Росдистант. Иностранный язык в сфере юриспруденции 1. Unit 3. TEXT. LAW FIRM

Выполнена работа Unit 3. TEXT. LAW FIRM по дисциплине "Иностранный язык в сфере юриспруденции 1"

UNIT 3.

Text. LAW FIRM.

A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service provided by a law firm is to advise clients (individuals or corporations) about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent their clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions and other matters in which legal assistance is sought.

Smaller firms tend to focus on particular specialties of the law (e.g. patent law, labor law, tax law, criminal defense, personal injury); larger firms may be composed of several specialized practice groups, allowing the firm to diversify their client base and market, and to offer a variety of services to their clients.

Law firms are organized in a variety of ways, but common arrangements include:

·  sole proprietorship, in which the lawyer is the law firm and is responsible for all profit, loss and liability;

·  general partnership, in which all of the lawyers in the firm equally share ownership and liability;

·  limited liability partnership, in which the lawyer-owners are partners with one another, but no partner is liable to any creditor of the law firm nor is any partner liable for any negligence on the part of any other partner;

·  limited liability company, in which the lawyer-owners are called «members» but are not directly liable to third party creditors of the law firm.

In many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, there is a rule that only lawyers may have an ownership interest in, or be managers of, a law firm. Thus, law firms cannot quickly raise capital through initial public offerings on the stock market, like most corporations. The rule was created in order to prevent conflicts of interest.

Lawyers are paid for their work in a variety of ways. In private practice, they may work for an hourly fee, a contingency fee (usually in cases involving personal injury), or a lump sum payment if the matter is straightforward. Normally, most lawyers negotiate a written fee agreement up front and may require a non-refundable retainer in advance. In many countries there are fee-shifting arrangements by which the loser must pay the winner's fees and costs.

Lawyers working directly on the payroll of governments, nonprofits, and corporations usually earn a regular annual salary. In many countries lawyers can also volunteer their labor in the service of worthy causes through an arrangement called pro bono (for the common good). Traditionally such work was performed on behalf of the poor, but in some countries it has now expanded to many other causes like the natural environment.

Exercises:

1.  Подставьте английские словосочетания к их русскому переводу, пользуясь электронным словарем.

1)               engage in                      1.     «конфликт интересов», злоупотребление положением в личных целях»

2)               business transaction     2.     соглашение об оплате услуг

3)               specialty = speciality   3.     простой, ясный, понятный

4)               composed                     4.     фондовый рынок, рынок ценных бумаг

5)               diversify                       5.     предварительно, авансом, вперёд

6)               client base                    6.     привлекать капитал, мобилизовывать средства

7)               raise capital                           7.     невозмещаемый предварительный гонорар адвокату

8)               stock market                8.     клиентская база, клиентура

9)               conflict of interest                  9.     практика оплаты судебных издержек проигравшей стороной

10)          straightforward            10.   диверсифицировать, разнообразить, дифференцировать

11)          fee agreement               11.   в списочном составе, из фонда заработной платы

12)          up front                        12.   сборный, составной

13)          non-refundable retainer 13.   некоммерческая компания

14)          fee-shifting arrangement        14.   специализация, специализированная услуга

15)          on the payroll              15.   предлагать (свою помощь, услуги) бесплатно; вызваться добровольно; добровольно взять на себя что-л.

16)          nonprofit                      16.   деловая операция, коммерческая сделка

17)          volunteer                      17.   благое дело, социально-значимое дело

18)          worthy cause                18.   заниматься, иметь дело

2.     Дайте письменные ответы на вопросы по тексту, взяв за ответ предложения из текста. На вопросы 1 и 2 дайте краткий ответ «Да», «Нет».

1)               Is there any limitation with regard to the number of lawyers who may establish a law firm?

2)               Does the size of a law firm reflect the range of services it may provide?

3)               Who may have an ownership interest in a law firm? Why is it so?

4)               What are the kinds of fees for legal services?

5)               What does a fee-shifting arrangement stipulate?

6)               Who in legal profession usually earns a regular annual salary?

3.     Решите истинны или ложны эти утверждения, исходя из информации, представленной в тексте «The US attorney». Поставьте T (true), если истинны, F (false), если ложны.

1)               Only corporations may seek for advice of a law firm.

2)               A law firm may be organized either as a sole proprietorship or a partnership.

3)               Any citizen of a particular age and compos mentis may have an ownership interest in, or be a manager of, a law firm.

4)               As a rule law firms raise their capital through regular public offerings on the stock market.

5)               In many countries lawyers are prohibited to volunteer their labor.

6)               In private practice lawyers work on the payroll of the government.

7)               A lump sum payment is a common arrangement for work being performed on behalf of the poor.