Doctor John


Passing the Cambridge International Legal English Certificate (ILEC) demonstrates your skill in legal English. It is one of the internationally recognized Cambridge exams in English for speakers of other languages. We offer courses to prepare you for ILEC. In order to communicate with common law lawyers you need to understand not only numerous technical terms, but also the legal concepts which are embedded in legal English. In addition, English-speaking lawyers use colloquial expressions which may not be familiar to most English speakers.

Our courses are different from the courses which most English colleges offer. Firstly, they are taught by people whose primary profession is law, rather than teaching. Our teachers have practical as well as theoretical qualifications in law, and experience of legal work. Secondly our courses are taught by telephone and email. This makes them more accessible to busy lawyers and students than courses which are taught face to face. They can be taught in the early evening, or during the working day. Lessons are held weekly, and each lesson lasts 40 minutes.

We offer a five-lesson course for students who believe they are ready to pass ILEC already. There is one introductory lesson, and four lessons working on past ILEC exam papers for reading, writing, speaking, and reading. The teaching is one-to-one.

We also offer a 20 lesson course This begins with the same introductory lesson as the short course, followed by 15 lessons, one on each chapter of the recommended textbook, A Krois-Lindner International Legal English. The lesson will be taught in small groups by teleconference with one of English-speaking lawyers. Students then revise by taking the four one-to-one lessons on past ILEC papers which also form the short course.

Students who enrol for the short course can upgrade to the long course. Payment is in advance by credit or debit card. The short course is €400. The long course is €1100. The short course includes 5 one-to-one lessons and up to one hour's access to a teacher by email for questions which you may have from time to time. The long course includes 5 one-to-one lessons and 15 small group lessons, and up to one hour's access to a teacher by email.

It is the responsibility of the student to buy the textbook. Students who want to take the exam must also to register and pay for the exam at a local exam centre. Exams are held in November and May. To take the exam in November you need to register by October 1. For a list of exam centres and other information about ILEC please see www.legalenglishtest.org.