ENGLISH FOR LAWYERS COURSE

The course trainer teaches from the coursebook, International Legal English

Outline of Course Contents  

  • Legal systems, types of law and Latin expressions  
  • Company law: formation and management of companies, capitalization, changes in a company  
  • Contracts: formation, remedies, third party rights, contract negotiation  
  • Buying and selling goods
  • Real property law 
  • Intellectual property  
  • Negotiable instruments  
  • Secured transactions  
  • Debtor-creditor issues  
  • Competition law  

The course focuses on English in a commercial law environment. It is particularly relevant to those students

  • seeking employment in an international commercial law context
  • intending to study law where the course includes significant English language content, either in their own country or abroad
  • seeking promotion within their own organisations
  • learning English as part of a training programme

Learning outcomes: The course is designed to ensure that students improve their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills within a legal framework as well as their knowledge and understanding of Legal English vocabulary and English language. It will lead to better, clearer and more confident communication with colleagues, clients and other lawyers. It will benefit practising lawyers and students alike.

Who is the course designed for? It suits individuals wishing to learn on a one to one basis as well as groups, including groups of lawyers working within the same law practice. The course trainer teaches students either in a classroom or virtually, through the Internet, depending upon student choice.

Level: The student’s level of English should be intermediate to advanced in order to take the course. The level will be tested by the course trainer, without obligation and free of charge.

The course will focus on the following skills: -

Speaking: Discussions on topics arising from authentic cases and statute law and interesting articles
Role plays including small talk, negotiations and advising clients
Presentations on legal topics and areas of particular interest to students

Listening: Authentic listening exercises followed by role plays and exercises using telephone

Reading: Special reading techniques to improve comprehension, fluency and speed
Authentic texts, correspondence and documentation
Traditional legal terminology

Writing: Legal letters, emails and documents following patterns of style intended to make them easier to write and simpler to read and understand

Length of course: 75 hours, although the course can be limited to specific modules according to students’ requirements

Cambridge International Legal English Certificate (ILEC): One of the features of the course is that it prepares lawyers and intending Law students wishing to do so to sit for the ILEC exam. This leads to the ILEC Certificate, which is recognized by a number of leading international organizations
Further courses