- •Business english for lawyers
- •Contents
- •Introduction to the Law of Contracts ………………………………………………….
- •Interviewing and Advising: Suggested Language ……………………………………
- •Legal English in Use
- •S tudy the information and answer the questions below.
- •Investigate the idea of Legal English. Write down the words and phrases related to Legal English.
- •Find the English equivalents to the following Russian word combinations:
- •Study the vocabulary.
- •Answer the following questions.
- •Read and entitle the text.
- •Сombine the words from the boxes and use the appropriate expressions to complete the definitions.
- •The History of the Development of Legal English
- •Study the vocabulary.
- •Read the text and answer the question: What are the main sources of Legal English? sources of legal english
- •3. Find the Russian equivalents to the following English word combinations:
- •4. Read and translate the text. Magna carta
- •Vocabulary
- •5. Choose the correct answer.
- •6. Read the text and answer these questions.
- •What is the Petition of Right?
- •7. Complete the text using the following words.
- •8. Listen to the extract of the text “Declaration of Independence” and fill in the gaps.
- •9. Answer the questions on the text.
- •The Characteristic Features of Legal English
- •1. Study the information and enumerate the characteristics of Legal Writing. Legal language
- •2. Match the words with their definitions.
- •3. Read the abstract and do the activities after it.
- •4. Read and translate the sentences.
- •5. Match the sentences containing Latin terms (1-7) with the sentences which have similar meaning (a—g).
- •6. Read the abstract and do the activities after it. Force majeure
- •Active vocabulary
- •7. Find the English equivalents to the following Russian word combinations:
- •8. All of the events listed in the box can prevent one of the parties from carrying out their contractual obligations. Look at the events and decide what type of event they are.
- •9. Study the information. What makes legal language difficult?
- •Vocabulary null and void – потерявший законную силу (о договоре)
- •10. Find the Russian equivalents to the following English word combinations:
- •12. Underline the characteristic features of legal writing (for example, using old words) in the following consumer contract terms (1-3). The characteristic features of legal writing:
- •Vocabulary
- •Legal Career Development
- •S tudy the information and say if you agree or disagree with the statements below.
- •Read the text and do the activities after it. Planning a career
- •Vocabulary
- •4. Match the words from the text and the definitions given below.
- •5. Say if you agree or disagree with the following statements. Give arguments to support your ideas. Exchange your opinions within the group.
- •6. Make up a dialogue between undergraduates about their future career. Discuss the following questions.
- •7. Read the following short advertisements for young American lawyers and decide which position you would apply for. Why? Why not?
- •8. Render the information of the 1-3 ads so as you will tell your friend about the positions. You needn’t follow the ads style.
- •Different Application Forms and cVs
- •1. Study the information and answer the questions below.
- •2. Read the text and do the activities after it. Creating a cv General Principles
- •Vocabulary
- •4. Give advice using the information from the text.
- •Stetson Business Consulting is looking for a Corporate Attorney. Read the following cv and decide whether the applying lawyer is a competitive suitable candidate.
- •7. Give commentary whether the applicant will be appropriate for an interview.
- •8. Study the information and do the activities after it. Graduate cv
- •9. You are reporting a new applicant to the open position in the law office. Render the formal data from the cv to make a short story about Cathleen Oyres.
- •Study the information. Cover letter
- •Write a covering letter in the name of a law graduate.
- •The Legal Job Interview
- •Read the text and do the activities after it. Successful job interview
- •Vocabulary
- •3. Say if the following statements are true or false, correct those that are false.
- •4. Answer the following questions.
- •5. Study the information and do the activity after it.
- •Interview at a law firm
- •6. Act a role-play and practise to answer the questions above.
- •Types of Legal Documents
- •Read the text and do the activities after it.
- •Study the vocabulary
- •Translate these word combinations into Russian.
- •Choose three combinations from above and write your own sentences using them.
- •Match the verbs with the nouns.
- •Match the words with their definitions.
- •Match different types of legal documents with their descriptions.
- •Consultancy Agreement
- •Employment Contract
- •Study the information about different types of marketing agreements.
- •Vocabulary
- •9. Mark the following statements as true or false. Comment on them.
- •Drafting Legal Documents
- •1. Study the text. Formulate the basic requirements for drafting legal documents.
- •Instructions
- •2. Study the information and answer the questions.
- •Drafting agreements
- •Agency agreement
- •4. Study the vocabulary.
