Talking to your client is an essential part of practicing law. Talking to your client confidentially is also important. When in a bind and you’re not sure how best to handle a client confidence, the old standby of Pig Latin may work best. First, it’s easy to remember. While it may take a few minutes to get into the flow of things, once you do it really just rolls along as if it were your first language. Importantly, Pig Latin does not require any special technology or encryption. It’s an analog language that some say has been around for nearly 150 years.
Don’t Go Crazy
Overuse of Pig Latin with your client or opposing counsel may undermine its effectiveness. Saying “itsay ependsday” a few too many times may result in your client losing confidence in your legal analysis and skills. Or, using it in complex commercial transactions may confuse some of the nuances that are easier to understand in standard English. If, however, the transaction is particularly sensitive and requires added security in your communications, reserve Pig Latin for those specific situations.
I’m working on a law practice “cheat sheet” for Pig Latin and will roll that out in a few weeks. If you have particularly effective phrases, let me know and I may include them in the guide. Or just let me know how well it works in your day-to-day communications with your client, the court, or opposing counsel.
