“I’ve attached a markup of your draft letter to my wife’s lawyers,” said the email from Mark to his lawyer.

Matt, the lawyer, thought of his client as a great guy and a great client who pays his bills on time. He is intelligent and interesting. He is in the real estate business and very successful.

But he is also a control cowboy. He is successful in business because he takes control of his environment.

Matt wrote back to Mark, “Clarence Darrow once said the Congress does us the least harm when it is NOT in session. Like Congress you are getting in the way of yourself.”

In Congress, you can send a draft to a colleague with one of two messages:

(a)  for review and comment, meaning “your changes are welcome”, or

(b)  for review and approval, meaning “approve as written and don’t change a word.

I am resending my draft, unchanged, for your review and approval.”

Next, I’ll give you the tips the lawyer gave Mark on how to think and write like a lawyer.