Clients we’ve worked with writing and editing tenders, bids and proposals include two of the country’s largest construction and infrastructure companies and several major law firms.

And we’re delighted to be able to add to that list, having just picked up a commission from a major European security firm to help them complete a government tender. It’s not the most interesting work, granted, but it’s a writing challenge – and we love writing challenges.

A couple of years ago it was ‘raft’, as in ‘a raft of changes’ or ‘a raft of measures’. You couldn’t turn on the news or open the paper without a politician or some sort of consultant (both are invariably among the prime culprits for this sort of thing) talking about ‘a raft’ of steps being taken, or ‘a raft’ of proposals being considered. What’s the matter with ’a series’ or ‘a number’ or just ‘various’? And how did ’a raft’ became a synonym for ‘a series’ anyway?

But that’s not the reason for this post.  No. The thing that has had us quietly bristling in the office is another example of one of these verbal trends – ‘unmet needs’. As in, ‘a number of new services are being planned to respond to the unmet needs of local patients’. Or, ‘we are proactively seeking to address the unmet needs of our customers.’

But surely, by definition all needs are unmet? That is precisely what need means. If the needs  been met, they would no longer be needs. There is absolutely no need to qualify the word need with the word unmet. It doesn’t make it sound more serious or more important. So please don’t do it.

We’re working with London design agency Soukias Jones to produce a new pupillage (trainee) brochure for Devereux Chambers, plus a range of other marketing material.

Devereux Chambers is one of a number of legal clientswe’re proud to have worked with, including Baker & McKenzie, Addleshaw Goddard, Ince & Co, College of Law, TLT Solicitors, Cobbetts, Bevan Brittan and Henderson Chambers.

We’re working with barristers’ set Henderson Chambers to write a new suite of practice brochures. We were recommended to Hendersons by London design agency Soukias Jones Design, who we’ve worked with on a number of previous professional services  projects, including work for Baker & McKenzie, Ince & Co and JP Morgan.

They obviously like what we do – and so do Hendersons. So thanks again guys!

photo credit: Steve Punter

It’s been developed by University College London, but appears to be open to everyone (at least it was when we wrote this). If you need to brush up on the active and passive voice, remind yourself when to use capitals or learn more about the difference between the subject and object of a sentence, check it out. 

It is firmly on our Bookmarks list.