law_indz_sample

1.

MY FUTURE PROFESSIONAL WORLD
Law & Legal Practice
Mykhailo Bondarenko | 2 Year Student
Speciality: 081 – Law
Dream Country: United Kingdom (London)
Dream Firm: Clifford Chance LLP
§
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2.

CULTURE & LEGAL BUSINESS ETIQUETTE
Ukraine
United Kingdom
▸ Workday: 9:00 – 18:00
▸ Workday: 9:00 – 17:30
▸ Address: by first name (often)
▸ Address: "Mr / Ms" until invited otherwise
▸ Court attire: formal, dark suits
▸ Court attire: wigs & gowns in senior courts
▸ Meetings: somewhat flexible
▸ Meetings: strictly on schedule
▸ Negotiation style: relationship-based
▸ Negotiation style: formal & precedentbased
"British law firms are more formal and more hierarchical than Ukrainian ones." (Degrees of Comparison)
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3.

FIRM STRUCTURE & MY ROLE
Clifford Chance LLP – Canary Wharf, London, UK
Corporate
Law
Litigation
& Disputes
Finance
& Banking
Intellectual
Property
Compliance
& Ethics
⬆ My Department
MY ROLE IN THE FIRM
Grammar Focus
• I am a junior associate in the Litigation & Disputes team.
• The department is located on the 12th floor, opposite the
partners' offices.
• My desk is next to the legal research hub and the meeting rooms.
Prepositions of Place
• I am currently working on a cross-border commercial dispute case.
Present Continuous
• I am also preparing for my solicitor qualification exam.
"I am working on…"
"I am preparing for…"
next to, opposite,
on the 12th floor

4.

HOW WE HANDLE A LEGAL CASE
01
02
03
04
05
Client
Consultation
Legal
Research
Draft
Documents
Court
Hearing
Verdict &
Advice
First,
Then,
After that,
Next,
Finally,
Example sentences:
• "First, we meet the client and listen to their legal problem."
• "Then, our team conducts thorough legal research and reviews all documents."
• "After that, we draft contracts, motions, or letters of claim."
• "Finally, we present the case in court and advise the client on next steps."

5.

TOOLS & RESOURCES OF A LAWYER
Countable Nouns
Uncountable Nouns
(you can count them)
(measured, not counted)
→ a contract (3 contracts)
→ legislation (body of law)
→ a case file (10 case files)
→ evidence (all materials)
→ a motion (2 motions)
→ legal advice (general term)
→ a subpoena (1 subpoena)
→ case law / jurisprudence
→ a courtroom (4 courtrooms)
→ due diligence
→ a laptop / tablet
→ software (Westlaw, LexisNexis)
→ a legal pad / notebook
→ correspondence / paperwork
Grammar: "We use special software and a lot of legislation." "There is no evidence of wrongdoing." "She filed three motions."

6.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS & LEGAL ETHICS
YOU MUST
YOU HAVE TO
YOU MUST NOT
▸ maintain client confidentiality
▸ complete annual CPD training
▸ share privileged information
▸ act in the client's best interests
▸ follow Bar / SRA Standards
▸ represent conflicting parties
▸ disclose conflicts of interest
▸ respond to clients promptly
▸ mislead the court
▸ keep accurate billing records
▸ file all court documents on
time
▸ accept bribes or inducements
Grammar: Modal Verbs - "You must maintain confidentiality." "You have to file documents on time." "You must not mislead the court."
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7.

TIPS FOR A NEWCOMER
5 pieces of advice for your first week in a law firm
01
Always address partners formally.
02
Never miss a filing deadline.
03
Keep every client communication confidential.
04
Ask your supervisor before taking action.
05
Be precise and clear in your writing.
"Good morning, Mr. Harrison. I am the new associate."
MY
PROFESSIONAL
MOTTO
"Please remind me about all court deadlines."
"I must not discuss this case outside the office."
"Justice is not
a destination —
it is a standard
we uphold every day."
"Could I draft this motion, or would you prefer to?"
Mykhailo Bondarenko
Future Solicitor
"Use formal language and avoid ambiguous terms."
Grammar: Imperative - "Address partners formally.", "Never miss a deadline.", "Keep
communications confidential."
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