Legal_Writing_Workbook_TOC.pdf

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Legal Writing Skills Workbook


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English by lawyers for lawyers. 2

For additional information please contact:

Forum Legal AyPL 62 (Kutomotie 18)00381 HelsinkiFinlandTel: +358 44 088 1177Email:[email protected]

Internet:www.forum-legal.com
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.forum-legal.com/http://www.forum-legal.com/http://www.forum-legal.com/http://www.forum-legal.com/mailto:[email protected]


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INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................5

1 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY .............................................................................................7

1.1 Commercial property terminology .............................................................................71.2 Easily confused words...............................................................................................81.3 Verbs and nouns .......................................................................................................8

1.4 Lease comprehension ...............................................................................................9

2 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ........................................................................................ 12

2.1 Terminology ............................................................................................................ 122.2 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................... 132.3 Text comprehension ............................................................................................... 132.4 Comprehension exercise ....................................................................................... 15

3 EMPLOYMENT ............................................................................................................... 17

3.1 Verbs, nouns, adjectives ........................................................................................ 173.2 Phrasal verbs ......................................................................................................... 173.3 Reading comprehension ........................................................................................ 18

4 COMPANY FORMATION ............................................................................................... 214.1 Word forms ............................................................................................................. 214.2 Terminology ............................................................................................................ 214.3 Punctuation ............................................................................................................ 224.4 Comprehension exercise ....................................................................................... 22

5 CORPORATE ACQUISITIONS ...................................................................................... 26

5.1 Words of statement and opinion ............................................................................ 265.2 Making negatives ................................................................................................... 265.3 Latin terminology .................................................................................................... 275.4 Contract comprehension ........................................................................................ 28

6 COMPANY DISSOLUTION ............................................................................................ 30

6.1 Relative pronouns .................................................................................................. 316.2 Terminology ............................................................................................................ 326.3 Over & under .......................................................................................................... 326.4 Case study: In the Matter of James McMenamin Ltd ............................................. 336.5 Replace missing sentences ................................................................................... 34

7 CONTRACT FORMATION ............................................................................................. 36

7.1 Prepositions in contracts ........................................................................................ 367.2 Here-, there- & where- words ................................................................................. 367.3 Operative words ..................................................................................................... 377.4 Contract clauses ..................................................................................................... 37

8 CONTRACT TERMINATION .......................................................................................... 40

8.1 Expressions of doubt .............................................................................................. 408.2 Contract terminology .............................................................................................. 408.3 Reading comprehension ........................................................................................ 42

9 COMMERCIAL TORTS .................................................................................................. 45

9.1 Adverbs .................................................................................................................. 459.2 Sexist language ...................................................................................................... 469.3 Terminology ............................................................................................................ 469.4 Reading comprehension ........................................................................................ 47

10 EUROPEAN COMPETITION LAW ................................................................................ 51

10.1 Vocabulary: distinguishing meaning ....................................................................... 51

10.2 Case study: Irish Sugar plc v Commission (1999) ................................................. 51


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10.3 Enforcement of competition law: Regulation 17/62 ................................................ 54

ANSWER KEY ........................................................................................................................ 57


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Introduction

Overview

This Legal Writing Skills Workbookis a self-study resource prepared by

Forum Legal. It is intended for non-native English speaking legal professionalsand law students who wish to assess and improve their skills in legal Englishas it is used in international commercial legal practice. It provides a usefulalternative or supplement to a taught course.

The style of exercises used in the Workbook reflects that used in the readingelements of the tests used for Cambridge ESOLs International Legal EnglishCertificate (seehttp://www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/ilec.htm), which is theworlds only fully accredited legal English qualification. The Workbooktherefore represents a useful preparatory resource for this qualification.

Content

The Workbook is split into ten sections, differentiated by legal subject-matter.These are as follows:

1) Commercial Property2) Intellectual Property3) Employment Law4) Company Formation5) Corporate Acquisitions6) Company Dissolution

7) Contract Formation8) Contract Termination9) Commercial Torts10) European Competition Law

The exercises contained in each of these sections relate to the legal subject-matter at hand, and comprise the following elements:

Subject-matter terminology

Reading comprehension of textual material

Drafting issues Problematic aspects of grammar and punctuation encountered in legal

writing

Word usage and differentiation

How to use this Workboo k

The majority of the exercises in this Workbookare in multiple choice ormatching format and can therefore be completed fairly swiftly to obtain anoverall score. 50 marks are available for each individual section, making anoverall total of 500. After completing the Workbookor an individual section of
http://www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/ilec.htmhttp://www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/ilec.htmhttp://www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/ilec.htmhttp://www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/ilec.htm


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the Workbook, check your score by comparing your answers with those givenin the Answer Key.

Score assessment

Over 450 marks: an excellent performance, indicating a near-native level oflegal English usage.350-450 marks: a very good performance, indicating a high level of legalEnglish usage, with some scope for further improvement.250-350 marks: a fairly competent performance, indicating an adequate levelof legal English usage, with clear scope for improvement.150-250 marks: An average performance, indicating some grasp of legalEnglish usage but with very clear scope for improvement.Less than 150 marks: a poor performance, indicating a low level of legalEnglish usage. Serious remedial tuition required.

