The Cleardocs founder and CEO, Christopher Balmford, is an internationally recognised expert in making legal and related documents clear, accurate and easy to use. Christopher provides plain language training, advises on communication cultural-change programs and rewrites documents.

His clients include 8 major national law firms, 10 public listed companies, 5 government bodies, the ASX, the United Nations and the European Central Bank.

top of page

Plain language and Cleardocs

Cleardocs is part of Christopher's work in support of the world-wide plain language movement. That movement has been so successful that people everywhere - consumers and businesses - are demanding plain language. In turn, professional service providers and businesses are starting to supply clear communication. That brings benefits to all.

Christopher aims to contribute by enabling and encouraging people both to write clearly and to use documents that readers can understand. He regularly speaks at conferences and publishes articles. He was guest editor of an issue of Clarity - a legal plain language journal published by the association Clarity.

He also delivers plain language training courses.

top of page

Approach to clear communication

Christopher believes that clear communication depends:

• on the careful consideration of the document's audience and purpose;
• on the integration of the document's language, structure and design;
• on (when possible) testing drafts with readers to find out both how well the readers are receiving the intended message, and how to improve the document; and
• on ensuring that the relevant organisation's culture supports and values clear communication.

Clear communication is worth the effort involved. An organisation's documents help form the $lsquo;voice’ of its brand. If that ‘voice’ is easy to read, to understand and to use, then the organisation's documents enhance its brand every time they are read. This is true for law firms, for corporations and for governments.

top of page

You can:

• ring Christopher on 1300 307 343 or email him at christopher.balmford@cleardocs.com to enquire further about these specialist services; or
• read about the document packages Cleardocs provides by clicking on ‘Products’ in the dark-blue bar at the top of the page.