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Jan 11

Legal English in Focus: The Language of Contracts – The Language of Legal Correspondence

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Legal correspondence forms an important part of the day-to-day work of a lawyer, particularly since the advent of the email. It is often assumed that emails are less formal than letters. However, in reality, the required degree of formality will invariably depend on factors such as the relationship of the writer with the recipient, the level of seniority of the recipient and the subject matter of the email.

Anyone working in a legal context in English should be familiar with the key expressions and terminology of Legal English. Here are a few important expressions used in semi-formal legal correspondence.

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Salutation
Where there is no named recipient, the phrase “Dear Sirs” is used. However the phrase “Dear Sir/Madam” is often preferable because it is gender neutral.

Where, on the other hand, the letter is written to a named individual with whom the writer does not have a close relationship and is thus not on first name terms, the appropriate gender specific title must be used. With regard to women, unless the writer knows that the recipient is married (where “Dear Mrs” is used), the appropriate title is “Ms”. Even if you know that the recipient is not married, it is best to avoid the title “Miss” as this tends to be considered too pejorative. The exception would be if the recipient has identified herself as “Miss”, possibly using her maiden name in her professional work, in previous correspondence.

A thorny problem arises where the name of the recipient does not make it clear whether the recipient is a man or a woman. For example if you had to write to a lawyer in Finland called Teppi Jaskalainen and were unsure whether Teppi was the name of a man or a woman, the appropriate solution would be to write the entire name in the salutation e.g. “Dear Teppi Jaskalianen”.

References to Previous Correspondence
There is a great variety of possible phrases that seek to refer to previous correspondence between the writer and the recipient such as:

  • “Further to your email dated 18 November, I am pleased to inform you that our client is willing to accept the proposed amendments to the confidentiality clause.”
  • “Thank you for your email dated 18 November”.
  • “I refer to your email dated 18 December”

Be aware that the second and third sentences are more succinct than the first, which in addition to referring to previous correspondence also seeks to set out the purpose of writing the letter.

Introducing Comments
Where the email sets out numerous comments on a particular clause in an agreement for example, including one of the following sentences that introduces the comments is common:

  • My comments on Clause 7 are as follows:
  • We have the following comments on Clause 7:
  • Our comments on Clause 7 are set out below:

Sending Documentation
When sending documentation by email we use the word “attach” but when we include documents with a letter we write “enclose” instead:

  • Email: “I have attached the draft shareholder agreement.”
  • Letter: “I have enclosed the marked up Schedule 2.”

If the writer expects the recipient to read the document or react in some way (e.g. give his comments), they would write “I attach for your attention”. However, where no action is expected on the part of the recipient, we would merely write “I attach for your information.” This would be appropriate, for example, when sending to a client a new brochure or an update on the law.

Giving Good and Bad News
You can introduce good news by using the common phrases “I am pleased to inform you” or “you will be pleased to hear that” in the following ways:

  • “I am pleased to inform you that Regional Court has rejected the Defendant’s counter-claim.”

The common phrases “I regret to inform you” or simply “unfortunately” introduce bad news:

  • “I regret to inform you that the court fees for lodging a claim at the Regional Court will be 575 Euro from 1 February 2011.”

Closing Remarks
There are several expressions that typically come at the end of a legal letter or email:

  • “Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter”: This expression is extremely helpful when the writer has made several requests earlier in the letter.
  • “If you have any questions regarding this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me”: This phrase should be inserted when the letter contains advice. The phrase can be made slightly less formal by using the words “please feel free to contact me…”
  • “I hope that this matter will receive your prompt attention”: This phrase is useful when the writer has expressed his concern earlier in the letter that the recipient has failed to do certain things. e.g. pay an invoice. This phrase therefore acts as a reminder for the recipient to remedy the situation

Requesting Future Contact
It is common to end letters with the phrase “I look forward to hearing from you” irrespective of whether the writer expects the recipient to respond in writing or merely telephone him.

Signing Off

There are different ways of signing off depending on the context and relationship to the individual you are writing to.

  • If the letter begins with the salutation “Dear Sir/Madam” the appropriate ending is “Yours faithfully”.
  • If the letter is to a named individual e.g. Dear Mr Peters, then the appropriate ending is “Yours sincerely”.
  • Where the relationship with the recipient is closer, one can end the correspondence with “Kind regards”, “Best regards” or simply “Regards”.

