THE PRACTICE OF LAW
Reading

• Bodies of law
• Types of laws
• Types of courts
• Persons in court
• Legal Latin, legalese
• Legal education: A call to the Bar
• A lawyer's curriculum vitae

Listening

• Documents in court
• Lawyers
• Law firm structure
• Practice areas
• Law firm culture

Speaking and writing

• Explaining what a law says
• Civil court systems
• Describing a law firm
• Client care procedures
• Explaining client care procedure

CONTRACT LAW: CONTRACT FORMATION
Reading

• Introduction to contract formation
• A covenant
• E-contracts
• Text analysis: Understanding contracts
• Void or voidable or unenforceable contracts
• Structure of a commercial contract
• Express and implied terms
• Exclusion, limitation and standard clauses

Listening

• Negotiating
• Contract negotiation
• Negotiating expressions
• Language use: Adverbs
• Defences to contract formation

Writing an informative memo
Speaking

• Paraphrasing clauses
• Giving emphasis
• Role-play: negotiating an agreement

TYPES OF LEGAL CONTRACTS
Reading and Writing

• Standard terms in the sale and supply of goods
• Licensing agreements and computer programs
• Commercial leases
• Interest in property
• Obtaining leasehold interest
• Buying and selling commercial property
• Commercial conveyancing
• Sale by auction
• Sale by private treaty
• Letters of reminder
• Distribution Agreement
• Franchise Agreement
• Loan Agreement

Speaking

• Debate
• Roleplay: explaining legal terms to nonlawyers

CONTRACTS: REMEDIES
Reading

• Introduction to contract remedies
• Liquidated damages
• Understanding contract clauses
• Types of breach
• Privity of contract
• Discharge of contract
• Remedies for breach of contract

Listening

• A Danish remedy
• Remedies
• Types of damages

Writing: Follow-up correspondence to a client
Speaking

• Presentation: contract remedies
• Initial interview with a client
• Talking about court actions and rulings
• Using repetition to aid understanding
• Initial interview with a client

CONTRACTS: ASSIGNMENT AND THIRD-PARTY RIGHTS
Reading

• Introduction to contract assignation
• Understanding contract clauses
• Follow-up email
• A closing argument
• Keeping informed

Listening

• Preparing a lawsuit and developing an argument
• A closing argument

Writing a Memo giving advice
Speaking

• Explaining third party rights
• Emphatic stress, persuasive speaking
• Discussing and evaluating sources of information
• Language use: Nouns ending in -or and -ee, Verb + -ing form
• Phrases referring to evidence

COMPANY LAW: COMPANY FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT
Reading

• Introduction to company law
• Memorandum of association
• Limited Liability
• Partnership Bill
• Corporate governance
• Roles in company management
• Language use: Shall and may
• Text analysis: A letter of advice

Listening

• Company formation
• Forming a business in the UK

Writing a letter of advice
Speaking

• Informal presentation: a type of company

COMPANY LAW: CAPITALISATION
Reading

• Introduction to company capitalisation
• Shareholders and supervisory boards
• Shares
• New legislation
• Raising capital by share sale
• Insolvency and winding up
• Corporation Tax
• Mergers and acquisitions, dealing disclosure requirements

Listening

• A rights issue
• Plain language

Writing : Summarising
Speaking

• Paraphrasing and expressing opinions
• Contrasting information
• Understanding legalese

COMPANY LAW: FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES IN A COMPANY
Reading

• Introduction to changes in companies
• Spin-offs
• The minutes of a meeting
• Shareholder rights

Listening

• Explaining legal aspects of an acquisition
• A checklist

Writing

• Standard phrases for opening and closing letters and emails
• Client correspondence

Speaking

• Presenting a spin-off
• Opposing concepts in company law
• Beginning a presentation
• Explaining a procedure

EMPLOYMENT LAW
Reading

• Introduction to employment law
• Contract of employment
• EU directives on employment
• A sex discrimination case
• Unfair dismissal

Listening

• An employment tribunal claim
• Liability risks

Writing

• Attachments and formality
• Advising on advantages and disadvantages in an email

Speaking

• Agreeing and disagreeing
• Key terms: Employment
• Expressing an opinion, agreeing and disagreeing

