Document Review and Clarification
Pertains to the lawyer and client reviewing specific legal documents (e.g., contracts, notices, evidence) together, with the client asking questions for clarification and the lawyer explaining jargons or implications.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
jargon
Special words or expressions used by a particular profession or group; in legal contexts, it refers to technical terms that can be hard for non-experts to understand.
overwhelmed
Feeling unable to deal with something because it is too much or too complicated; useful when describing confusion with complex documents.
indemnification
A legal agreement where one party promises to compensate the other for losses or damages; common in contracts to protect against risks.
liability
Responsibility for something, especially legal responsibility for one's actions or debts; often used in business to discuss who pays for mistakes.
negligence
Failure to take proper care, leading to harm or loss; in contracts, it means carelessness by one party that could affect the other.
force majeure
A clause in a contract that frees parties from responsibility if extraordinary events like disasters prevent fulfillment; from French, meaning 'superior force'.
obligation
A duty or responsibility to do something, as required by law or contract; important for understanding what each party must do.
clause
A specific part of a contract or legal document that outlines a particular rule or condition; helps in referring to sections during discussions.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
I'm a bit overwhelmed by some of the legal jargon here.
This sentence expresses confusion politely; useful for admitting when something is too complex. 'A bit' softens the statement, and 'jargon' specifies the type of difficulty. Use it in professional settings to ask for help without seeming unprepared.
What exactly does that mean in practical terms for me?
Asks for a simple, real-world explanation of a term; great for clarification in consultations. 'In practical terms' means 'how it applies in everyday situations.' Use this to get concrete examples instead of abstract definitions.
It shifts the risk.
A concise way to explain how responsibility moves from one party to another; useful in business talks. 'Shifts' is present simple tense for general truth. Use it when discussing contracts to highlight protection mechanisms.
If they mess up, I won't be on the hook for their mistakes.
Informal way to confirm understanding: 'mess up' means make a mistake, 'on the hook' is an idiom for being responsible. Useful in casual legal chats to verify details. The conditional 'if' clause shows hypothetical situations.
It's for unforeseen events like natural disasters, right?
Seeks confirmation on a definition; 'unforeseen' means unexpected. 'Right?' is a tag question for agreement. Use this pattern to check your understanding politely during explanations.
It typically excuses non-performance due to circumstances beyond the parties' control.
Explains a legal concept clearly; 'typically' means usually, 'excuses' means forgives or releases from duty. Useful for describing contract protections. The structure uses passive voice to focus on the action, not the doer.
We'll examine if the caps are fair and customary for your industry.
Promises a review; 'caps' refer to limits on liability, 'customary' means standard practice. 'If' introduces a condition. Use this in advisory roles to assure thoroughness and relevance to the client's field.
Let's go through the entire document slowly to ensure every aspect is clear.
Suggests a careful review; 'go through' means examine step by step, 'ensure' means make sure. Imperative 'let's' invites collaboration. Useful for guiding discussions on complex materials to build confidence.