Anyone taking a Legal English training course or looking to improve their Legal English skills can benefit immensely from reading through the key expressions and their use that we highlight in this series about the language of contracts.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

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Oct 01

Legal English in Focus: The Language of Contracts – “Subject To” and “Notwithstanding”

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There are a large number of words which commonly appear in legal contracts that must be understood in order to effectively interpret and use Legal English. “Subject to” and “notwithstanding” are two expressions that can cause some confusion. A Legal English training course will help you further understand these words to ensure you can write and interpret Legal English as effectively and correctly as possible. Here you will find a brief summary of how to effectively interpret and use these terms.

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The phrases “subject to” has two meanings:

(a) a cross-referencing phrase
(b) a phrase introducing a conditional sentence such as “provided that”

Cross Referencing

The phrases “subject to” and “notwithstanding” are used as a cross-referencing phrases linking a main rule to an exception:

1.  Price

1.1   Subject to Clause 3.2, the price of the products is set out in Schedule 2.

1.2   Notwithstanding Clause 3.1, The Seller is entitled to change the price, by giving the Buyer seven days’ prior written notice.

“Subject to” looks ahead to the exception whereas “notwithstanding” looks back to the main rule. A more plain English synonym for “notwithstanding” is “despite”. The drafter can select either of these phrases depending on where he wishes to place the emphasis.

If the phrase “subject to” were omitted, the meaning of the clause would still be clear. Its purpose, however, is to emphasise the relationship between the main rule (the price set out in the schedule) and the exception whereby the Seller may unilaterally change the price. It’s more important to use these phrases when there is a big gap between the main rule and the exception.

Conditional Sentences

The phrase “subject to” may be used in order to introduce a conditional sentence. For example, by replacing the word “by” in the example given in clause 3.2 above, it would then read as follows:

3.2 The Seller is entitled to change the price subject to giving the Buyer seven days’ prior written notice.

Where “subject to” is used in a contract for cross-referencing purposes, it’s advisable not to use it in conditional sentences as well to ensure clarity.

Anyone taking a Legal English training course or looking to improve their Legal English skills can benefit immensely from reading through the key words and their meanings that we highlight in this series about the language of contracts.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Aug 05

Legal English in Focus: Proofreading Commercial Agreements

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Legal English is a minefield of terms and definitions. By understanding the grammatical rules that underpin these terms, you will be more likely to effectively understand legal documents. Taking a Legal English course is a great way not only to learn about what you should look out for when writing and proofreading legal documents in English, but also to acquire a good grasp of the legal documents you are faced with.

Whilst considerable time is devoted to drafting a commercial agreement, it’s essential that you proofread the document thoroughly to ensure that it does not contain any errors. One technique that can help you effectively proof your documents is called capitalised terms checks.

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Capitalised terms checks are exercises that are carried out when proofreading a commercial agreement in order to ensure that:

  • The body of the agreement does not contain words which are incorrectly written with an initial capital letter, thus giving the impression of being defined terms
  • All defined terms created in the agreement are actually used

Ekmark Law concisely summarises the importance of a capitalised terms check and the consequences if ignored.

On the Lookout for Defined Terms

Modern commercial agreements tend to contain vast quantities of definitions. This could be in reference to the individuals involved in the agreement, such as the “Purchaser” or “Vendor”, or it could be in relation to particular issues that are dealt with in the agreement, such as “Audit” or “Confidential Information”. These terms are generally found in the definitions section. Definitions can also be created specifically for a particular clause.

These definitions are easily identifiable as the first letter of the defined term (or each word in the defined term) is written in capital letters. It is therefore really important that you proofread the agreement to ensure that each word that begins with a capital letter is either a defined term (present in the definitions section or created thereafter) or that it is a proper noun, such as “Germany” or “Alpha Limited”.

Where the agreement contains a big definition section (e.g. a share purchase agreement) consisting of up to twenty pages, this task can be made easier by creating a separate list of the defined terms (whereby one deletes the actual definitions).

Once the definitions list is created, you should always read the agreement slowly and check each word that appears with an initial capital letter. If it is not a word that is normally written with a capital letter, check whether the term is included in the definitions list. If it is in the list, the proof-reader simply needs to tick the word in the agreement. If it is not in the definitions list, you should highlight the word as either a new definition or write the word in lower case.

Have you referenced the defined terms?