- •5. Complete this letter regarding a personal injury claim at a ‘Get Fit’ fitness centre. Pay attention to the grammatical context. There is more than one possibility for three of the answers.
- •6. Complete the paragraphs with the words and expressions from the box.
- •8. Read the text and do the activities after it. Memoranda
- •9. Put the following phrases into the correct order to make up a typical structure of a memo (according to the text).
- •10. Read the manual on writing a legal memorandum. A Legal Memorandum
- •11. Mark the following statements as true or false.
- •13. Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the word bank.
- •14. Listen to a conversation between an attorney and a paralegal. Mark the following statements as true (t) or false (f).
- •15. Listen again and complete the conversation.
- •Legal Writing: the Language, Content and Structure
- •1. Read the text and do the activities after it. Legal documents: the language and structure
- •Make the sentences by matching the phrases from two columns.
- •3. Fill in the blanks:
- •4. Study the information about the arrangement of information in regulations.
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary
- •5. Put the following actions into the correct order (according to the text).
- •7. Match two halves.
- •8. Read the text and complete the chart below with the recommendations from the checklist. Use the suitable phrases (f: Define the main aim of the document). Checklist
- •Introduction to the Law of Contracts
- •S tudy the information and answer the questions below.
- •Investigate the idea of Contracts. Write down the words and phrases related to Contracts.
- •4. Read the text. Do the activities after it. Formation of a contract
- •Vocabulary
- •5. Make word combinations using the words from the box.
- •6. Find the English equivalents to the following Russian word combinations.
- •7. Find the Russian equivalents to the following English word combinations.
- •8. Read the text. Which two remedies following a breach of contract are mentioned? Are any other options available in your own jurisdiction? breach of contract
- •Vocabulary
- •9. Read the text again and decide whether these statements are true or false.
- •Match the verbs in the box with the nouns they go with in the text.
- •Here is a brief summary of the law of contract. Complete the texts using the words in the box.
- •Listen to the beginning of the lecture on contract law. What is the general subject of the lecture?
- •Listen to the whole text and answer these questions. Which of these terms does the speaker mention? What topic will the lecturer talk about next time?
- •Listen again and complete this excerpt from a student’s lecture notes by writing one word in each space.
- •Types of Legal Contracts
- •Before you read the passage, talk about these questions.
- •Read the job advert and mark the following statements as true or false.
- •Match the words (1-6) with the definition (a-f).
- •Listen to a conversation between a client and a legal assistant. Mark the following statements as true (t) or false (f).
- •Listen again and complete the conversation.
- •Employment Law
- •Study the information from the website and do the activity after it.
- •Vocabulary
- •Study the text and do the activities after it. Contracts of employment
- •Vocabulary
- •6. Look at the following contract and decide if the contract is obligatory for both contracting parties? Define four elements of the contract.
- •Bill of sale
- •Chairing a Formal Meeting
- •Study the information and do the activities after it. Board meetings
- •Vocabulary
- •2. Complete the minutes of the company’s first board meeting by selecting the most appropriate word from the list below to place in each correspondingly numbered space in the draft minutes.
- •Maplink limited
- •Complete the following notice of the shareholder’s meeting, filling in the blanks by selecting the appropriate words from the list below.
- •Negotiation Styles and Strategies
- •Read the text and say if you agree or disagree with the statements below.
- •Vocabulary
- •Study the information and do the activities after it. Negotiation Strategies:
- •Negotiation styles
- •Match the negotiation styles with their descriptions.
- •Study the language for negotiating and do the activities.
- •Investigating options
- •Study the information and prepare to negotiate at the meeting on behalf of Travelgraph Limited by completing the negotiation plan. Use the phrases given above.
- •The Content of Legal Correspondence
- •Structure
- •Planning letter-writing style
- •Vocabulary
- •2. Read the text and do the activities after it.
- •Introduction to emails
- •Email writing style
- •3. Answer the following questions.
- •Match the words and phrases from the letter with the synonyms.
- •Match English phrases with their Russian equivalents.
- •All emails can be divided into two groups: formal and informal emails. Study the table below and do the activities after it.
- •Study the emails. Decide which one is a formal email.
- •Listen and read the email from a legal assistant to an attorney. Mark the following statements as true (t) or false (f).
- •Listen and read the text again. In three sentences summarize the email.
- •10. Complete this letter from Alex Paine to his client with appropriate phrases. There is more than one possibility for three of the answers.
