Reading 2. Solicitors and Barristers

 

Traditionally, if a person has a legal problem, the first point of contact with the law in the UK is a solicitor. A solicitor listens to the client, explains the legal position and offers legal advice. A solicitor is a member of the legal profession, who is qualified to provide legal assistance, deal with conveyancing, draw up wills, draft legal documents etc.

A barrister is a specialist with particular skills in advocacy, who examines the case and decides what line to take in court. A barrister has the “right of audience” i.e. presents the case before the judge (and jury). So, the general difference between a barrister and a solicitor is that a solicitor handles legal matters outside of court while a barrister handles legal matters in court.

Nowadays, the majority of civil cases are tried in lower (county) courts and are dealt with by solicitors. Cases of higher value (£ 50.000 or above) are tried in the High Court and are handled by barristers.

In the past, barristers didn’t deal with the public directly. Conversely, the public may now hire and interact with a barrister directly in certain types of work without going to a solicitor first.               

 

Exercise 6. Continue the glossary

 

1. to explain legal position	разъяснять правовую позицию
2. to draw up wills	состовлять завещания
3. conveyancing
4.
5.

 

Exercise 7. Decide if the statements are true (T) or false (F), correct the false ones.

 

1. The first point of contact with the law for a client is a barrister.

2. The solicitor drafts legal documents including conveyances.

3. The barrister presents a case and represents a client in higher courts.

4. The majority of civil cases are heard in the High Court.

5. Barristers only see the client in the company of a solicitor.

 

Exercise 8. Answer the following questions.

 

1. What do solicitors do?

2. What do barristers do?

3. What is the general difference between a solicitor and                               a barrister?

4. How has the role of a solicitor/barrister changed?

 

Reading 3. A lawyer’s curriculum vitae (CV).

 

Complete the following CV with the headings from the box.

1.Education 2.E-mail 3.Skills 4.Address 5.Work experience 6.Nationality 7.Interests 8.Date of birth 9.References

Curriculum vitae

Paul J. Grant

________ Ziegelstr. 13c, 199 Berlin ________ British

________ pjgrant@uv.hu-berlin.de ________ 29 May 1992

2015-present   _______________	Humboldt University of Berlin Master’s programme in International Dispute Resolution (LLM) Course covers the legal aspects of International Trade and Arbitration.
2010-2014 _______________	Kent University, Canterbury, UK LLB course included all the core legal subjects (Foundations) with a focus on Contract law, common law, land law and EU law.
May 2014- February 2015 _______________	Legal Assistant with the London Court of International Arbitration. Drafting opinions dealing with shipping                     and commodities disputes.
Summers                     2011-2014          _______________	Internships at a big commercial law firm, Walker & Ofner, LLP, Cambridge, UK Liaison with clients, assistance in daily activities and trial preparation, conducting legal research.
Languages                    Computing      ____________ _______________	Native English speaker; fluent in German Proficient in Word, Windows Strong research and writing skills Badminton, travelling, English poetry References are available upon request.
______________

Exercise 9. Answer the following questions about Paul J. Grant

· Where did he complete his first degree?

· What is he doing now?

· What languages does he speak?

· Where did he work in summer 2012?

· What were his responsibilities at the London Court of International Arbitration?

 

Exercise 10. Write your own CV.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Revision

1. What are the stages of legal education in the UK?

2. What are the two branches of the English legal profession?

What is the general difference between them?

3. Speak about your studies of law.

 

 

Recommended literature

1. Krois-Linder A., Firth M., Introduction to International Legal English. – Cambridge University Press, 2009.

2. Krois-Linder A., International Legal English. – Cambridge University Press, 2006.

3. Smith T., Market leader. Business law. Business English. –Longman Pearson Education Ltd., 2009.

4. Cotton D., Falvey D., Kent S., Market Leader. Business English. - Longman Pearson Education Ltd., 2009.

5. Powell R., Law Today. – Longman, 20

Unit 3. Constitutional Law

Reading 1. Glossary

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