The second capitalised terms check that you should always carry out seeks to ensure that all the definitions contained in the definitions section are used at least once in the agreement. Problems may arise if the agreement, e.g. a share purchase agreement, is modelled on a previous transaction and certain specific definitions created for that transaction are not used in the new agreement. In this case, rather than create a bare list of defined terms, it is better to print out the entire definitions section as a defined term might only be used in the definition of another term and might not appear in the body of the agreement. To check this effectively, you should work through the following steps:

  1. Read the agreement
  2. Identify each word that is written with an initial capital letter
  3. Tick off each defined term in the definitions section that corresponds to the word in question

Once this exercise is completed, you may find several redundant defined terms which should then be deleted from the agreement.

Conducting a capitalised terms check can be a tedious process but it is highly important and can significantly enhance document comprehension. Taking a Legal English course can help you to take the right steps in creating a winning and professional legal document.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Mar 03

Legal English in Focus: The Language of Contracts (1)

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The purpose of this series of article is to explain the meaning of words which commonly appear in contracts and other documents written in legal English.

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1. Provided that

This phrase appears frequently in contracts but can be quite difficult to understand because it has two distinct meanings.
First of all “provided that” is used to express a conditional sentence, for example in the following “term” clause from a distribution agreement:

“The Agreement is for an initial term of two years. It will be renewed for further successive periods of two years provided that the Distributor reaches the sales targets which are set out in Schedule 2.”

Here the phrase, “provided that” could be replaced by “if” or “on condition that”.
The second meaning of “provided that” refers to an exception to a main rule. Its use can be illustrated by the following “Place of Work” clause from an employment agreement.

“The Employee shall work four days a week in Brussels and one day a week in London provided that the Employer is entitled to require the Employee to work for seven consecutive Working Days in London by giving the Employee seven days’ prior written notice.”

In the above example, the phrase “provided that” means “but” in order to contrast the normal rule of one day a week in London with the right of the Company to extend the Employee’s work there. Apart from the lack of clarity, as most people associate “provided that” with “if”, the use of this phrase as an exception to a main rule means that the sentence becomes extremely long and difficult to read. It would be better to delete “provided that” and insert a full stop after the words “one day a week in London” so that there are two sentences.

2. Deem

In contracts, the word “deem” is used to create a kind of legal fiction, in other words to treat a thing as being something that it is not, for example in the following Notice” clause:
Any notice required or authorised to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and sent to the Parties at the address as first stated in this Agreement and shall be deemed to have been made as follows:

  • if personally delivered, at the time of delivery
  • if posted by recorded delivery at the expiration of 48 hours or, in the case of air mail, 7 days after the envelope containing the notice is delivered into the custody of the postal authorities.

It is common knowledge that posted letters do not always reach their destination. However, paragraph (b) creates a legal fiction whereby if the sender is able to establish that he has sent the notice in the ways described in the clause, it will be assumed that the recipient received the notice regardless of whether this is in fact true.

The word “deem” often appears with “shall” which is invariably used as a verb of obligation in contracts. Because no obligation is being imposed in the sentence containing the words “shall be deemed”, it is better to replace “shall” with “will”.

Knowing how and when to correctly use common legal terms such as “provided that” or “deem” is necessary when writing a document in legal English. Undertaking a legal English course will help you to gain a better understanding of this specific terminology and allow you to acquire the necessary skills to write proficiently in legal English.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Jan 28

Legal English in Focus: Drafting Commercial Agreements in Plain English

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One of the most common criticisms levelled at agreements drafted by English and American lawyers is that they are extremely difficult to read without an extended knowledge of legal English. Here we will show you several of the factors that make agreements so unreadable and we will suggest some ways in which this can be eliminated by using Plain English.

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The Passive Voice

When sentences are written in the passive, the focus is on the object rather than the subject or the agent of the action. Often, the subject is not even mentioned as in the following phrase:

“The agreement may be terminated in the event of any breach by the Employee.”

There is no reference to the “party” which is entitled to terminate the agreement (although it is implicit that the right belongs to the Employer). The sentence can be written in Plain English by avoiding the passive as follows:

“The Employer may terminate the agreement if the Employee commits a breach.”

The advantage of the active, rather than the passive, is that the focus is on the party which may exercise the right, which is much more emphatic and clearer to read.

Sentence Interruption

Sentence interruption is very common in contract drafting and can make a clause rather confusing and difficult to read. Let’s look at the following example:

“The Licensor is entitled to, by giving the Licensor written notice in the form set out in Schedule 2, audit the financial records of the Licensee.”

