2 B. Pronouns in legal drafting

1. Precision: every pronoun must have one unmistakable antecedent. Ambiguity classic: "After the seller notifies the buyer, he shall deliver the goods" — he = seller or buyer? Rule: if two persons of the same gender appear, repeat the noun, do not use a pronoun. 2. Defined terms and pronouns: contracts prefer the defined noun ("the Licensee shall…") over pronouns for exactly this reason. 3. Gender-neutral drafting: modern drafting avoids the generic "he". Options: repeat the noun; use they (now widely accepted); restructure to plural ("Licensees shall…"); use it for entities (a company is it, never he/she). 4. Relative pronouns: who (persons) / which (things) / that (restrictive, defining). In drafting, restrictive that clauses define the scope of a rule: "goods that are perishable shall be sold immediately".