SALE OF GOODS
Reading

• Introduction to sale of goods legislation
• Retention of title

Listening

• Legal writing seminar on drafting clauses
• A case brief

Writing and Speaking

• A case brief
• Key terms: Sale of goods
• Terms and conditions of sale
• A case brief
• Talking about corresponding laws and institutions

REAL PROPERTY LAW
Reading

• Introduction to property law
• A law firm's practice areas
• Understanding a lease or tenancy agreement
• Case review
• Reference email

Listening

• Easements
• Buying a house in Spain

Writing

• Describing a firm's practice areas
• Summarising and requesting

Speaking

• Presentation: an aspect of real property law
• Case discussion
• Key terms: Parties referred to in real property law
• Contrasting ideas
• Classifying and distinguishing types or categories
• Giving a presentation - structuring and signalling transitions

NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS
Reading

• Introduction to negotiable instruments
• Promissory note
• Legislation governing electronic negotiable instruments

Listening

• Drafting a promissory note
• Advice from a senior partner

Writing

• Summarising requirements
• Providing advice and making suggestions

Speaking

• Describing the legal situation: usury
• Explaining ideas to a client
• Key terms: Negotiable instruments
• Making suggestions and recommendations

SECURED TRANSACTIONS
Reading

• Introduction to secured transactions
• A security agreement
• Seminar on revised legislation
• Internal email
• An unsettled area of the law

Listening

• Creating a security interest
• Intellectual property in secured transactions

Writing a polite refusal

Speaking

• Requesting and presenting information
• Comparing and contrasting concepts
• Anticipating events and planning contingencies
• Requesting information

COMPETITION LAW
Reading

• Introduction to competition law
• Anti-competitive activities and antitrust measures in the EU
• A high-profile antitrust case
• Report on changes in merger regulation

Listening

• Advising on competition law risks
• Merger control

Writing

• Using passive constructions
• A proposal
• An informative email

Speaking

• Giving opinions: a competition law case
• Anti-competitive activity
• Warning a client of risks
• Text analysis: A proposal

DEBTOR-CREDITOR
Reading

• Introduction to debtor-creditor
• Statutes governing attachment
• A career as an insolvency practitioner
• Job opportunities in insolvency
• Making a case

Listening

• Protecting assets from judicial liens
• A job interview

Writing

• A covering letter
• A thank-you note

Speaking

• Discussing insolvency work
• A job interview
• Discussion on restructuring
• Types of liens
• Text analysis: A covering letter

CIVIL LAW
Reading and Writing

• Branches of civil law
• Family Law
• Agency Agreements
• Compensation

Speaking

• Debate
• Roleplay: explaining legal terms to nonlawyers

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW
Reading

• Introduction to intellectual property
• Copyright, Patent
• Trade marks, domain names, and remedies for IP infringement
• The State Street case
• Business method patents
• Trade-mark statutes
• Training of junior lawyers
• Discussing issues -copyright and fair use

Writing

• Notes for a case brief
• Paraphrasing in plain language

Speaking

• Phrases for discussions
• Key terms: Intellectual property
• Text analysis: Discourse markers as sentence openers
• Case study: Intellectual property law

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW
Reading and Writing

• Information technology law and cybercrime
• Computer security
• Cybercrime
• Data protection

Speaking

• Debate
• Roleplay: explaining legal terms to nonlawyers

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
Reading and Writing

• Environmental law
• International environmental law
• National environmental law
• Application of environmental law

Speaking

• Debate, presentation
• Roleplay: explaining legal terms to nonlawyers

CRIMINAL LAW
Reading and Writing

• Types of crime
• Criminal procedure
• Sentencing
• At trial
• Key players in the criminal law

Speaking

• Debate
• Roleplay: explaining legal terms to nonlawyers

THE COURT SYSTEM
Reading and Writing

• Civil courts
• Criminal courts
• Criminal justice and criminal proceedings
• Categories of criminal offence
• Civil procedure
• Proceeding with a claim
• The status and range of tribunals

Speaking

• Roleplay: at trial

A CAREER IN LAW
Reading

• A career in law
• Course descriptions
• Graduate recruitment programme

Listening

• Law courses
• Graduate recruitment programme

Writing a short email

Speaking

• Law firms and courses
• Learning approaches
• Presentation
• Language use: Comparative and superlative forms
• Text analysis: Structuring a presentation
• A career in law

THE LEGAL SYSTEM
Reading and Writing

• The structure of the law
• The constitution
• Jurisdiction, legislation
• Sources of law: common law
• Law reports
• European Union law
• What is the EU?
• How does the EU impact on Member States?

