Hello, everyone. I’ve been thinking about creating a Legal English column for quite a long time. I didn’t want it to be just another list of legal terms. We’ve all seen enough of those—they’re neither effective nor entertaining. In fact, they’re about as exciting as a walk in a cemetery.
So I came up with the idea of short essays paired with exercises to consolidate new vocabulary. Please note that it’s not only legal terms I want you to pick up, but also the ways you can smoothly work them into your conversations and writing.
Before we begin, I’d like to tell you a bit about myself.
My name is Agata Klima-Nowak, and I’m a qualified lawyer with 13 years of experience. I specialize in the area of real estate law and company law. I have a good deal of experience in helping entrepreneurs run their businesses efficiently, making sure they operate within the legal framework while also achieving financial success.
As a lawyer, I counsel clients on business structures, real estate transactions, and commercial contracts. My work involves analysing legal risks and finding practical, client-focused solutions. I also represent both claimants and defendants in legal disputes, which helps me stay balanced and objective when advising on conflict resolution.
I always aim to have a good working relationship with my clients, based on trust and clear communication. When they happen to face issues—such as unclear regulations or complicated transactions—I do my best to ensure that their interests are protected every step of the way.
In addition to my legal practice, I’m also a teacher. I’ve been teaching English for almost 20 years, and for the past few years, I’ve focused on legal and real estate English. I help lawyers, real estate agents, investors, and other professionals do their work in English—fluently and with confidence. »
» I’m also an active member of the legal and educational communities. I regularly hold presentations on legal topics and Legal English, both at conferences and during webinars. I absolutely love teaching, so I’m always happy to be able to share my insights on practical legal challenges and communication in a legal context.
And now, a few words about the rules I teach by—they’ll give you a sense of what to expect from this column:
1. There’s a big difference between understanding what is written and being able to create a similar text yourself in a spontaneous conversation. Our aim is the latter.
2. It’s better to learn expressions—or even entire sentences—than to memorize individual words. Terms are important, but you still have to put them into full sentences, don’t you?
3. Learning a language is like working out at the gym. Mild but frequent activity is better than one intense four-hour session once a week. I mean, who would even survive something like that?
4. You learn best when you rack your brain! Research shows that testing yourself is more effective than simply rereading information—even multiple times. In this respect, learning is also like working out—nobody has ever built muscles just by watching fitness videos. (Yes, I regret that too.)
Over to you! Your task now is to fill in the gaps with the expressions I used above. As much as I enjoy talking about myself, I did it mainly to give you some useful expressions you can use when presenting yourself in professional settings.
Fill in the gaps
“Good morning, everyone.
My name is Marek Koronowski, and I am a lawyer specializing
(1) __________ real estate law, company law, contracts, and estate planning. I’ve been working in this field for over 10 years and (2) __________ advising both individuals and businesses.
At my law firm, we (3) __________ a wide range of matters. My day-to-day practice (4) __________ drafting contracts, handling real estate transactions, and providing strategic advice to companies. I also (5) __________ in commercial disputes, which gives me a balanced perspective in litigation.
We work hard to (6) __________ all our clients, (7) __________ they feel supported throughout their legal processes. If we were (8) __________ a particularly complex case, my team and I would make sure that all aspects are carefully analyzed before taking any action.
I’m also (9) __________ the local community. I regularly (10) __________ legal developments and participate in conferences like this one. In fact, many of my clients come to me through these events, where I am (11) __________ key issues.
In conclusion, if you ever need assistance with real estate, contracts, or business matters, I’d be happy to help.”
Thank you for your time.
Answer Key:
- in the area of
- have a good deal of experience in
- counsel clients on
- involves
- represent both claimants and defendants
- have a good working relationship with
- ensure that
- to face
- an active member of
- hold presentations on
- able to share my insights on
