Lesson 11
(1) May/Shall - special uses in Legal English
http://www.ukessays.com/essays/languages/functions-of-modal-verbs-in-european-and-british-legal-documents.php
(2) Legal Systems - Civil Law vs Common Law
Class Notes
Company Law
Memorandum
of Association (UK)
Articles/
Certificate of Association (US)
Sets out
objectives and capital structure
Legally
binding statement of intent which the members of the company must follow
Can include
- Appointing members of the board
of directors
- Changing the corporation bylaws
- Procedures for holding a vote
of shareholders
- Rules for keeping corporate
records
Vocabulary
- Passed - expired
- who have the right to - entitled to
- instead – in lieu thereof
- on condition - provided
- cancelled - repealed
- revised - amended
- given to – vested in
Shall
- indicate an obligation The Corporation shall keep as permanent
records…
- express a promise The directors shall have the power to
enact bylaws…
- make a declaration which
legally binds the parties
- future action or state Until two years shall have expired…
May
can in general English
Legal
Collocations
To be based
on
To be bound
by
Contrast
with
Refers/reference
to
Derived
from
Settle
something by
Take into
consideration (fixed phrase)
Distinguished
from
Deal with
To develop
through
In contrast
(discourse markers)
Write down
(phrasal verb also take down, note down)
