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ELOQUAEnglish Language Institute
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ELOQUA · Professional

Legal English for Specific Purposes

Terminology, drafting, correspondence and advocacy — sixty mapped hours for lawyers and law students working in English.

LevelCEFR B2–C1
Guided learning hours 60 hours
Duration20 weeks · 3 × 1 hour per week
Independent study30 hours recommended
DeliveryOnline — synchronous live sessions and asynchronous tasks
Recommended class size8–15 learners
Entry requirementsCEFR B2 to C1. This is an upper-intermediate to advanced course: the reading is authentic legal text from the first module, and learners below B2 will not get value from it. We assess level before enrolling you and will say so if a general or business course would serve you better first.
On completionELOQUA Certificate in Legal English, issued on completion of the graded assessments and the Module 10 capstone.

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

CLO1
Use core legal terminology, Latin maxims and legal collocations accurately in spoken and written communication. (Apply)
CLO2
Read, interpret and summarise authentic legal documents — contracts, statutes, case law and pleadings. (Analyse)
CLO3
Draft basic legal documents, clauses and professional legal correspondence with appropriate register and precision. (Create)
CLO4
Communicate effectively and diplomatically with clients and colleagues in legal advisory contexts. (Apply)
CLO5
Participate confidently in legal spoken discourse, including negotiations, meetings and courtroom-style exchanges. (Apply)
CLO6
Compare and discuss features of common law and civil law systems using appropriate terminology. (Evaluate)
CLO7
Deliver clear, well-structured oral presentations and case analyses on legal topics. (Create)

Scope & sequence

UnitFocusLanguage Resources & activities Skills CLOs AssessmentHours
1. Foundations of Legal English & Legal Systems Introduction to legal English register; common law vs. civil law; sources of law; court hierarchy; key legal actors (judge, counsel, plaintiff, defendant). Formal, archaic and Latin-influenced vocabulary; register rewriting ELOQUA Legal English Glossary (Unit 1); video lecture "Common Law vs. Civil Law"; BBC Learning English legal clips; comparative infographic; discussion forum. Module 1 Handbook available in an Oman edition. Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking CLO1, CLO6 Diagnostic quiz (terminology); oral warm-up discussion (formative) 6
2. Legal Vocabulary & Latin Terminology Latin maxims (habeas corpus, bona fide, prima facie, pro bono, ex parte); legal doublets and triplets; formal vs. plain English; false friends in legal English. Latin maxims in context; collocation; doublets and triplets ELOQUA vocabulary flashcard deck; Black’s Law Dictionary excerpts; interactive matching exercise; authentic news articles using legal terms Reading, Writing CLO1 Vocabulary quiz (20 items); gap-fill worksheet 6
3. Reading & Interpreting Legal Documents Structure of contracts and statutes; interpreting clauses; identifying obligations, rights and conditions; statutory language conventions. Statutory conventions; defined terms; cross-reference language Sample contract excerpts (NDA, lease agreement); annotated statute reading; ELOQUA reading comprehension worksheet; online legal corpus (sample clauses database) Reading CLO2, CLO1 Reading comprehension task; clause-identification exercise (graded) 6
4. Contract Law English Contract terminology (offer, acceptance, consideration, breach, indemnity); drafting and reviewing clauses; conditional and modal language in contracts. shall / may / must; conditionals; obligation and permission Contract templates; ELOQUA drafting workshop slides; Purdue OWL legal writing guide; peer-review contract clause activity Reading, Writing CLO1, CLO2, CLO3 Clause-drafting assignment (graded rubric) 6
5. Legal Correspondence & Client Communication Formal letters, demand letters and client emails; tone, hedging and diplomacy in legal writing; explaining legal concepts to lay clients. Register calibration; hedging; diplomatic softening Sample demand letters and client emails; email register comparison chart; role-play client consultation script; ELOQUA writing lab Writing, Speaking CLO3, CLO4 Written correspondence task (letter/email); role-play (peer-assessed) 6
6. Legal Writing — Drafting Documents Drafting affidavits, memos and legal briefs; precision, clarity and avoiding ambiguity; cohesion devices in legal writing. Nominalisation; passive voice; cohesion and reference Legal memo templates; annotated model brief; ELOQUA style guide for legal drafting; grammar-focused mini-lessons Writing, Reading CLO2, CLO3 Draft legal memo (rubric-based assessment) 6
7. Negotiation & Meetings in Legal Contexts Negotiation language; persuasive and hedging expressions; turn-taking, interrupting politely, reaching agreement; meeting minutes vocabulary. Agreeing, disagreeing and conceding; softening; turn-taking Negotiation simulation scripts; video model negotiations; ELOQUA functional language handout; breakout-room role-play Speaking, Listening CLO4, CLO5 Recorded negotiation role-play (assessed via rubric) 6
8. Court Procedures & Litigation Language Courtroom vocabulary; stages of litigation; examination and cross-examination language; giving testimony; objections and rulings. Question forms under examination; procedural verbs Courtroom drama transcript excerpts (adapted); mock trial script; ELOQUA listening lab (courtroom audio); glossary of litigation terms Listening, Speaking CLO1, CLO5, CLO6 Mock trial participation; listening comprehension quiz 6
9. Criminal, Corporate & Commercial Law English Criminal law terms (arrest, indictment, plea, sentencing); corporate and commercial terms (mergers, liability, compliance, intellectual property). Sector-specific lexis; comparative terminology across jurisdictions Case study excerpts (criminal and corporate); ELOQUA sector-specific glossaries; news case summaries; comparative terminology chart Reading, Writing CLO1, CLO2, CLO6 Case study analysis (written, graded) 6
10. Legal Presentations, Case Studies & Capstone Structuring a legal case presentation; signposting language; handling Q&A; integrating the terminology and skills of the whole course. Signposting; presentation staging; fielding questions Presentation template; ELOQUA presentation rubric; peer feedback form; capstone case brief pack Speaking, Writing CLO3, CLO4, CLO5, CLO7 Capstone: oral case presentation and written case brief (summative, rubric-based) 6
Total guided hours60

Assessment plan

AssessmentWhenCoversWeightEvidence
Formative quizzes & worksheets Modules 1–3 CLO1, CLO2, CLO6 15% Vocabulary, reading comprehension and terminology checks
Written assignments Modules 4–6 CLO2, CLO3, CLO4 25% Clause drafting, legal correspondence, legal memo
Speaking / interactive tasks Modules 7–9 CLO4, CLO5, CLO6 25% Negotiation role-play, mock trial, case study analysis
Capstone project Module 10 CLO3, CLO4, CLO5, CLO7 35% Oral case presentation (15%) and written case brief (20%)
Total100%

Fees

FormatPackageFee
Small groupFull course — small group$690
Small groupFirm rate — three or more from one practice$620
One to oneOne to one — per hour$58 /hr

ELOQUA · study@eloqua.edu
This document is generated from the live course record on 11 September 2026 and supersedes earlier versions.

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