Legal English is a different language from general English. Just as lawyers in any particular country write in a different language from other people in that country, so do English lawyers. Sentences are often structured differently in legal English.
The words lawyers use are often centuries old and no longer commonly used in general English. New prepositions must be learned and practiced. When reading a commercial contract or a letter, there is new technical vocabulary to understand on every page.
This course is designed to look at authentic rather than artificial legal context. For this reason, there is a strong focus upon practical and authentic tasks, and upon candidates having a good grasp of terminology from the outset.
The course takes account of significant language reforms in the English legal system and the legal profession’s continued movement towards clearer use of English as recommended on Legal Practice courses at all major UK universities and legal training centers.
The Test of English Legal English Skills (TOLES) governing body is a member of the International Division of the Law Society of England and Wales. Multi-national companies such as Allen & Overy LLP, Baker and McKenzie, PWC, KPMG, Sony Ericsson, European Court of Justice, European Central Bank and many more use TOLES training and exams to prepare their law professionals whose first language is not English for the international legal challenges.
On the final day of the course, participants will take their TOLES Exam to earn the TOLES Foundation Certificate in Legal English Skills.
