Task 14. Read the micro texts and match them to the headings

Business Advisers	Legal Aid Practices
The European Community	International Legal Practice

• 1. Many firms specialize in issues brought by the legally aided client, the client who cannot normally afford a solicitor’s fees. Solicitors here will concentrate on such matters as divorce law, welfare benefits, crime, claims, when someone has been injured, giving help to clients who are unable to pay their rent, and assisting those who are victims of medical negligence.

• 2.More than just providing legal advice, solicitors are trusted advisors upon whom clients can rely. A long history of involvement with a particular client enables a solicitor to advise on issues, which only have a remote connection with the law, particularly concerning tax and other financial matters. For instance, a solicitor might be able to arrange a mortgage (a special type of loan) to buy a house, or advise on tax issues relating to a will. Solicitors are at the heart of the local business community and have good relations with banks, accountants and other professionals. If unable to help a client with a problem, a solicitor will be able to find someone who can.

• 3.Some firms of solicitors have branch offices in major financial and commercial centers throughout the world, which advise local clients about English law. Others have formed associations with firms of lawyers in other countries and the two firms will work together to help clients. English commercial law has developed over centuries, to the extent that it is often the governing law in international contracts, even when the case has no connection with England and Wales. Solicitors also benefit from historical ties between this country and other English speaking countries.

• 4.The single market is of great significance to solicitors and many firms have established offices in Brussels and other European centers. It is possible for an English solicitor to work for the European Commission in Brussels. It is therefore becoming increasingly useful for a solicitor to have language skills.

Task 15. Translate the micro texts in written form

General Practice

Solicitors in general practice serve the local community, solving the legal problems of the public. They are not, however, tied to any particular court: a solicitor can act throughout England and Wales.

The formalities involved in real property transfer and succession form a significant share of work of solicitors in general practice. Solicitors also pursue claims arising from personal injures, or may be called upon to advise or plead in court on their client’s behalf in criminal cases. Family law is a significant area of work: solicitors often appear as advocates in matrimonial cases. Solicitors advise businesses on such issues as employment, contracts, company formation and competition policy.

Specialists

While a single firm might offer a full range of services, increasingly, individual solicitors and firms are specializing in areas of law in which they are experts. This is particularly true of firms dealing with business clients, more often found in the major cities: their specialisms include banking law, entertainment law, corporate and commercial law, construction, trusts, environmental law, insurance, intellectual property, tax, competition, shipping and arbitration.