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1 What is the purpose of the letter?
2 Who do you think might have requested it?
3 Looking at the letter carefully, what would you say is the function of each paragraph?
The text in Reading 4 represents a letter of advice, a type of text written by a lawyer for a client.
The function of a letter of advice is to provide an analysis of a legal problem so that the client can make an informed decision concerning a course of action.
Another type of text which should be mentioned here because of its similarity to a letter of advice is a legal opinion. While the language of this type of text is similar, a legal opinion is generally much longer, as it entails thorough research and covers the issues in greater detail. A legal opinion also carries much more weight and greater potential liability for the lawyer or firm issuing it.
Regarding the contents, we can say that, in general, a letter of advice:
· identifies the legal issue at stake in a given situation and explains how the law applies to the facts presented by the client;
· indicates the rights, obligations and liabilities of the client;
· outlines the options the client has, pointing out advantages and disadvantages of each option;
· considers factors such as risk, delay, expense, etc., as well as case-specific factors;
· makes use of facts, relevant law and reasoning to support the advice.
The structure of the letter can be made clear by using standard signalling phrases. The table on page 31 provides examples of phrases used to structure the information in a text. These phrases serve as signals, pointing to information before it is presented, thus increasing the clarity of a text.
Read through the letter once again and look for 11 phrases with a signalling function. Add them where appropriate to this table.
| Referring to the subject matter | Thank you for instructing us in relation to the above matter. You have requested advice concerning... 1)........................................................................................................................................................................................... |
| Summarising facts | Our opinions and advice set forth below are based upon your account of the circumstances giving rise to this dispute, a summary of which is as follows. Based on information provided to us, we understand that... 2)........................................................................................................................................................................................... |
| Identifying legal issue | The legal issue seems to be ... 3)........................................................................................................................................................................................... |
| Referring to relevant legislation/regulations | The section which is relevant for present purposes provides that... The section makes express reference to ... As the law stands at present, ... 4)........................................................................................................................................................................................... 5)........................................................................................................................................................................................... 6)........................................................................................................................................................................................... |
| Referring to previous court decisions | The court has held that... We have (not) found cases or interpretation of this law which argue that... |
| Drawing conclusions | We therefore believe that... 7)........................................................................................................................................................-.............................. 8)..................................................................................................................................-..................................................-•• 9)........................................................................................................................................................................................... 10)........................................................................................................................................................................................ 11)........................................................................................................................................................................................ |
| Indicating options | In light of the aforesaid, you have several courses of action / alternatives / options open to you. |
| Closing | 1 await further instructions at your earliest convenience. Please contact us if you have any questions about the matters here discussed, or any other issues. |
Writing: A letter of advice
27 A client who is the managing partner at a small European accountancy firm has asked you for information concerning LLPs. He would also like your advice regarding the founding of such an LLP.
Write a letter of advice in which you should:
· say what an LLP is;
· list advantages and disadvantages connected with it;
· recommend the best course of action for his firm.
Before you write, consider the function, the expected contents and the standard structure of a letter of advice. Refer back to Reading 3 for information about LLPs and make use of signalling phrases from the table above to help structure the information in your text.
Company law: capitalisation
Reading 1: Introduction to company capitalisation
Company law is a very wide area. This text serves as an introduction to the legal terminology and issues regarding how companies raise capital in the UK.
Дата: 2019-02-02, просмотров: 278.