CLIENT CORRESPONDENCE PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH IN USE FOR LAW

 

PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH IN USE FOR LAW 16. CLIENT CORRESPONDENCE

 

A Client correspondence Conciseness can be a feature of legal correspondence in English. This is partly achieved by using words or phrases to refer to segments of earlier text (substitution) or by not completing a phrase and omitting words (ellipsis), assuming the reader can recover the meaning from the preceding text. Another feature of legal text is the use of capitals mid-sentence for key terms which may be defined or interpreted elsewhere in the text or in another document. The letter below is from a sequence of correspondence between a solicitor and his client. It concerns the final stages of the purchase of a company. B Standard phrases for starting and ending letters and emails Stating the reason for writing: ·         I’m writing to inform/advice you that ……… ·         Please find enclosed ………/ I am pleased to enclose ……… ·         We act for/on behalf of ……… ·         We are instructed by the above-named client in relation to ……… Referring to previous contact: ·         Further to our recent correspondence ……… ·         I write further to my letter/ our meeting of ……… ·         As previously discussed ……… ·         Following our meeting on ……… ·         Thank you for your letter/email of ……… EXERCISES 16.1 Match the words and phrases form the letter in A opposite (1-6) with the synonyms (a-f). 1 apart from a for now 2 for the rest of b changed 3 enclosed c besides 4 further d for the reminder of 5 for the time being e additional 6 amended f together with the letter 16.2 Decide which of the following phrases underlined in A opposite is an example of substitution and which is an example of ellipsis. In the case of substitution, make a note of the phrase in the letter which it refers back to.  In the case of ellipsis, make a note of the missing word(s). the first one has been done for you. 1 ……… for the rest of the week apart from that. Substitution of ‘that’ for ‘Thursday morning’ 2 ……… relating to the above ……… 16.3 Read A opposite then say if these statements are true or false. Find reasons for your answers in the letter. 1 The Heads of Terms have been changed several times. 2 Alex Paine has made no changes to the conditions for Completion. 16.4 Complete this letter from Alex Paine to his client with appropriate phrases from B opposite. There is more than one possibility for three of the answers.

ANSWER KEY