ISO 24495-2: A New International Standard for Plain Language in Legal Text
The ISO 24495-2:2025 standard is a game-changer: for the first time, experts from around the world have agreed on guidelines and best practices to clarify legal communication. Contracts, privacy policies, terms and conditions, administrative forms, regulations… all of these documents can now be drafted using an internationally recognized methodology, regardless of the working language.
After nearly two years of preparatory work, I am very pleased to announce the publication of this project, which is close to my heart and represents a game-changer in the legal world: ISO 24495-2:2025—Plain Language, Part 2: Legal Communication.
Published in August 2025, this standard establishes, for the first time, clear and widely recognized guidelines to simplify and humanize legal communication.
Why This Standard Is a Revolution
It follows ISO 24495-1:2023, which laid the universal foundations for plain language
It goes a step further by specifically targeting legal communication: contracts, terms and conditions, privacy policies, administrative forms, legal notices, regulations, and procedures
It provides practical guidelines and best practices validated by international experts, regardless of the working language
It is emerging as a tool for transforming the law—making it more transparent, more accessible, and better understood
👉 The French version of the standard has not yet been published, but it will be released soon.
My role in developing the standard
As an expert representing Canada on the ISO/TC 37 committee, Working Group WG11, I had the opportunity to contribute directly to the drafting of this standard and to bring a Francophone and civil law perspective to the process.
In practical terms, this means:
Participate in discussions and negotiations among experts from various countries.
Draft and comment on various sections of the standard
Review the hundreds of comments from dozens of different countries, time and time again
Adapting the principles of plain language to the complex realities of the law
Promote a vision: that every person be able to understand the legal information that concerns them —whether it involves signing a contract, filing an insurance claim, filing a complaint, challenging a decision, or giving informed consent
Tangible Benefits for Everyone
For legal professionals: a proven framework for improving the quality of their documents without compromising legal accuracy
For organizations: a tool for building trust with their customers, reducing disputes, and meeting their transparency obligations
For citizens: the opportunity to understand their rights and obligations in situations that matter—such as contracts, insurance, public regulations, administrative decisions, and banking terms and conditions
A game-changing standard
The ISO 24495-2:2025 standard on plain language in law is helping to modernize the landscape of legal communication. This standard provides structured principles, methodological guidelines, and universal best practices for making legal language clear, usable, and human-centered.
This is a major step forward for the plain language movement, but above all, it is an indispensable tool for justice, governance, and our democracies.
In summary
ISO 24495-2:2025 is the first global standard dedicated to plain language in law
It provides a universal framework to make contracts, terms and conditions, policies, notices, and forms easier to understand
It supplements the fundamental principles included in the ISO 24405-1:2023 standard on plain language.
The French version is coming soon, paving the way for wider adoption.
It places clarity at the heart of the law, to better protect people and strengthen trust in our institutions.
