to indicate priorities. That is great, but if you use color to carry meaning, make sure that it is not the only way.
Your client may be color-blind (and no, they will likely never tell you). Or they may print your report in black and white, in which case they will get just a big gray block.
Handle images and diagrams properly
Pictures and diagrams can be a fantastic way to convey information and enhance understanding of complex legal topics. However, they can be difficult to navigate.
Therefore, make sure to include an alt text. This helps understanding the picture by those who cannot see it – due to disabilities or slow internet. The alt text should be accurate and succinct. It should not just repeat information that can be found somewhere else in the text.
If necessary for context, it can be a good idea to add a longer description in regular text as well.
Watch out for pdfs
It might be tempting to simply post the pdf you prepared right onto your website. But pdfs are not as responsive as regular websites. That means that when you look at them from your phone, they shrink, not adjust to your screen size. This can be frustrating and a nightmare to navigate, especially if there are also complex visual elements. Whenever possible, opt for native content with proper HTML syntax.
For Google Docs users, beware that it is not capable of producing accessible pdfs – all the structure information gets lost in the export process. To combat this, you could export the doc in word and then save in pdf, or use another program.
Finally, if you need to send a pdf via email, make sure to include a description in the body of your message. Perhaps someone does not have a sufficient data package to download it right away.
Choose your typeface wisely
Generally, try to select a typeface that is clear and distinguishable. Established typefaces (such as Times New Roman or Arial) are usually a safe bet. The jury is still out on whether serifs or sans serifs are better – so it is your pick as a brand.
Also bear in mind the sizing of your text and appropriate spacing. Rules of thumb: make the letters not too squished, nor spaced out and do not go below 11px.
For fellow type nerds, here is a great guide as to what makes a typeface accessible.
Make your links descriptive and underlined
When using links, avoid just saying here or putting in the full website: https://attorneyatcode.com.
Instead, write descriptive links that tell your user where they will be heading to if they choose to click on the links. Any link should also be visually distinguished from the rest of the text – for example by intentionally underlining it.
This is even more important if you are using buttons as a declaration of consent from the user. They must know that a click will lead to legal consequences.
More inspiration
Accessibility is a much broader topic. The above dos and don’ts are a good start, but there is a lot that you can dive into. There is a ton of very interesting content on accessibility on the internet.
You can also check the underlying standards:
- The core are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
- For European Union citizens, make sure to check out the Accessibility Act. Its accessibility standards will become binding on products available in the EU as of 28 June 2025.
Final Provisions
The accessibility of legal documents is a complex topic, but with a few adjustments, you can make a big difference.
Of course, as with any other legal design project, it is very important to consider the entire process and system. If the process is impossible to navigate, one pretty and accessible legal doc will not save the day.
But it is a nice way how to start having an impact even on a small scale.
And remember, it is a process that is not once and done. I am working hard to make sure all content on Attorney-at-Code is accessible, but I recognize it is a journey for me, too.
Let me know how it went!
Baru
A big thank you to Radek Pavlíček, an accessibility expert who has kindly reviewed this article. For Czech readers interested in accessibility, don’t forget to check out Radek’s blog.
