PLEAD

In cooperation with Cambridge University Press and Boston University

Program for Legal English Academic Development

PLEAD is a high-quality, 15-unit, 'blended learning' Legal English course for lawyers and law students, combining online training with the world's leading Legal English coursebook. The course provides a basic vocabulary in 10 areas of general commercial law. PLEAD is the result of a unique cooperation between Cambridge University Press, the Boston University School of Law, The Boston University Center for English Language and Orientation Programs and TransLegal. PLEAD is used by universities, language schools, bar associations and law firms around the world. Each PLEAD package consists of an International Legal English coursebook and a one-year single-user license for the PLEAD online course. read more

• 

You get an online course + the world's bestselling Legal English coursebook

PLEAD has an online element and a coursebook element. The online course expands upon the vocabulary taught in the coursebook, presenting key Legal English terminology in short reading and listening passages. The key vocabulary in each passage is linked to a glossary with a definition of each term and a recording of the word used in a sentence, allowing you to hear the correct pronunciation of the term and to see how it is commonly used in another context. The exercises which follow each reading or listening passage include multiple choice, fill-in-the-blanks, true-false and matching exercises that are designed to help you learn the vocabulary through context, testing and reinforcement. All of your results are stored in a database which you can access at any time to monitor your progress. The coursebook uses legal texts to present and practise legal language developing the four key skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Choose between the basic, professional and live versions

PLEAD can be used either as a self-study tool (basic version) or with a private TransLegal lawyer-linguist tutor (professional version) or as part of a live course given by a language school in your city (live version). Language schools around the world use TransLegal's coursebooks and course materials to train lawyers and law students in Legal English. For a list of language schools offering PLEAD courses, click here.

Duration of the course

The basic version of the course provides 30 hours of online self-study. The course book, International Legal English, provides a further 90-110 hours of self-study material. An additional 30 hours of Internet research tasks and vocabulary quizzes related to the course book is also available at no extra charge. The professional version of the course includes a further 7.5 hours of private instruction by a TransLegal lawyer-linguist instructor who is assigned as your personal tutor. For the duration of live courses, please contact the language school directly. The International Legal English coursebook features:

1. Authentic legal texts
2. 2 CDs with hours of recordings for listening exercises
3. Authentic case studies allowing learners to consolidate and practise what they have learnt
4. Exam preparation for the Cambridge International Legal English Certificate (ILEC), including practice tasks, exam tips and a practice ILEC paper supplied by Cambridge ESOL

Course contents

Company Law I, II & III The vocabulary involved in the formation, management, capitalisation and fundamental changes of companies (examples: corporate veil, articles of association, fiduciary duty, pre-emption rights, liquidation) Contract Law I, II & III Key terminology of contracts covering formation, remedies, assignment and third-party rights (examples: consideration, counter-offer, liquidated damages, privity, vested) Employment Law Teaches the language of the law of employer-employee relationships (examples: dismissal, redundancy, collective bargaining, discrimination) Sale of Goods Dealing with the vocabulary of sales of goods (examples: warranties, merchantability, disclaimer, title) Real Property Key terminology of transactions involving land (examples: tenancy, statute of frauds, easement, mortgage) Intellectual Property The essential vocabulary used to describe copyrights, patents and trademarks (examples: fair use, injunction, passing off, holder) Negotiable Instruments The language involved in discussing intangible rights of payment (examples:promissory note, bearer paper, holder in due course, debenture) Secured Transactions Terminology related to security interests (examples: fixed vs. floating charge, pledge, attachment) Debtor-Creditor Law The language used in discussing debt and remedies available to creditors (examples: perfection, priority, lien) Competition Law Essential vocabulary for matters relating to competition law rules (examples: abuse of a dominant position, tie-in, barrier to entry) Final Examination Comprehensive test of the vocabulary taught

PLEAD for universities, law firms, bar associations and language schools

Universities PLEAD can assist law and language faculties throughout the world to offer Legal English training to law students. PLEAD can begin with a needs analysis of the university law or language faculty, including the number of students, the availability of Legal English teachers, current English levels, the university’s budget for the program, the availability of law courses in English, and the availability of local legal materials in English (dictionaries, legislation in translation, law study materials). Thereafter, a proposal can be produced together with the law or language faculty and its Legal English teachers, if any, based upon a compilation of local language materials, the interface between PLEAD and local materials, a blend of online, self-study, and live training, and the need for teacher training. The law or language faculty's own Legal English teachers implement PLEAD based upon a program outline produced together with TransLegal. This outline (the PLEAD Statement) is a handbook for teachers on how to teach Legal English courses using the International Legal English coursebook, the online courses, and local materials. One and two-day teacher training seminars are also available to help the university's teachers better understand the materials and the program. Finally, an annual follow-up of results is carried out together with the law or language faculty to make any necessary changes or improvements prior to the next academic year. Law firms and companies PLEAD can assist law firms and companies offer Legal English training to their lawyers through a language program including testing, live instruction and distance learning. Bar associations PLEAD can assist bar associations and law societies throughout the world to offer Legal English training to lawyers. The Swedish Bar Association, and the Milan and Parma Bar Associations are examples of bar associations that have provided PLEAD to their members. Language schools As a language school, you can offer Legal English training using PLEAD to law firms, companies, universities, bar associations, government departments, etc. as well as to individual lawyers and law students. PLEAD can be taught using classroom training provided by teachers at the language school. Since PLEAD is a blended learning course, you can offer the course comprising the following elements: • Live instruction – you can provide live classroom training using the best-selling Legal English coursebook International Legal English, developing the four key skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. • Online course – students obtain a license for the online course for one year which can be used for self-study purposes to develop reading and listening skills and to supplement the vocabulary and teaching materials contained in the coursebook. If your language school is offering Legal English training using PLEAD and you would like to be added to the list of language schools around the world that offer PLEAD (PLEAD language schools), please contact us at plead@translegal.com.