BriefCatch

What is BriefCatch?

BriefCatch is an advanced legal writing and editing add-in designed specifically for lawyers, judges, and legal professionals. It works directly within Microsoft Word, analyzing briefs, contracts, and legal opinions to improve the clarity, conciseness, and persuasiveness of writing based on real standards of professional legal writing.

How it works

Unlike generic grammar checkers, BriefCatch was shaped under the guidance of legal writing expert Ross Guberman. The add-in reads the document in Word and generates real-time scores for categories such as readability, flow, and impact. It points out jargons, word repetitions, overly long sentences, excessive passive voice usage, and unnecessary legalese, suggesting instant improvements.

Key Features

• Dynamic Scoring: Continuous evaluation of text quality with dynamic scores as you write.
• Contextual Suggestions: Tailored corrections for clarity, legal grammar, and the removal of overly formal terms.
• Passive Voice Detection: Automatic identification of passive sentences and proposal of active restructuring.
• Citation Enhancement: Assistance in formatting references to case law and legal doctrine correctly.
• Multi-Document Support: Optimized for both short briefs and complex appeals and lengthy contracts.

Available Integrations

BriefCatch works seamlessly integrated into office productivity tools:

• Microsoft Word (Windows and macOS)
• Microsoft 365 (cloud-based version)

Who is it for?

• Litigation Lawyers looking to increase the persuasion and impact of their drafts before courts.
• Judges and Clerks interested in producing clearer and more concise judicial decisions.
• Legal Departments and Law Firms seeking to standardize the textual quality of their communications.

Pricing

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Perfect and direct integration into the Microsoft Word environment.
• Exclusive focus on jargon and structure of legal documents.
• Style recommendations that go beyond traditional grammar.

Cons:

• Relatively high annual licensing cost for individual professionals.
• Interface and suggestions focused predominantly on the English language and US case law.

Alternatives to BriefCatch

The main alternatives focused on legal writing or AI-powered review include WordRake, Clearbrief, Grammarly Premium (for general writing), and ChatGPT (with specific legal prompts).