Speaking

• Debate
• Roleplay: explaining legal terms to nonlawyers

LEGAL PROFESSIONALS
Reading and Writing

• Solicitors
• Legal practitioners
• A partner in a law firm
• Barristers
• A company commercial lawyer
• A legal secretary
• Judges
• Business organisations: Sole trader, Partnerships, Limited Companies

Speaking

• Role-play: lawyer- client interview

CONTRACT LAW
Reading

• Contract law
• Remedies for breach of contract
• Contract clause

Listening

• Asking for clarification and giving explanations
• Contract law lecture
• Conditions and warranties

Writing an e-mail of advice

Speaking

• Summarising the lecture
• Language use: can / could / may /might
• Text analysis: Email of advice

TORT LAW
Reading

• Tort law
• Case note
• The Kent Law Clinic
• Letter threatening legal action

Listening

• Frivolous lawsuits
• Student lawyer-client interview

Writing a reply to a demand letter defending or denying the allegations made

Speaking

• Case discussion
• Frivolous lawsuits
• Lawyer-client interview
• Reporting procedural history
• Asking for information
• Initial lawyer-client interview
• Defamation
• Personal injury claim
• Clinical negligence

CRIMINAL LAW
Reading

• Criminal law
• White-collar crime: insider dealing and market abuse

Listening

• White-collar crime in the 21st century
• Podcasts

Writing a letter of advice

Speaking

• White-collar crime
• Short presentation
• Role-play: advising a client
• Punishments
• Talking about cause and effect
• Identity theft
• Giving advice and expressing obligation

COMPANY LAW
Reading

• Company law
• Course in company law
• Breach of Companies Act

Listening

• Lecture on company law
• Directors' meeting

Speaking

• Role-play: lawyer- client interview
• Who does what in company law
• Discussing advantages and disadvantages
• Public relations

COMMERCIAL LAW
Reading

• Commercial law
• Commercial law internship
• Role of commercial agents
• Commercial agency contract
• The Commercial Agents (Council Directive) Regulations 1993

Listening

• Profile of a commercial lawyer
• Meeting with corporate counsel

Writing

• Letter of application
• Summary

Speaking

• Internships
• Role-play: discussion options
• Fields, institutions and concepts in commercial law
• Letter of application for an internship

REAL PROPERTY LAW
Reading

• Real property law
• Real property investment law
• Draft tenancy agreement

Listening

• Property-law presentation
• Telephone enquiry: buy-to-let
• Telephone enquiry: tenancy agreement

Writing a Follow-up email

Speaking

• Giving emphasis to important points
• Using English on the phone
• Instruments and people in real property law
• Formal/informal style: synonyms
• Buying real property
• Conveyancing
• Telephone enquiries

LITIGATION AND ARBITRATION
Reading

• Litigation and arbitration
• Letter of invitation
• Avoiding litigation
• Cost of litigation
• Letter before action

Listening

• Question-and answer session
• Lawyer-client interview

Writing

• Responding to a letter before action
• Letter before action

Speaking

• Talk on litigation/arbitration
• Lawyer-client interview
• Parties and phases in litigation and arbitration
• Formality in legal correspondence
• Establishing the facts
• Alternative dispute resolution (ADR)

INTERNATIONAL LAW
Reading

• International law
• Developments in EU law
• US patent laws
• Microsoft v. AT&T

Listening

• CPD seminar on labour law
• Multiple jurisdictions

Writing a Follow-up letter

Speaking

• Debate
• Roleplay: explaining legal terms to nonlawyers
• Legal instruments
• Explaining legal terms to non-lawyers

COMPARATIVE LAW
Reading

• Comparative law
• Course reader
• Asset protection

Listening

• Legal translation
• In-company course

Writing a letter summarising options

Speaking

• Advising on asset protection
• Expressions used in comparative law
• Explaining, comparing and contrasting
• Finding and choosing legal terms
• Discourse markers for text cohesion