My name is Matthew Butterick. I’m an attorney in Los Angeles. I run a law office, Butterick Law Corporation, where I practice civil litigation.

Before I had the idea to become an attorney, I got a degree in art from Harvard University, focusing on graphic design and typography. After college, I worked as a digital typeface designer. Then I had a website development studio.

Even though the legal profession depends heavily on writing, legal typography is often poor. Some blame lies with the strict typographic constraints that control certain legal documents (e.g. court rules regarding the format of pleadings).

But the rest of the blame lies with lawyers. To be fair, I assume this is for lack of information, not lack of will. This website fills that void. There are numerous guides on typography for generalists but none specifically aimed at lawyers. So as one of the few typographers-turned-attorneys in America—yes, there are others—I figure that if I don’t do it, nobody will.

This website is an ongoing work. Comments are enabled on most pages. If something is unclear or incorrect, please post your thoughts and I will respond. You can also email me directly at typography@buttericklaw.com. Note that I do not dispense individualized typographic advice—after all, the point of the site is that you learn to make those decisions yourself.

Thank you to the many, many people who have written to compliment the website. It’s a pleasure to hear that the information is making a difference.

In related news, I recently returned to type design after 15 years to expand and improve my typeface family FB Hermes, released by the Font Bureau. While I wouldn’t recommend it for your next appellate brief, Hermes is good for, say, a candy-bar commercial during the Super Bowl. A brief appearance, but that’s the kind of thing that makes a type designer’s day. (And no, I do not get a year’s supply of Snickers bars.)

— Matthew Butterick, February 2010