Saint-Louis University - Bruxelles
English
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DROI1240B - Legal Law II



Credits : 0

Lecturer :
Mode of delivery :
Face-to-face , second term, 30 hours of theory.

Language of instruction :
English.


Learning outcomes :
By the end of the course, students should show that in:

1. General English

- they have enhanced their lexical and grammatical knowledge, are able to recognise new words and new structures (passive knowledge) and use them (active knowledge). They must be able to speak English as correctly as possible, in a fluid, clear and structured manner;

2. Legal English

- they have acquired a fundamental knowledge of the structures, major concepts and basic terminology of the English and American legal systems (Common Law);
- are able to refer to legal documentation in English, i.e. understand scholarly articles, legislation and case-law;
- are able to explain, in easily understandable English, legal texts that are not too technical, as well as the basic structures, concepts and terminology of the English and American legal systems, in relation to the subject matter studied in class.

Prerequisites :
None

Co-requisites :
None

Course contents :
The course is divided into two parts. The first will allow students to enhance their general language skills and acquire the basic concepts and terminology of Anglo-American law, mainly through reading and listening comprehension as well as oral expression exercises. The second part relies primarily on analysis of English and American case-law.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
Students have at their disposal a textbook and a collection of texts with case-law and exercises.
During the first semester, the course takes place interactively in groups of approximately thirty students. For each session students should prepare a section of the textbook (Krois-Lindner, Amy and Firth, Matt. Introduction to International Legal English. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2008) and exercises from the collection of texts. Additional activities and extensions on the material studied in these chapters will also be proposed and will imply preparation at home or in class. One or two tests will be organised to summarise the subject matter before the examination.

During the second semester, the course is taught as a lecture. The presentation is based on the reading of case-law prepared beforehand by the students. The texts will be analysed, discussed and some sections translated. The themes will touch on a variety of subjects in Family law, Contract law, Criminal law, ... Students are encouraged to ask questions that they consider useful for a better understanding of the subject matter and/or of the language.

Assessment methods and criteria :
The assessment is based on a written examination in January and an oral exam at the end of the year. They have an equivalent value: the assignment of the final mark is based on an average of the two marks. This average and resulting consequences comply with applicable rules at the Law School.
The written examination in January will focus on the material covered during the first semester, all competences combined.
The oral examination in English at the end of the year is preceded by a preparation. The evaluation consists of three parts: a question of legal knowledge from one of the topics covered in class, the critical reading of a text (excerpt from a scholarly article or a ruling), a question of translation from English to French.
The result of these evaluations may be enhanced by work achieved during the year.

Recommended or required reading :
- For the first semester, see Krois-Lindner, Amy and Firth, Matt. Introduction to International Legal English. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2008. (available at the in-house book store)
- For the second semester, collection of texts available at the available at the in-house book store.
- Other working tools, bibliographical references (including dictionaries and textbooks) are provided to students and commented upon during the year.

Other information :
Frequency: 60 hours: 2 hours per week throughout the year.