The first part of the sentence introduces the Licensor’s right (“is entitled to”) but before we are told the scope of the right, the sentence is interrupted with the condition that has to be fulfilled (the obligation to give notice). By placing the condition to give notice at the end of the sentence like we’ve done below, the interruption is eliminated and the clause becomes much easier to read:

“The Licensor is entitled to audit the financial records of the Licensee, by giving the Licensor written notice in the form set out in Schedule 2.”

However, it is important to note that a small interruption to a sentence does not always make the clause so difficult to read:

“The Company, at its own cost, shall provide the Consultant with the services set out in Schedule 1.”

Here, the interruption “at its own cost” is insignificant. It’s therefore unnecessary to place these words elsewhere in the clause.

Tautology

Tautology means pairs of words that have the same meaning like “null and void”. You should avoid tautology when drafting contracts as one of the words is superfluous and may cause confusion.

A further example of tautology is the phrase “including but not limited to”. The phrase “but not limited to” is superfluous because “including” indicates a non-exhaustive list. However, this phrase is extremely common in contracts where the governing law is English or American law as surprisingly, courts in those countries have interpreted “including” as indicating an exhaustive list. Therefore, drafters of contracts will seek to add the words “but not limited to” to ensure that it refers to a non-exhaustive list but this can cause confusion to readers who are not familiar with the English or American context.

These are just some areas you need to think about when drafting contracts in English. Taking a tailored legal English training course such as Drafting Contracts in English will help you understand these rules and develop your legal English writing skills. A legal English course will give you the required knowledge and tips to help you to write accurately and correctly resulting in accessible, comprehensive and readable legal documents.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Jan 21

Legal English in Focus: Making Requests in Legal Correspondence

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When writing correspondence in legal English, you may have to ask the recipient to do certain things. This could include simple actions such as confirming receipt of the letter or it may entail more time consuming work such as making numerous copies of a document or providing legal advice on a particular topic. In order to achieve the desired response, it is therefore crucial to use appropriate legal English formulas and sentences.

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When making a request in legal correspondence, it is important to take into account a number of relevant factors including:

  • How well you know the recipient
  • How big the request is
  • Whether the recipient is an important person whom you should address more formally.

When the recipient is a very important individual such as a senior partner of a law firm or the CEO of a client, or when the request is quite big, you should consider using elegant and polite expressions such as:

  • “I would be [extremely] grateful if you could review the attached Consequences of Termination clause and suggest appropriate amendments.”
  • “I would appreciate it if you could let me know whether courts in Brazil have the power to award punitive damages.”

When making requests in legal correspondence, it is usually appropriate to make a direct request but using a semi-polite tone like the following example:

  • “Could we possibly fix a meeting, preferably on 12 January, to discuss the draft license agreement?”

The phrases “please send me” or “kindly let me know” are extremely common in legal correspondence. However, you should be extremely careful when using them because when you remove the word “please” they constitute a direct command and can seem rather impolite as a result.

As a rule of thumb, here are some typical legal English phrases and situations when they may be appropriate:

When the recipient has failed to respond send you documents that you had requested some time ago: “More than one month ago I asked you to let me have your estimate for the likely cost of obtaining a licence from the Angolan Ministry of Telecommunications. As our client is anxious to expand its telecommunications in Angola, please send me your estimate by the end of this week.”

When the request is relatively small and will not involve much effort on the part of the recipient: “Please confirm receipt of the enclosed cheque in the amount of £500.”

When the request is made by a company to a wide group of recipients e.g. shareholders: “Kindly confirm whether you wish to attend the general meeting by giving the Secretary of Alpha Limited written notice no later than 20 January 2011.”

These are just a few examples of appropriate requests formulated in legal English. The best way to improve your writing skills for the legal context is by attending a legal English training course. Through exercises and case studies you will develop an understanding of the subtleties of tone and vocabulary used in legal English. With this knowledge and improved legal English writing skills you will avoid lexical mistakes and write more confidently and proficiently.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Jun 29

Learning Legal English in England

Business English Training Courses, English Language Training, Legal English Training Courses 1 Comment »

When searching for a legal English course, it is wise to consider the advantages of following a training course in a country, such as England, where the target language is spoken as a first language by the vast majority of the population.

