A guitar-playing friend likes to say that for accompanying a singer, “less is more”; that is, fewer notes better accent the vocals. The expression applies in other contexts as well, such as French cuisine, sweet perfume and keeping your mouth shut when you don’t know anything. In briefs, the principle “less is more” calls for omitting weak points, shortening string cites, trimming quotations, deleting what is obvious or implicit, and not rattling on.
In letters, the principle “less is more” is a reminder not to include everything that comes to mind. Take the following example from a draft letter to an adversary, complaining that a document production was deficient:
To date, we have not received the additional documents you promised. As you know, we are on a tight discovery schedule that requires the completion of fact witness depositions by December 4. As such, our ability to complete fact discovery in accordance with the Case Management Order issued in this case would be hampered if we do not receive the documents immediately. [Emphasis added].
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