Introduction

The Legal English Training Unit (LETU) of the Law Department is charged with the task of providing ongoing and discipline-specific English language instruction to law students enrolled in the Program.  Its goal is to enhance students’abilities to communicate effectively both orally and in writing as legal professionals.

The Legal English Unit (LETU) supports the work of law professors by developing students’ abilities to effectively read a range of legal genre, prepare oral and written case briefs, and write academic papers.  It also includes development of formal and informal presentation skills.  It entails close cooperation between the English language instructor and law professors and incorporates the use of authentic materials linked directly to course lectures and assignments when possible.

Support Provided

To effectively support students, their language abilities are assessed at the beginning of the semester, plans for improvement developed with the students’ input, and periodic feedback provided. Both individualized and group instruction techniques are employed.

Support includes but is not limited to the following areas:
Finding your writer’s voice
Writing reaction papers
Reading and briefing cases
Paraphrasing and summarizing
Citing correctly
Employing effective reading strategies
Increasing reading speed
Note-taking
Improving listening skills
Participating effectively in classroom discussions
Doing formal and informal presentations

Useful Links 

Academic Writing
Nuts and Bolts of College Writing
Purdue University On-line Writing Lab             
Writing Center - American University in Cairo
Writing Center Handouts & Links – University of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill

English as a Foreign/Second Language
English-Zone
ESL Blues
On-Line English Grammar

Legal Research and Writing
A to Z Guide to Legal Terms
How to Write Annotated Bibliographies
How to Write a Law Review Article (article by Delgado)
How to Write in Plain English
Introduction to Basic Legal Citation
Legal Writing Teaching Assistant: The Law Student’s Guide to Good Writing
Stalking the Golden Topic: A Guide to Locating and Selecting Topics for Legal Research Papers (article by Meeker)
Steps in Legal Research
Writing a Student Article (article by Volokh)

Pronunciation
American English Pronunciation Practice
English Pronunciation

Study Skills
Law Nerds.com – comprehensive support for law students – highly recommended
Academic Success: Learning Strategies - comprehensive site – highly recommended
TurnItIn – on-line plagiarism detection tool