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LEGAL ENGLISH

Word list
Unit 1. The practice of law

Bodies of law
1. Common law
2. English law / the Anglo-Saxon case-law system
3. Civil law / the civil-law system
4. Roman law
5. Justice system
6. Criminal law
7. Contract law
8. Tort law
9. Penal law
10. Case-law
11. Judge-made law
12. Law-making/ law-making process
13. Legislation
14. Precedent
15. Provision
16. Ruling
17. Directive
18. Ordinance/ by-law
19. Statute
20. Regulation
21. Bill
22. Amendment
23. Code / codified law
24. Jurisdiction

Law-related verbs and phrases

1. To stipulate
2. To provide
3. To specify
4. To state
5. To set forth
6. To determine
7. To lay down
8. To prescribe
9. To try a person
10. To hear/ to argue/ to handle a case
11. To draft
12. To issue
13. To file (e.g. a document with an authority)
14. To serve (e.g. a document on someone/ someone with a document)
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15. To submit (e.g. a document to an authority)

16. To allege
17. To litigate – take legal action to settle a dispute in a court of law

Types of courts
1. Appellate court
2. Crown court
3. High court
4. Juvenile court
5. Lower court
6. Magistrates’ court
7. Small-claims court
8. Tribunal
9. Moot court

Persons in court

1. Jury/ juror
2. Judge
3. Defendant / respondent
4. Claimant/ plaintiff
5. Appellant/ petitioner
6. Advocate
7. Bailiff
8. Clerk
9. Witness
10. Expert witness
11. Barrister – pleads in court
12. Solicitor – give legal advice and draw up legal documents
13. Trainee solicitor
14. In-house counsel
15. Notary
16. Reasonably prudent person

Documents in court

1. Affidavit
2. Answer
3. Brief
4. Complaint
5. Injunction
6. Motion
7. Notice
8. Pleading
9. Writ /rit/

Legal Latin

1. Ad hoc
2. Et alii (et al)
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3. Et cetera (etc.)
4. Exempli gratia (e.g.)
5. Id est (i.e.)
6. Per se
7. Sic
8. Versus (vs. or v.)
9. De facto
10. Ipso facto
11. Inter alia
12. Per annum
13. Pro forma
14. Pro rata
15. Quorum
16. Sui juris
17. Ultra vires
18. Videlicet (viz.)

Career in law

1. Trial
2. Bar
3. Disbar
4. Inns of Court
5. Call to the bar
6. Pupilage
7. Barristers’ chamber
8. Juris doctor (J.D.)
9. Paralegal
10. Associate
11. Clerk
12. Full partner
13. Salaried partner
14. Solo practice
15. Sole practitioner
16. Global firm
17. Boutique firm
18. Breach of contract
19. Clerkship
20. Bar – barrister
21. Sole practitioner
22. Litigator - a lawyer who specializes in litigation (=lawsuits)

Other relevant words and phrases

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Intended for smb. / intended to do smth.

Framework (e.g. in the framework of )
To give an insight into
The superiority of
A remedy
Last resort (e.g. the court of last resort)
In light of (e.g. in light of the fact …)
IP – Intellectual property
Come into effect – start being valid
To be bound by a particular law – to act according to that law

LLB – Legum Baccalaureus (Latin for Bachelor of Laws). The double L simply shows that Laws is
plural.

Unambiguous /ʌnæm ˈbigjuəs/ if a statute is unambiguous, it has only one possible interpretation, so it is
not likely to be misunderstood
Precedents – previous court decisions which are used as the base for later decisions
A cause of action – an individual legal claim
An action – a general name for a lawsuit which involves one person suing another
Contract: written, oral or implied
Sub-contract – a contract with a contractor. Common in the construction industry: the contractor might
be a building firm, but may sub-contract work such as plumbing and electrical work to sub-contractor
Beneficiary – somebody who receives money or other benefits.
Litigate – take legal action to settle a dispute in a court of law
Liaise -- mediate, liaison -- communication, mediation