Welcome to ERA – Academy of European Law

Course objectives

This course is designed for speakers of English at an intermediate level or above who have a particular interest in the language of the law.

The principal objectives are:

• to expand participants' knowledge of legal English terminology;
• to encourage participants to write in a clear, effective style; and
• to allow participants to practise and improve their writing skills.

The terminology of the law constitutes the central focus of this course, which explores a wide range of legal vocabulary, from contract and tort to company law and crime. Participants are asked to work collaboratively on language tasks, enabling them to pool resources and making the learning process more rewarding and enjoyable.
 
The modern trend in English legal writing is to avoid the wordy, old-fashioned style with its unnecessary complexity and archaic language. Participants are encouraged to discover for themselves how to write in a way that is clear, accurate and easy to understand using the 'plain English' style that has become the professional standard.
 
As the course is designed to be of practical use to people working in the legal profession, participants will have the opportunity to practise their writing skills in a variety of contexts, from writing a letter of advice to drafting clauses in a contract. The trainer is on hand at all times to act as a guide and adviser, suggesting ways in which participants' writing can be improved.