Babe- Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca

ENGLISH FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES

LEGAL ENGLISH
First Year Spring Semester 2014

2014

English for Special Purposes Legal English

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Course description:

The course aims to improve the English language skills of 1st year Law students. The students
will be provided with a specialised terminology and enabled to use this in interactive class
applications. The students will thus become familiarised in a progressive manner, from an
intermediate to an upper-intermediate level, according to the results of the placement test - with
the specific legal terminology, concepts and topics.

Course Requirements:
-

Students should have a good knowledge of general English.

They should be prepared to attend at least 80% of the lessons and to participate actively in order
to assimilate and employ the new terminology as well as practice their listening, speaking,
reading and comprehension skills.
Final Grade: 1. class contribution - attendance, participation, active engagement in debates, etc.(20% of your final grade); 2. exam on the topics discussed (80%)

Compulsory reading materials (Course Material)

A course file will be provided before the beginning of the course, containing the necessary
materials for each session (reading load and other materials, such as glossaries). Students will be
expected to photocopy, prepare beforehand and use the materials during teaching hours.

English for Special Purposes Legal English

Spring Semester 2014

TOPICS

LEGAL PROFESSIONALS IN PRACTICE

Week 1: Introductory session. Course description: topics, reading materials, assessment
requirements.
Week 2: Legal Professionals in Practice: A Law Firm Structure
Week 3: Client Care Procedures. Explaining Legal Procedures.
Week 4: Legal Correspondence.
Week 5: Legal Language: Latin terms, Older terms and Modern Equivalents
Week 6: Contract Terminology II.
Week 7: Liability. Personal Injury Claims and Clinical Negligence.
Week 8: Family Law.
Week 9: Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Arbitration. Mediation
Week 10: International Law
Week 11: European Union Law
Week 12: Law of Property and Commercial Conveyancing.
Week 13: Environmental Law.
Week 14: Conclusions and preparation for the exam.
Final Test.

English for Special Purposes Legal English

References
Brown, Gillian D., Sally Rice, Professional English in Use: Law. Cambridge University Press,
2007.
Brieger, Nick, Test Your Professional English: Law, Penguin English Guides, Longman, 2001.
Further Reading:
English for Legal Purposes. Bucharest, Cavallioti Publishing House, British Council, 2002.
Haigh, Rupert. Legal English, Routledge, 2004, 2009.
McKay, William R., Helen E. Charlton, Legal English. How to Understand and Master the
Language of Law. Pearson Longman, 2005.

INSTRUCTOR
ANDRADA PINTILESCU, PhD
Lecturer
The Faculty of Letters
Department of Languages for Specific Purposes
"Babes-Bolyai" University,
Horea 7, Room 10
400174 Cluj-Napoca
E-mail andrada.pintilescu@gmail.com
http://ubbcluj.academia.edu/AndradaFatuTutoveanu