Legal English
Code
MM130
Department
Área de Ensino
Credits
4
Teacher in charge
William Sheehy
Weekly hours
3
Teaching language
Português
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will have acquired substantial skills in using technical English as lawyers capable of thinking about law in English and dealing in English with various areas of law, including: contract formation, breach of contracts and appropriate remedies, assignments of contracts, third party rights in respect of contracts, various torts, and substantial aspects of property law and criminal law.
Subject matter
1. Weeks 1 and 2
A. "English for Law", 22 page short course in Legal Terminology
B. Chapter 5-Contracts: Contract Formation
2. Weeks 3 and 4
Chapter 5-Contracts: Contract Formation (Continued)
3. Weeks 5 and 6
A. Current Events Discussion--Topics to be assigned at the end of Week Four
B. Crimes and Civil Wrongs
4. Weeks 7 and 8
Chapter 6-Contracts: Remedies
5. Weeks 9 and 10
A. Law and Order--Readings, discussion, and drafting based on material to be provide to students in class
B. Chapter 7-Contracts: Assignments and Third Party Rights
6. Weeks 11 and 12
A. Chapter 7-Contracts: Assignments and Third Party Rights
B. Chapter 11-Intellectual Property
7. Weeks 13 and 14
A. Chapter 11-Intellectual Property (Continued)
B. Review of CourseBibliography
"International Legal English" by Amy Krois-Lindner, published by Cambridge University Press, and available at the campus bookstore. "Introduction to Legal English", a collection of exercises copies of which will be sent by e-mail to students who should print out the 22 page document.
Teaching method
To achieve the goal of training students in the accurate use of Englsh in the legal context, we will use the Socratic methodology in every class---students will be asked questions regarding appropriate use of legal terminology and will also be expected to pose their own questions and raise their own issues in connection with a rigorous dialogue between professor and student.