Vocabulary

akin adj родственный; akin to похожий

audience n слушание дела в суде

Chamber n палата

confine v ограничивать

Law Society n Юридическое общество

on behalf of от имени, за (кого-либо)

pool n группа; резерв

recorder n рикордер, городской мировой судья и судья по уголовным

делам четвертных сессий

submission n представление; подача (документа)

vague adj неясный; неопределенный

Reading tasks

A Answer these questions.

1 What is the general meaning of the word “lawyer”? Does it have different meanings in different countries?

2 What is almost unique about the English legal system?

3 What kind of problems does a solicitor deal with?

4 What are the main features of solicitors’ work?

5 What are barristers experts in?

6 When must you have a barrister?

7 Who of the lawyers has the right of audience?

8 In what ways do the functions of a barrister differ from those of a solicitor? Name three differences between barristers and solicitors.

B Understanding main points

Mark these statements T (true) or F (false), according to the information in

the text. Find the part of the text that gives the correct information.

1 If you have any kind of legal question the first person you consult is a barrister.

2 A barrister and a solicitor are both qualified lawyers in the UK.

3 ‘Preparing a brief for counsel’ means a solicitor writes a detailed description of a case so as to inform the expert (the barrister) of all the facts and main legal points.

4 A solicitor cannot speak in a higher court.

5 A barrister in the UK is an independent qualified lawyer.

6 If you want to work for a law firm and receive a regular salary, you should become a solicitor.

7 There are more solicitors than barristers.

8 Barristers often specialize in particular areas of the law, like property or contracts.

9 Barristers are only liable to clients out of court.

C Legal professionals

Every legal system needs professionals to provide legal services. These

systems are organized in many different ways. In England this work is

carried out by two groups of professionals – solicitors and barristers.

Below is a list of tasks carried out by solicitors and barristers. Classify them

into the appropriate column.

advising clients on general legal issues advising clients on specialist legal issues advising on litigation advising on tax matters advocacy in courts advocacy in the lower courts commercial work conveyancing of houses dealing with commercial transactions drafting of documents in connection with litigation making wills preparing cases share and other property dealings

Solicitors	Barristers
advocacy in the lower courts	advocacy in all courts

Language focus

A Translate into Russian paying attention to the Passive.

1 People at law are called lawyers.

2 Barristers are heard in courts.

3 They are not paid by clients.

4 They are employed by solicitors.

5 They are chosen from barristers.

6 A case which is settled out of court.

7 The distinction should be eliminated.

8 Barristers are employed by solicitors to argue a case.

B Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.