English for Law

Introduction

English for Law is an online course, consisting of 56 units of English, and providing approximately 60 hours of study for students.

Course aims

To give students at Intermediate, CEFR B1/Upper Intermediate B2 level practice in general and business-oriented language required for business contexts at this level, specifically tailored towards the specialisation of the law. The course blends grammatical structures necessary for this level, with vocabulary, reading, listening, writing, speaking and pronunciation.

Gramatika

  • Use present and past tenses correctly
  • Use the appropriate conditional forms to talk about situations and consequences.
  • Use the present perfect to describe a link between past and present events.
  • Use going to and will to talk about future predictions and intentions.
  • Use the passive form correctly
  • Distinguish and be able to correctly describe countable and uncountable nouns.

Žodynas

  • By the end of the course students will have learnt approximately 120 expressions used in legal contexts.

Skills

  • By the end of the course students will have had exposure to and practice in reading and hearing formal and informal English from a variety of accents and legal contexts.

Unit summary

Module 1

  • Introduction to Legal Terminology
  • Grammar: Present tenses
  • Žodynas: Essential legal vocabulary, legal concepts, branches of law
  • Skaitymas: Understanding legal texts, articles, and case studies
  • Klausymasis: Legal discussions, lectures, and debates
  • Rašymas: My life as a lawyer
  • Kalbėjimas: Describing a legal concept
  • Pronunciation: Anxious and Chess + connected speech

Module 2

  • Contract Law
  • Grammar: Past tenses
  • Žodynas: Contract formation, breaches, remedies, contract terms
  • Skaitymas: Contracts and agreements
  • Klausymasis: Contract negotiation and dispute resolution discussions
  • Rašymas: Contract clauses and summaries
  • Kalbėjimas: Discussing contract terms and negotiating agreements
  • Pronunciation: Beats and Beach + connected speech

Module 3

  • Criminal Law
  • Grammar: Going to and Will
  • Žodynas: Offences, criminal procedure, sentencing, criminal defences
  • Skaitymas: Criminal case summaries and legal statutes
  • Klausymasis: Courtroom proceedings and criminal law discussions
  • Rašymas: A case brief
  • Kalbėjimas: Presenting criminal law arguments
  • Pronunciation: Bet and But + connected speech

Module 4

  • Family Law
  • Grammar: Present perfect
  • Žodynas: Marriage, divorce, child custody, alimony, adoption
  • Skaitymas: Family law statutes and cases
  • Klausymasis: Family law consultations and court hearings
  • Rašymas: A family law document
  • Kalbėjimas: Discussing family law issues
  • Pronunciation: Bud and Bird + connected speech

Module 5

  • Property Law
  • Grammar: Countable and uncountable nouns
  • Žodynas: Real property, personal property, leases, mortgages, easements
  • Skaitymas: Property law documents and cases
  • Klausymasis: Property law discussions and negotiations
  • Rašymas: A property law document
  • Kalbėjimas: Discussing property law transactions
  • Pronunciation: Cart and Cut + connected speech

Module 6

  • Employment Law
  • Grammar: First conditional
  • Žodynas: Employment contracts, discrimination, termination, worker’s rights
  • Skaitymas: Employment law cases and regulations
  • Klausymasis: Employment law consultations and disputes
  • Rašymas: An employment law document
  • Kalbėjimas: Discussing employment law
  • Pronunciation: Day and Ray + connected speech

Module 7

  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Gramatika: Passive
  • Žodynas: Copyright, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, infringement
  • Skaitymas: Intellectual property law cases and statutes
  • Klausymasis: Intellectual property law discussions and disputes
  • Rašymas: An intellectual property law document
  • Kalbėjimas: Discussing intellectual property law
  • Pronunciation: Guess and Yes + connected speech

Module 8

  • Professional Communication for Legal Professionals
  • Grammar: Second conditional
  • Žodynas: Formal and informal language, presentation skills, cultural awareness
  • Skaitymas: Professional emails, memos, and announcements
  • Klausymasis: Effective communication with colleagues
  • Rašymas: Professional emails, memos, and announcements
  • Kalbėjimas: Communication between legal professionals
  • Pronunciation:Hope and Hop + connected speech

Follow-up

  • Students completing the English for Law course should feel confident in tackling any upper intermediate course, including our Upper Intermediate Business Power course.