First, a legal English course in England offers the delegate the advantage of travelling away from his/her place of work. There are therefore fewer possibilities of professional interruptions from the learning process, allowing the delegate to concentrate fully on the course content. The trainee benefits enormously from being able to focus fully on the tasks at hand.

Second, the delegate is completely immersed in the target language. English is not just the language inside but also outside the training room and can be further practised in social situations organised or suggested by the training organisation. Natural practice of the language is essential in increasing confidence and fluency. There is nothing like a social evening in an English pub to encourage conversation.

Third, being on a legal English course in England enables the delegate to visit the local law courts and/or a practising law firm. This type of activity permits the delegate to see legal English being used naturally.

Fourth, by deciding upon England, training organisations should be in a better position to offer the delegate a high-quality course. As the trainer on a legal course should be a practising legal professional as well as a qualified English language trainer (guaranteed by the better training organisations), it is easier for training organisations to find the perfect trainer to match the delegate’s level of English, specific requirements and objectives from the higher number of trainers available in England. .

Learning Legal English in England

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This provision of quality, however, also depends on the delegate doing research and choosing an organisation with a good reputation and credentials. The training organisation should be able to respond to the delegate’s requirements in terms of course content and organisation. The delegate’s language level and objectives should be analysed, for example, before the appropriate trainer is assigned. As far as course organisation is concerned, an example of the kind of flexibility a delegate should expect is that offered by the Culture and Communication Skills Consultancy Communicaid.

All of the above advantages can be possible in a variety of locations in England. Whether the delegate feels more comfortable in a large city or a small town, these advantages remain the same. In addition, travel to England is relatively easy by plane or cross-channel rail and the country is manageable in terms of size. This means that a legal delegate who wishes to attend a training course in the north of the country, for example, is only a few hours away from London in the south.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jun 28

Legal English Course in London

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When choosing a Legal English course, look no further than London. England’s capital city provides a lot of advantages which can only improve the chances that your legal English course is a success.

London is easily accessible from any country in the world. In addition to having four international airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted), the Eurostar rail connection takes you into the centre of London (St Pancras), comfortably and quickly. The underground network and good bus and taxi systems mean that you do not need to worry about not having your car during the stay.

Legal English Course in London

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London offers not just an ideal place to train, but also the possibility of immersing yourself in the target language (English). Out of the training room, you are in contact with English as you pursue the social activities or go on the visits of your choice. Being cut off from your everyday language and daily work tasks enables you to focus solely on the task in hand – the improvement of your legal English. Instead of being an addition to the working week, the legal English course will become your principal activity and will therefore benefit from your undivided attention and energy.

London is the UK’s centre of government, law, commerce and finance. London is also a bustling city which offers an excellent range of bars, restaurants and clubs in addition to being the centre for British theatres and museums. A legal English course in this city provides visits to the law courts and law firms so that you can observe English being used in a legal setting. London is famous for its specialised bookshops and so any publications which might further your professional expertise are readily available.

When choosing your legal English training centre in London, take care to check the credentials of the courses offered. Communicaid’s legal English courses are fully accredited for Continuing Professional Education/Development points by The Law Society of England and Wales and the French Bar Association. References are also essential. Which organisations has the training organisation already worked with? A reputable organisation should cite these on their website.

Flexibility is also key as training organisations need to be able to adapt to the availabilities of their professional trainees as much as possible. Are the legal training courses at the heart of what the training organisation offers, or are they added on as an after-thought in order to capture more of the English language training market? Communicaid, for example, does not limit its choice of programmes to ‘Legal English’ – a catch-all term for a vast area. It offers programmes for legal secretaries, for lawyers, for drafting contracts in English, for those people who work in the fields of intellectual property, corporate finance, construction law and food and drugs administration.

In addition to the above legal English courses, they also design programmes focusing on specific skill areas such as negotiating, advising and advocacy. The training organisation with a professional focus will also guarantee the provision of professional dually-qualified trainers: having one qualification in the legal profession and another as an English language trainer.

In summary, London is an excellent destination for your legal English training requirements.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jun 23

What is Legal English?

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Why does legal English need to be separated from other types of English, such as business English and scientific English? The case is clear for anyone who has had dealings with a lawyer and the law. The language used by trained legal professionals, such as solicitors or barristers or by paralegals, such as legal secretaries and law professors, is very distinct from everyday professional English (commonly referred to as ‘business English’). For this reason there now exist specific legal English examinations: TOLES (Test of Legal English Skills) and the Cambridge ILEC (International Legal English Certificate).

