Legal English
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Legal Professions & Branches of the Law.....................................................3
Legal Professions in UK.............................................................................3
Solicitor..................................................................................................3
Solicitor Advocate..................................................................................3
Barrister.................................................................................................3
King’s Council (KC) (“silk”).....................................................................4
Prosecutor..............................................................................................4
Judge......................................................................................................5
Magistrate..............................................................................................5
Notary....................................................................................................5
Paralegal / Legal executive....................................................................6
Legal Professions in Scotland....................................................................6
Advocate................................................................................................6
Senior Advocate.....................................................................................7
Solicitor advocate..................................................................................7
Procurator fiscal.....................................................................................7
Sherrif....................................................................................................8
JP............................................................................................................8
Legal professions in US.............................................................................9
Attorney (Attorney-at-law).....................................................................9
Prosecutor..............................................................................................9
Judge....................................................................................................10
Magistrate............................................................................................10
Notary..................................................................................................10
Paralegal..............................................................................................11
Branches of the Law...............................................................................11
Legal English: Court Systems.....................................................................12
1
, Court System in the UK...........................................................................12
Court System in the US...........................................................................16
Legal English: Public International Law & Human Rights...........................18
Public International Law (PIL)..................................................................18
Case 1: Legal Consequences of the Separation of the Chagos
Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965.....................................................20
Case 2: Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua
(Nicaragua vs US)................................................................................21
Case 3: Corfu Channel (UK vs Albania)................................................22
Human Rights.........................................................................................22
Case 1: R (AAA and others) vs Secretary of State for the Home
Department.........................................................................................24
Case 2: Carpenter vs US......................................................................24
Legal English: Family Law..........................................................................25
Company law.............................................................................................27
Companies and their practices...............................................................27
Contract Law..............................................................................................29
Specific Contract Language....................................................................30
Employment law........................................................................................31
Tort law.......................................................................................................33
Purpose of and remedies in Tort Law......................................................34
2
,LEGAL PROFESSIONS & BRANCHES OF THE LAW
LEGAL PROFESSIONS IN UK
SOLICITOR
WHAT?
Interacts with clients + preparatory role
Qualifies via SQE (=Solicitor Qualifying Examination) + QWE (Qualifiying Work
Experience)
TASKS?
Advice, transactions, litigation prep, analyses issues
RIGHT OF AUDIENCE?
Lower Courts
SOLICITOR ADVOCATE
WHAT?
Solicitor with Higher Rights of Audience (criminal/civil)
TASKS?
Advocacy in Higher Courts
RIGHT OF AUDIENCE?
Higher courts per accreditation
BARRISTER
WHAT?
Specialist advocate; independent bar; pupillage then tenancy; instructed by
solicitors
3
, TASKS?
Oral advocacy, written opinions
RIGHT OF AUDIENCE?
Full rights in higher courts
KING’S COUNCIL (KC) (“SILK”)
WHAT?
Senior barrister appointed following selection, highly specialized
TASKS?
Leading advocacy (complex/ high-profile trial & appellate work), opinions
RIGHT OF AUDIENCE?
Full: senior rank
Those are the people who defend -> following don’t
PROSECUTOR
WHAT?
20% CPS (Cronc Prosecution Service)
80% Self-employed barristers, solicitor advocates
TASKS?
Brings criminal vases for the state
4
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Legal Professions & Branches of the Law.....................................................3
Legal Professions in UK.............................................................................3
Solicitor..................................................................................................3
Solicitor Advocate..................................................................................3
Barrister.................................................................................................3
King’s Council (KC) (“silk”).....................................................................4
Prosecutor..............................................................................................4
Judge......................................................................................................5
Magistrate..............................................................................................5
Notary....................................................................................................5
Paralegal / Legal executive....................................................................6
Legal Professions in Scotland....................................................................6
Advocate................................................................................................6
Senior Advocate.....................................................................................7
Solicitor advocate..................................................................................7
Procurator fiscal.....................................................................................7
Sherrif....................................................................................................8
JP............................................................................................................8
Legal professions in US.............................................................................9
Attorney (Attorney-at-law).....................................................................9
Prosecutor..............................................................................................9
Judge....................................................................................................10
Magistrate............................................................................................10
Notary..................................................................................................10
Paralegal..............................................................................................11
Branches of the Law...............................................................................11
Legal English: Court Systems.....................................................................12
1
, Court System in the UK...........................................................................12
Court System in the US...........................................................................16
Legal English: Public International Law & Human Rights...........................18
Public International Law (PIL)..................................................................18
Case 1: Legal Consequences of the Separation of the Chagos
Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965.....................................................20
Case 2: Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua
(Nicaragua vs US)................................................................................21
Case 3: Corfu Channel (UK vs Albania)................................................22
Human Rights.........................................................................................22
Case 1: R (AAA and others) vs Secretary of State for the Home
Department.........................................................................................24
Case 2: Carpenter vs US......................................................................24
Legal English: Family Law..........................................................................25
Company law.............................................................................................27
Companies and their practices...............................................................27
Contract Law..............................................................................................29
Specific Contract Language....................................................................30
Employment law........................................................................................31
Tort law.......................................................................................................33
Purpose of and remedies in Tort Law......................................................34
2
,LEGAL PROFESSIONS & BRANCHES OF THE LAW
LEGAL PROFESSIONS IN UK
SOLICITOR
WHAT?
Interacts with clients + preparatory role
Qualifies via SQE (=Solicitor Qualifying Examination) + QWE (Qualifiying Work
Experience)
TASKS?
Advice, transactions, litigation prep, analyses issues
RIGHT OF AUDIENCE?
Lower Courts
SOLICITOR ADVOCATE
WHAT?
Solicitor with Higher Rights of Audience (criminal/civil)
TASKS?
Advocacy in Higher Courts
RIGHT OF AUDIENCE?
Higher courts per accreditation
BARRISTER
WHAT?
Specialist advocate; independent bar; pupillage then tenancy; instructed by
solicitors
3
, TASKS?
Oral advocacy, written opinions
RIGHT OF AUDIENCE?
Full rights in higher courts
KING’S COUNCIL (KC) (“SILK”)
WHAT?
Senior barrister appointed following selection, highly specialized
TASKS?
Leading advocacy (complex/ high-profile trial & appellate work), opinions
RIGHT OF AUDIENCE?
Full: senior rank
Those are the people who defend -> following don’t
PROSECUTOR
WHAT?
20% CPS (Cronc Prosecution Service)
80% Self-employed barristers, solicitor advocates
TASKS?
Brings criminal vases for the state
4
