Unit 1
Adapted: to adapt is to change (in order to meet particular needs), for instance “adapt an
entrance so that wheelchair users have better access”
Backed: to back means to support, to be in favour of
Barrister: a lawyer (in the UK) who is entitled to plead before higher (as well as lower) courts
Case work: discussion of genuine law cases from the past (or fictitious cases made up by the
teachers)
Charity: an organisation which tries to improve the situation of certain people or groups, such as
Oxfam and Amnesty International.
Clerical work: administrative work
Common language: language that we have in common, that we share
Company secretary: senior manager in a company who is responsible for the way in which day-
to-day processes within the company are organised
Compliance officer: a person employed by a company, whose job it is to make sure that the
company obeys all the laws which apply to it (after Cambridge online dictionary)
Constitution: the basic set of laws of a country, which define how the country is organized
Contemporary legal issues: present-day legal issues (topics, subjects)
Conveyancing: the legal aspects to changing the ownership of property or land from one person
to another (after Cambridge online dictionary)
Diploma: note that in the UK (and most English speaking countries) a diploma is a lower type of
certification than a “degree” such as a bachelor’s degree
Drink-driving: driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcoholic drinks. The laws on drink
driving differ from one country to another.
equity and trusts: property law
Governing (in: laws governing the possession of firearms) means: having power on, concerning
Harm: when a person is hurt
Highly regarded: which people look up to (so, which they find very good)
Illegal, unlawful, against the law, illegitimate, illicit: against the law, breaking the law, in
contravention of the law
,Key legal developments: most important developments in the law
Key: most important (in: key issues, key legislation, etc)
Law clinic: organisation in which students give (free) legal advice, under the supervision of
teachers
Law: the system of rules of a country which regulate the general behaviour of the people and the
organisations within that society”
Lawless: having or accepting no law(s). E.g. ‘The Wild West was largely a lawless society.’
Layman: a person who is not a specialist
Legal Executive: someone whose job it is to work on legal cases in a law firm but who is not a
qualified lawyer (Cambridge online dictionary)
Legislative process: the process of making laws
Liability: he fact that someone is legally responsible for something (Cambridge online dictionary)
Litigation: the process of bringing a case before the court (as well as the court case itself)
Mock courtroom: a simulation of a courtroom, which looks just like a real courtroom but is used by
students in exercises called mock court or moot court (these are synonyms)
Moot competition: a competition where moot courts are organized in a competitive form
Perks (or perquisites): fringe benefits, benefits in kind, employee benefits. Various types of
benefits given to employees instead of wages. These may be housing, public transport passes,
company shares, etc.
Postcolonial theory: the approach (in many fields of academia, such as the law) which does not
start from a Eurocentrered, imperialist and colonialist point of view
Postgraduate course: a program that is only available for students who already have a bachelor’s
degree
Preliminary: something which comes before the main thing; it may be meant as an introduction or
preparation for the main event.
Pro bono society: student organisation which gives free (pro bono means gratis, free) assistance,
such as legal counsel
Qualification: a degree which makes one qualified (entitled) to carry out a job (e.g. a qualified
nurse is a person who has a degree in nursing)
Qualifying law degree: a degree which is needed to be allowed to move on to the next stage,
namely the vocational training to become a barrister or solicitor
, Queer theory: the approach (in many fields of academia, such as the law) which does not start
from a heteronormative standpoint
Referenced: to reference is to give the information which shows what source you have used
(synonym: to give a reference)
Regulated provider: someone who provides particular services, for which there is a specific
regulation (such as, for solicitors, doctors, accountants and so on)
Solicitor: a lawyer (in the UK) who represents clients (but cannot plead in higher courts)
Supportive: helping, giving assistance and support
The Legal Services Act 2007: the Act (law) which regulates the legal professions
the Union: the EU
Thoroughly: in a thorough, deep way
To advise: to give advice
To assist: to help
To be grounded in: to have its foundations in; to be based on
To boast: to be proud that you have something (The university boasts a wide-ranging curriculum)
To emphasise: to stress, to draw particular attention to
To enforce: to make people follow (the law). A police officer is often called a law enforcement
officer
To enhance: to make better, to increase
To impose a law on smoking: to make a law which sets out rules about smoking (who is allowed
to smoke, where one is allowed to smoke and so on)
To partake in: take part in
To qualify: to possess the qualification needed
To rule: to say in an official judgement (also called a ruling)
To specialise in an area of law: note that the verb “to specialize” is not “reflexive” (as it is in
Dutch) – so * NOT “I specialize myself in …” BUT “I specialize in …”
tort law: law about wrongs which are not criminal but which are dealt with in a civil court