And the U.S. Supreme Court has long required lawyers to use a font from the “Century family” (e.g., Century Schoolbook). Of course, most courts don’t go that far. Most courts simply require a “legible” font of a particular size (usually at least 12-point).
But don’t take my word for it. First, read legal-writing guru Bryan Garner’s full-throated endorsement of a book called Typography for Lawyers, by Matthew Butterick. Then read what Butterick says about using Times New Roman in legal documents:
Be sure to thoroughly proofread your letter for grammar and spelling errors. Even if your font and font size are easy to read, errors will make you look unprofessional. If this is a cover letter, an error might even cost you a job offer. More proofreading tips: 1 Read your letter out loud. You’ll find any typos and might also spot opportunities to improve your word choice and sentence structure. 2 Check and double-check the spelling of all company and personal names. 3 Take a break before you review your final document. You may find errors with fresh eyes that you wouldn’t have found right after writing the letter. 4 Ask an eagle-eyed friend to review your letter before you send it. 5 For email letters, be sure to send yourself a test message before emailing the document to a hiring manager. You might uncover spacing oddities and formatting errors that you wouldn’t have seen without a test.
Highlight the content of your letter. Either select the font from the pop-up window or select the font from the list at the top of the document. Select the font size you want to use the same way.
You should select a font that is large enough so that the reader doesn't have to squint to read your letter, but not so big that your letter doesn't fit well on a single page.
Otherwise, your reader might not take the time to read your letter. This is particularly important when writing job application letters, such as cover letters.
Alison Doyle is the job search expert for The Balance Careers , and one of the industry's most highly-regarded job search and career experts. Read The Balance's editorial policies. Alison Doyle. Updated February 28, 2020.
Common serif fonts are; Times New Roman, Cambria, Georgia, Book Antiqua and Courier. Sans serif (“sans” French for “without”) – fonts do not have a serif attached to them, and therefore are plain characters.
Times New Roman is hands down the most practical font for conveying a clear message, and has no exuberant frills attached to it. If you would like to write a letter that is structured around wording only, Times New Roman will have minimal graphical overtones and still be stylish enough to look attractive to your readers.
Times New Roman is a very common choice for most people and happens to be the default font for most electronic devices. This font was created for the ‘New York Times’ newspaper, so is a great example for easy reading. Times New Roman is hands down the most practical font for conveying a clear message, and has no exuberant frills attached to it.
A general rule of thumb is to have the font size between 10 – 12 points, and when writing a formal letter the colour should definitely be black.
Your first aim should be to make your letter as clear and as spacious as possible, especially if it is a formal letter. By considering this before you write a letter, your readers will have a greater chance of understanding the message you are trying to convey.
This particular font was designed by a team of 10 and has been included within most computer software packages since its creation in 1982. Because of Arial’s bold appearance and authority against most back-drops, it is by far the most conventional way to go for effortless reading and satisfaction for the reader.
The typeface (or type family) is the “design” of the characters. Helvetica is an example of a typeface. The characters of Helvetica will all share common design characteristics. A font is differentiated by size, weight, and style while still falling within the “type family.”. For example, the typeface Helvetica encompasses over 50 fonts such as ...
Stick to One Font at a Time. Using one font on a business document ensures consistency, professionalism, and makes it easier to read. Resumes should only use one font. When you need a word, phrase, or section to stand out, you can simply increase the font size. Or you could make it bold or underlined.
Fonts are powerful—creating memorable ad campaigns, breathing life into a PowerPoint slideshow, or skillfully used to sell a book or magazine. Simply put: fonts can make or break an advertising campaign or presentation. Therefore, choose your fonts wisely. Otherwise, your business writing and communication may fall flat.
Fonts are powerful tools to use in writing, presentations, and advertising. And when you learn how to effectively harness that power by choosing the best fonts for business writing and communication, you’ll be typing your way to success!