Further assistance

Please do not hesitate to contact the author of this Workbook, Rupert Haigh,by email ([email protected])if you require further assistance orinformation. You may also wish to visit our online Legal English Store atwww.legalenglishstore.comfor further legal English products.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.legalenglishstore.com/http://www.legalenglishstore.com/http://www.legalenglishstore.com/mailto:[email protected]


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1 Commercial Property

1.1 Commercial property termino logy

Insert the correct word or phrase from the list below into the following

sentences.

1) A lease is usually granted by the freeholder of the property, but in manycases the lessee is entitled to ______ the property.

2) Lease agreements usually contain ________ which require the tenantfrom refraining to do certain things in their use of the property.

3) It is important to note that the stated ____________ may not takeaccount of concessions granted to the lessee, which may reduce theamount in fact paid.

4) The ___________ represents the amount for which the property couldbe let on the open market.

5) The lessee of a property has certain rights, including prohibitionsagainst unlawful entry or eviction, and these are usually contained in acovenant for ________________.

6) The landlord may be entitled to exercise rights of _________ where thetenant has breached certain terms of the lease agreement.

7) The rent payable under the lease is usually expected to be fixed for anindefinite periodthe lease will generally contain a clause providing forperiodical ___________.

8) After the lease has expired, the property will usually __________ to thelandlord.

9) When the lease is transferred from one party to another, the____________ becomes responsible for paying the rent to the landlordand fulfilling the other obligations under the lease.

10) The transfer of an interest in property from one party to another isformally termed __________.

a) re-entryb) market rentc) alienationd) restrictive covenantse) rent reviewf) revertg) quiet enjoymenth) assignee


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i) headline rentj) sub-let

Total marks available: 10

1.2 Easi ly con fused wo rdsChoose the correct word to complete the following short sentences.

1) The statute (prescribes/proscribes) the use of dangerous chemicalsnear residential areas.

2) Paragraph 3 should be (omitted/emitted).3) The landlord sought to (kerb/curb) antisocial behaviour by tenants.4) We (apprised/appraised) the services offered by the company.5) The crowd gradually (diffused/defused).6) Mary can be relied upon to be (discreet/discrete).7) Please refer to the (draft/draught) lease.8) We believe that this is an (equable/equitable) agreement for all the

parties.9) It is an important legal (principle/principal) that where a material term of

a contract is breached, the aggrieved party is entitled to redress.10) The company is completely (disinterested/uninterested) in making

further purchases of commercial property at this time.


1.3 Verbs and nouns

Legal English contains many abstract nouns, which relate to verbs. Forexample, consideration and consider. In some cases the noun form may bethe same as the verb form. For example, a draft is a preliminary version of adocument, while to draft is the activity of writing the document.

Complete the table below.

Verb Noun

(1) permit

lease (2)

(3) decision

intend (4)

(5) restriction

apply (6)


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(7) award

regulate (8)

(9) appointment

occupy (10)


1.4 Lease com prehensio n

Read the excerpt from a lease set out below, and then answer the questionson it.

4. Sublease and Assignment

Tenant shall have the right without Landlords consent, to (a) ________ this Lease to

a corporation with which Tenant may merge or consolidate, to any (b) __________ of

Tenant, to any corporation under common control with Tenant, or to a purchaser of

substantially all of Tenants (c) ________. Except as set forth above, Tenant shall not

sublease all or any part of the Leased Premises, or assign this Lease in whole or in

part without Landlords consent, such consent not to be unreasonably (d) _________

or delayed.

5. Repairs

During the Lease term, Tenant shall make, at Tenants expense, all necessary repairs

to the Leased Premises. Repairs shall include such items as routine repairs of floors,

walls, ceilings, and other parts of the Leased Premises damaged or worn through

normal (e) __________, except for major mechanical systems or the roof, (f)

________ the obligations of the parties otherwise set forth in this Lease.

6. Alterations and Improvements

Tenant, at Tenants expense, (g) _______ have the right following Landlords consent

to remodel, redecorate, and make additions, improvements and replacements of and to

all or any part of the Leased Premises from time to time as the Tenant may (h)________ desirable, provided the same are made in a workmanlike manner and (i)

________ good quality materials. Tenant shall have the right to place and install

personal property, trade fixtures, equipment and other temporary installations in and

upon the Leased Premises, and fasten the same to the premises. All personal property,

equipment, machinery, trade fixtures and temporary installations, whether (j)

________ by Tenant at the (k) _________ of the Lease term or placed or installed on

the Leased Premises by Tenant (l) _________, shall remain Tenants property free

and clear of any claim by Landlord. Tenant shall have the right to remove the same at

any time during the term of this Lease provided that all damage to the Leased

Premises caused by such removal shall be repaired by Tenant at Tenants expense.

Documents

Legal_Writing_Workbook_TOC.pdf