What is Legal English?

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In order to understand these differences, one needs to understand that both Latin and French were used as legal languages before English became the official language of law in Britain in the 17th Century. By this time, a substantial amount of earlier vocabulary had already become part of legal usage and is used today (Latin phrases such as ‘mens’ and ‘rea’ and French loanwords such as ‘lien’, plaintiff’ and ‘tort’). Learning the vocabulary of legal English is not enough, however, as the style of legal writing refers back to these complex origins as well. Sentences are often long and contain very complex grammatical structures, which are not used in any other form of English. All of this language needs to be practised in context so that the learner is sure of how to communicate appropriately in different situations.

The complexities of this style of writing are most pertinently conveyed by a qualified legal professional; not only for these purely grammatical and lexical considerations but also because there are such things to consider that go above and beyond the spheres of vocabulary and grammar. Examples of these areas are: the varying levels of formality to use when addressing different audiences and the need to write documents that are ‘airtight’. There also exists the overriding concern that this writing should be, in spite of its technical complexity, clear, simple and direct. In addition to satisfying linguistic requirements, a qualified legal professional would also be able to give the delegate more of a feel for the culture of the legal profession in question. Anecdotes and advice are an invaluable source of knowledge.

A legal English course is therefore best delivered by a professional with qualifications in the legal field. This, however, does not necessarily lead to a well-structured, pedagogically-sound course. The second requirement would be that this professional person needs to be a qualified trainer as well. Knowing your subject and knowing how to train it are not the same. How to adapt to the delegate’s exact needs and his/her learning style, how to create easy to understand, interesting, rounded training sessions and how to create delegate-friendly material are some of the additional concerns that a qualified trainer would bring to the training course.

It is therefore essential that a potential delegate does his research before deciding upon a legal English training course and makes sure that his future trainer is dual-qualified. An example of a training organisation which only employs dual-qualified legal English trainers, lawyers as well as qualified English language trainers, is the Culture and Skills Consultancy Communicaid. If the training organisation you make enquiries to does not clearly state this fact and can not provide credentials, then it is highly probable that the training course will be lacking in several of the above-mentioned key areas.

© Communicaid Group Ltd.2010

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Jun 17

Learning Legal English in France

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Following a legal English course in France is a training option which should be seriously considered by companies in France. Why send your employees to an English-speaking country such as England or the USA when they can be trained in the comfort of their own offices? Finding a legal English course in France has never been easier now that training companies such as Communicaid offer such flexibility that courses can be adapted to the logistical requirements of the delegate.

Learning Legal English in France

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The English language teaching industry is becoming increasingly flexible as a service-provider. It was previously only possible to learn English in certain training centres and these were usually situated in larger towns. After that, immersions became very popular with companies providing the budgets and the time to send their employees to the target language country.

Now, there exists the added possibility of receiving the trainer in your own office, wherever you are in France. This is the ideal choice for professionals who are unable to leave their workplace unattended for long periods of time in order to follow a course. It also brings the trainer into direct contact with the reality of the delegate’s professional situation, therefore providing the trainer with obvious opportunities to adapt the legal English course content to precisely what the delegate requires. Authentic legal materials are at hand and the real-life working environment allows the trainer to experience and ‘feel’ the delegate’s needs.

It is also possible to gain an internationally-recognised legal English qualification in France. The University of Cambridge ILEC (International Legal English Certificate) can be taken in about 13 different examination centres in France ranging from Paris to Marseilles. The TOLES (Test of Legal English skills) can now be taken in Paris with Communicaid.

The quality of a legal English course, whether in France or England, depends essentially on the trainer and such factors as his/her knowledge of the subject matter, experience in the legal profession and ability to transfer knowledge effectively and efficiently. The immersion factor is not so important as the delegate is most probably particularly interested in specific terminology and skills directly related to legal English and not in the additional ‘benefits’ of an immersion course (everyday English terms, idioms, pronunciation differences, slang, cultural experiences, etc). An effective trainer is a mobile trainer who is not necessarily attached to a training room in a certain city. He/she can be flown from London to Paris, for example, to deliver courses on agreed-upon dates.

As pressure on workers’ time increases, French companies will be very interested in the possibility of their employees following an legal English training course in France, delivered by a qualified, experienced legal professional. The increased flexibility of the service provided by the language training industry has brought the training closer to both the delegate’s office and his/her needs and objectives.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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