- •11. Cathy o’Brien replies to Thierry’s email. Put the sentences in the correct order.
- •Interviewing and Advising: Suggested Language
- •1. Read the text. Do the activities after it.
- •Interviewing and advising
- •Vocabulary
- •2. Translate these combinations into Russian.
- •3. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences.
- •4. Study the information about the interacting with a client and complete the chart below with the useful expressions. Propose your own variants.
- •Initial client interview
- •5. Before you read the passage, talk about these questions.
- •6. Write a word (from the text ) that is similar in meaning to the underlined part.
- •7. Mark the following statements as true (t) or (f).
- •Listen to a conversation between an attorney and a potential client. Choose the correct answers.
- •Listen again and complete the conversation.
- •Read the text and match the headings (a-d) with the paragraphs (1-4) they belong to.
- •Language
- •11. Make a dialogue between an attorney and a client using the phrases from the text. Telephoning
- •1. Read the abstract and do the activities after it.
- •Active Vocabulary
- •3. Read the following statements and mark them as true or false. If it is necessary, correct the statements.
- •4. Match the telephone phrases below with the responses.
- •5. Look at the telephone conversation below. Put the conversation into the correct order.
- •7. Study the information. Leaving a message on an answering machine
- •Introduction
- •8. Leave a message on an answering machine for your colleague. Dealing with Difficult Situations
- •1. Read the text. Do the activities after it.
- •Vocabulary
- •2. Complete the chart below with the useful expressions for dealing with difficult situations. Propose your own variants.
- •3. Study the information. Explanations and clarification
- •5. Complete the sentences with words and phrases from c. There is more than one possibility for two of the answers.
- •6. Complete the sentences with words and phrases given below. There is more than one possibility for four of the answers.
- •Glossary
- •Internet resources
Vocabulary
means of communication – средство коммуникации
to conduct an interview – проводить интервью
to involve – привлекать, касаться, включать в себя
general skills – общие умения, навыки
note taking – ведение заметок
assimilation – уподобление, усвоение
prerequisite – предпосылка, предварительное условие
at ease – спокойно , непринуждённо
to establish a good rapport – установить хорошие взаимоотношения / контакт
to ascertain – выяснять, устанавливать, убеждаться
to ensure – гарантировать, удостовериться , убедиться
to achieve – достигать, успешно выполнять
fact gathering – сбор фактов
to provide advice – предоставлять консультации
2. Translate these combinations into Russian.
Insufficient communication, good rapport with the client, to ascertain the client’s aims, at this juncture, provide a short “recap”, client’s concerns, proper client care.
3. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences.
1. Successful interviewing involves _________ of different______.
2. Complaints usually ____ to the way of communication.
3. A properly conducted interview usually ____ several_____.
4. Lawyers invite the ____ to explain problems and concerns in order to ascertain
the client’s ___ and goals.
5. A lawyer should ____ that the client ____ clearly what has been proposed.
4. Study the information about the interacting with a client and complete the chart below with the useful expressions. Propose your own variants.
Initial client interview
The purpose of the interview is for the lawyer and the client to work together to identify the client’s interests and achieve the client’s aims. The lawyer should know the topic of the interview in advance. This will allow him or her to determine what is relevant and to structure the interview so that the relevant information is obtained.
However, the structure of the interview should not be too rigid. The lawyer must ensure that a natural flow of conversation, involving a genuine exchange of views occurs. The interview should flow naturally from one topic to the next. It should feel comfortable and positive – it should not be marked by a series of highly specific questions. Clients do not enjoy being interrogated!
The lawyer must try to avoid using legal jargon when speaking to clients. Jargon has its uses within the legal community – it is shared language full of familiar terms and common expressions. But it is likely to mystify and alienate the client. So try to speak plainly, using everyday terms. Find alternatives for legal jargon.
Lawyers need to get information from their clients and summarize what the client has said, to direct the consultation and to express their own point of view. The following questions and expressions can be useful.
What did you do then?
How did the other party react to this?
Are you suggesting that …?
So, if I understand you correctly …
As I see it …
Please, tell me what’s going on.
It seems to me that …
And what happened then?
Let me take you back to ...
Could I start by asking you when / why / how the problem began?
Could you explain why ...?
Do you have …
In my opinion, … .
So you are interested in a …
Our best option would be …
Getting information |
Getting the client to refocus |
Checking and clarifying
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Expressing an opinion |
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