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.

Vārdnīca

  • 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
  • Vārdnīca: Essential legal vocabulary, legal concepts, branches of law
  • Lasīšana: Understanding legal texts, articles, and case studies
  • Klausīšanās: Legal discussions, lectures, and debates
  • Rakstīšana: My life as a lawyer
  • Runājot: Describing a legal concept
  • Pronunciation: Anxious and Chess + connected speech

Module 2

  • Contract Law
  • Grammar: Past tenses
  • Vārdnīca: Contract formation, breaches, remedies, contract terms
  • Lasīšana: Contracts and agreements
  • Klausīšanās: Contract negotiation and dispute resolution discussions
  • Rakstīšana: Contract clauses and summaries
  • Runājot: Discussing contract terms and negotiating agreements
  • Pronunciation: Beats and Beach + connected speech

Module 3

  • Criminal Law
  • Grammar: Going to and Will
  • Vārdnīca: Offences, criminal procedure, sentencing, criminal defences
  • Lasīšana: Criminal case summaries and legal statutes
  • Klausīšanās: Courtroom proceedings and criminal law discussions
  • Rakstīšana: A case brief
  • Runājot: Presenting criminal law arguments
  • Pronunciation: Bet and But + connected speech

Module 4

  • Family Law
  • Grammar: Present perfect
  • Vārdnīca: Marriage, divorce, child custody, alimony, adoption
  • Lasīšana: Family law statutes and cases
  • Klausīšanās: Family law consultations and court hearings
  • Rakstīšana: A family law document
  • Runājot: Discussing family law issues
  • Pronunciation: Bud and Bird + connected speech

Module 5

  • Property Law
  • Grammar: Countable and uncountable nouns
  • Vārdnīca: Real property, personal property, leases, mortgages, easements
  • Lasīšana: Property law documents and cases
  • Klausīšanās: Property law discussions and negotiations
  • Rakstīšana: A property law document
  • Runājot: Discussing property law transactions
  • Pronunciation: Cart and Cut + connected speech

Module 6

  • Employment Law
  • Grammar: First conditional
  • Vārdnīca: Employment contracts, discrimination, termination, worker’s rights
  • Lasīšana: Employment law cases and regulations
  • Klausīšanās: Employment law consultations and disputes
  • Rakstīšana: An employment law document
  • Runājot: Discussing employment law
  • Pronunciation: Day and Ray + connected speech

Module 7

  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Gramatika: Passive
  • Vārdnīca: Copyright, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, infringement
  • Lasīšana: Intellectual property law cases and statutes
  • Klausīšanās: Intellectual property law discussions and disputes
  • Rakstīšana: An intellectual property law document
  • Runājot: Discussing intellectual property law
  • Pronunciation: Guess and Yes + connected speech

Module 8

  • Professional Communication for Legal Professionals
  • Grammar: Second conditional
  • Vārdnīca: Formal and informal language, presentation skills, cultural awareness
  • Lasīšana: Professional emails, memos, and announcements
  • Klausīšanās: Effective communication with colleagues
  • Rakstīšana: Professional emails, memos, and announcements
  • Runājot: 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.