Applying Legal Reasoning to WordPress Theme Development

When it comes to coding, the Parallax Pro Theme (formerly known as ShowCase Theme) by Genesis is among the best WordPress themes, if not the best. However, why is a lawyer writing about this matter? Well, I am motivated by a legal writing strategy that can also be applied to web development in a structured and organized manner. Legal writing, because it is widely known for being very clear and direct, has the particularity of being structured into key logical points following a lead-in statement. For example, in any legal document, we have an introduction where the leading statement is made (the lead in statement), followed by the discussion supported by the required evidence (the body), and a final summary of the points raised (the conclusion). The clear order of thoughts and information affects the manner in which we are able to convey our ideas in a document. For this reason, the use of a creative process guided by comprehensive legal reasoning and legal writing can be helpful to develop and customize a WordPress theme.

Let’s begin by treating: A common example is the lawyer that may be looking to have an answer to a question, a discussion to follow, and a closing statement. This could be approached similar to this way: There are different ways in which this can be applied to a WordPress theme layout. A legal writer always tries to stick to one single point, which is why I find it very practical to apply the same logic when creating layouts in WordPress. A block of text will always begin with an introduction showing a point, while a particular topic clearly and strictly follows. After the discussion of the topic, there will be a summary or closing statement. In this manner, applying the reasoning of legal writing, we can create a layout where we start a paragraph, discussion, or text, follow with a body, and a conclusion. All of this in a continuous flow. This is how the following example could have been laid out by a lawyer: I find it very helpful to complement the use of headers and other techniques with a clear and well-organized communication. In the end, legal writing is meant to convey ideas in a clear manner… E-mailed legal documents are much more direct and to the point. This is something that applies to the theme since its intention is to communicate effectively with clear language and information. Now, the point is that when developing a new WordPress theme or customizing one, you can apply the reasoning behind the structure of legal writing to your website content. This can help you create a very flexible and functional user interface that will not hinder the browsing experience. Notice that in a good legal document, you always have a strong sequence of ideas that flows in a consistent manner. The idea is that all the points raised in an argument, whether its a complaint, a motion, or a request, follow one after the other. This is what the Parallax Pro Theme by Genesis does. It uses a clear and logical explanation for each section of the website, followed by a flow of ideas and slogan. The content is combined with different layouts including two columns or three columns in the body content section. You will find a perfect balance of headers, body content and closing statements. That’s the beauty of applying legal reasoning and legal writing to the development of a website layout. Perhaps the best part about writing a legal text is that we actually have to write in a way that is self explanatory and precise. The choice of words is crucial to convey the right intention of the document without leaving a space for multiple interpretations. The essence here is to use the minimum number of words while at the same time being detailed to provide a thorough description for the facts and circumstances. This is why the layout of the Parallax Pro Theme allows for every feature to record a specific detail of the project the page is working on. Also, due to the nature of web design, the same efficiency can be used in any WordPress theme strategy. Robby McCullough, the infamous guy from WP101 who is known for his video tutorials, uses a different combination of body content and headers. Instead of having a concise set of body sections separated by headings, he uses a different combination of body sections, separated by visual elements such as lines and separators. The layout of the body content starts with a top section, then a slider, a body section, a separator, and the video concept. Depending on the number of elements to be used in the web design, you can apply this legal writing method to create much larger and compact content and not lose the logical and straight explanation of the text. Please note that the body section can be anywhere any time, depending on how it is intended to be created. The idea is to use the same logic, regardless of how you position your body sections in the design. Summarizing the application of legal reasoning and legal writing techniques to the writing of a WordPress theme, we can make a list that will perfectly reflect the importance of some essential points: The last point above is a bit more elaborate in that, when you write a legal document, you should always review your comments and see how well it flows in an ordered manner. This will affect the readability and adjustments to the text to correct the ideas may be needed. The same applies when writing a WordPress theme. You will need to revise and edit the page structure a couple of times to make sure the words and content flow well. In the case of the Parallax Pro Theme, all the sections are clearly and logically structured, so it is a great theme to start with. Give these methods a try and let me know if your projects improve as much as I have experienced.