Member Article

Lawyers must change to succeed in changing landscape

The legal sector is changing rapidly but it seems that lawyers aren’t prepared to adapt - says Catherine Mason, director of TOLES Legal. She writes:

A recent survey by LexisNexis, a global provider of legal, regulatory and business analytics, revealed that 75% of lawyers recognise that the sector is changing faster than ever – yet only around one in five of those surveyed agree that their own firm needs to evolve.

This is a worrying sign of the times. Law firms across the world have highlighted the high number of law graduates who have failed to attain a minimum level of English language competency required to carry out essential legal tasks. This is an important point because English is the dominant language when it comes to drafting and interpreting commercial contracts. Why, then, are so many law graduates ignoring the need for the English language training they need to work effectively in commercial law?

In fairness, it’s not solely the fault of the students. Often those who do seek out English language training find they’re being taught by retired solicitors or barristers who lecture them on the UK legal system, rather than teach them the commercial vocabulary that’s valued by employers. In many cases, the English language training isn’t up-to-date or fails to provide clarity on the meaning of certain legal phrases, which deters students from learning.

To rectify this, training providers should do two things. They need to consult employers and working lawyers before designing a course of study. They also need to consider the opinions of outside influencers – such as internationally renowned consultants, Ken Adams and Alex Hamilton – if they want to provide a well-rounded and useful service. Ken and Alex will both highlight the importance of legal English at an international event in London in November.

Legal jargon should be a thing of the past – but unfortunately, in the current legal landscape, it isn’t. Most teachers of legal English with knowledge of the law still cling to the old-fashioned ‘legalese’ style of drafting documents rather than enlightening students about the benefits of using plain, concise English.

Depressingly, this is the legal English landscape today. It is not fit-for-purpose and needs a radical overhaul if lawyers are going to progress in the industry.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by TOLES Legal .