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Legal English Vocabulary

Key Words and Phrases for English Learners

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Updated on February 25, 2020

This core vocabulary reference sheet provides key words and phrases used in legal settings when practicing law. This vocabulary can be used in English for specific purposes classes as a starting point for including vocabulary study relating to anything related law and practicing legal services. Teachers are often not equipped with the exact English terminology required in very specific trade sectors. For this reason, core vocabulary sheets go a long way in helping teachers provide adequate materials for students with English for Specific Purposes needs.

Legal Terminology

to abandon an action according to law arbitration arbitration clause assessment of damage assignment attorney - proxy holder authenticate to award a contract bankruptcy bankruptcy petition to be in force bilateral agreement binding breach of contract to break an agreement to break the law cancellation date certificate to certify to cheat - to swindle code come into force come to terms competent court	(GB) - to dishonor (US) to dispute to draw up a contract effective date to endorse - to back to enforce a law exclusion clause - exemption clause fair rent to file documents fine first mortgage fixed term contract fraud - swindle gentlemen's agreement to give due notice guarantee deposit	to have full legal powers to honour (GB) - to honor (US) illegal - unlawful illegally implement an agreement in case of controversy in force in good faith indictment industrial property to infringe injunction insolvent invalidate jointly and severally judge judgement jurisprudence justice lack of evidence to lapse - to be statute-barred lapsed law courts lawyer (GB) - attorney (US) to lease - to rent - to let
lease contract legal action - lawsuit legal adviser legal assistance legal charges - legal fees legal department legal domicile legal proceedings - legal action legal representative lessee - tenant letter of intents liability in contract licensee lien creditor limitation period magistrate - judge mortgage notary public notice to notify omission partial agreement to patent patent patent holder	patent office patent pending per procurationem - by proxy power of attorney - proxy prescription principal procedure protest proxy public officer to put on record - to take minutes quittance - aquittance to refund - to pay back register a trademark registered registration charges - registration fees to rent - lease - hire resolution responsibility - liability revenue stamp to revoke rights on industrial patent royalties rule - regulation second mortgage	separate signature to settle a dispute to sign a receipt signature by proxy specimen signature subcontractor sublease - sublet to sublease - to sublet to sue summon witnesses to take legal action to take someone to court tax fraud tenant tenderer the regulations in force third-party guarantee third mortgage trial venue unpatented upon notice verbal agreement verdict witness written agreement