English for Special Purposes

Law English

Legal workplace English for client intake, privilege, litigation, discovery, contracts, compliance, settlement, and advocacy.

  • 8 modules
  • 64 field terms
  • Interactive practice

Printable Curriculum

Download the full materials

Web Practice Lab

Practice the decisions, not only the vocabulary

Use the activities below to rehearse how a professional in this field clarifies risk, pushes back, and turns pressure into a concrete next step.

Module Focus

    Scenario Coach

    Respond under pressure

    Jargon Flashcard

    Pushback Builder

    Build a four-step response

    Dialogue Coach

    Model line

    Language notes

      Progress

      Practice checklist

      0 of 4 complete

      Student PDF in Web Form

      Module map

      Open Participant Workbook PDF
      1

      Legal English Mindset: Facts, Issues, Rules, Risk

      Legal English is precise because legal work turns on small distinctions: fact vs allegation, argument vs holding, risk vs conclusion, and client goal vs legal theory.

      Jurisdiction, Venue, Complaint, Answer

      2

      Client Intake, Scope, Conflicts, and Confidentiality

      The first conversation can create legal, ethical, and business risk. Legal professionals must gather facts, preserve confidentiality, check conflicts, define scope, and avoid premature promises.

      Motion, Order, Judgment, Appeal

      3

      Litigation Lifecycle: Pleadings, Motions, Deadlines, Strategy

      Litigation conversations are shaped by procedure. Learners need language for complaints, answers, affirmative defenses, motions, orders, discovery, settlement, trial, judgment, and appeal.

      Discovery, Deposition, Interrogatory, Request for production

      4

      Discovery, ESI, Privilege Review, and Depositions

      Discovery is language-heavy and risk-heavy. Teams must negotiate scope, preserve evidence, collect ESI, review privilege, prepare witnesses, and object without becoming unprofessional.

      Privilege, Work product, Admissible, Burden of proof

      5

      Legal Research, Authority, and Memo Writing

      Legal writing requires a hierarchy of authority and disciplined reasoning. A persuasive answer shows the issue, rule, relevant facts, contrary authority, and practical recommendation.

      Authority, Binding authority, Persuasive authority, Precedent

      6

      Contracts, Redlines, and Negotiation

      Contract English is technical and strategic. Learners need to discuss obligations, risk allocation, remedies, negotiation posture, and business fallback positions.

      Holding, Dicta, Standard of review, Distinguish

      7

      Corporate, Compliance, Regulatory, and Investigation Language

      In-house and regulatory legal work often requires risk judgment under imperfect facts. Learners need language for materiality, disclosure, due diligence, governance, investigation, remediation, and enforcement.

      Confidentiality, Attorney-client privilege, Conflict of interest, Informed consent

      8

      Advocacy, Settlement, Ethics, and Professional Judgment

      Legal professionals need persuasive language that stays accurate, ethical, and client-centered. Strong advocacy does not mean overclaiming; strong settlement posture does not mean hiding risk from the client.

      Engagement letter, Retainer, Waiver, Scope of representation

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