Narrowing the Gap: Legal English for the New International Legal Practitioner, Kevin J. Fandl, American Bar Association ($71/book or $55/e-book; available in English or Spanish).

 

This concise guide provides instruction for foreign legal practitioners or advanced LLM students on the basics of the U.S. legal system and the process of legal reasoning, using substantive topics in U.S. law as example.

Using an innovative learning process, you'll be exposed to legal concepts in your system and language, and those same concepts in the U.S. legal system. This engaging book will help you develop confidence in the use of terms and concepts that are frequently used in the U.S. legal system. You'll find expert guidance on topics like summarizing key U.S. legal decisions, researching caselaw online, appealing judgments, and preparing case summaries for a client or partner. The guide addresses each concept using plain English language and, where appropriate, giving examples of concepts in practice to strengthen the reader's understanding.

Narrowing the Gap also provides special focus on contracts, torts, and trade law. In these areas, you'll find an outline of the law in the U.S., as well as central concepts of relevance to that area of law today. In addition, the book illustrates the pitfalls that a foreign legal practitioner can encounter when working in these areas of U.S. law to help them approach these cases with a cautious eye to detail. 

Lost in Translation: Effective Legal Writing for the International Legal Community, Kevin J. Fandl, LexisNexis ($50/book or $40/ebook; available in English).

 

A globalized law market necessarily implies cross-border legal communications. Whether it is a non-U.S. attorney providing legal guidance to a U.S. firm, or an English speaking client located overseas receiving that advice directly, there is a rapidly growing need for foreign legal practitioners to communicate their legal ideas in English. It is essential that this advice be communicated effectively so as to maintain the meaning of their words and to properly counsel their client or colleague. Mistakes in translation, grammar, style, and form may not only misconstrue the intended advice - they can lead to unwanted actions and even frustration of the intent of the guidance.

The focus of Lost in Translation: Effective Legal Writing for the International Legal Community is on providing clear solutions to common errors present in the legal writing of foreign legal practitioners and law students. This book is designed in an accessible format with samples of legal correspondence, contracts, case briefs, and citations to allow the reader to obtain thorough explanations and clear guidance for all of their drafting needs.

On-site Legal and Business Consulting/ Training 

STAY CONNECTED