Essential Legal English Vocabulary for Contracts and Employment
Key Legal Terminology
Notwithstanding: Despite or in spite of something.
Inasmuch as: Indicates that the statement is true only in a limited way or to a certain extent. Example: Caroline is a good lawyer inasmuch as she usually gets a good result in court.
Term: A word that has the same meaning as duration.
Give notice: To warn someone that a contract is about to end.
Expiration: A formal word meaning the ending of something.
Procurement: The act of obtaining or getting something.
Aggregate: A formal word meaning an accumulated total.
Undertake: A formal word meaning to promise to do something.
Incur: To suffer something or place yourself in a bad situation by your own actions, resulting in a punishment.
Archaic Terms Used in Contracts
- Hereby: By means of this document or action (e.g., “I hereby accept your offer”).
- Herein: In this document (e.g., “The price named herein is final and non-negotiable”).
- Hereinafter: Starting from this time or later in the document (e.g., “ATL Electrics, hereinafter known as the Company”).
- Heretofore: Previously or before the time of writing (e.g., “The property heretofore known as Downing House is renamed Appleby House”).
- Hereunder: In a later part of this document or under the terms of this agreement (e.g., “The terms and conditions are listed hereunder”).
Structure of a Typical Commercial Contract
- Names of the parties
- Recitals: Declarations.
- Definitions
- Conditions: Requirements that must be satisfied before the agreement comes into force.
- Agreements
- Warranties: Compensation.
- Boilerplate clauses: Standard clauses inserted into most agreements.
- Schedules: Detailed information or appendices contained at the back of the contract.
- Signatures
- Appendices
The Language of Employment Law
Key Terms:
- Employer & Employee
- Invoices: Bills that are paid.
- Salary & Wages
- Suppliers: Providers.
- Staff & Payroll
- Full-time & Part-time
- Manager
- Remuneration: Salary received.
Employment Contract Clauses
A clause is a numbered section of a contract, while provisions are the specific terms and conditions within those clauses (e.g., “Clause 1 provides that the employee is entitled to four weeks holiday every year”).
Common Employment Contract Headings
- Term of the contract
- Job title
- Working hours
- Remuneration
- Holidays
- Sick pay
- Grievance procedures: Complaints regarding disagreements.
- Disciplinary procedures: Regulations regarding misconduct.
- Pension
- Confidentiality
- Non-competition: Exclusivity or restrictions on working for competitors.
- Termination
How Employment Contracts End
- Resignation: The employee informs the employer they are leaving. Includes a letter of resignation and a notice period.
- Retirement: The employee leaves due to age. Includes early retirement, pension, and state pension.
- Redundancy: The employee leaves because the employer no longer needs the position. Includes redundancy payment.
- Dismissal: The employer terminates the contract due to poor performance or behavior (“fired” or “sacked”).
- Fixed-term contract ends: The contract expires after a specific period.
Modern Business Correspondence
Salutations for formal letters:
- Law firm, company, or institution: Dear Sir or Madam / Dear Sirs
- Man (name unknown): Dear Sir
- Woman (name unknown): Dear Madam
- Person (name/sex unknown): Dear Sir or Madam
- Man (name known): Dear Mr. Thorley
- Woman (married, name known): Dear Mrs. Ratcliffe
- Woman (single, name known): Dear Miss Singh
- Woman (marital status unknown): Dear Ms. Printo
- Couple (name unknown): Dear Sir and Madam
- Married couple (name known): Dear Mr. and Mrs. Clarkson
- Unmarried couple (names known): Dear Mr. Rice and Ms. Mathew
- Two men (names unknown): Dear Sirs
- Two women (names unknown): Dear Mesdames
- Person with a specific title: Dear Dr. Greg