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Legal English Assessment

English-language contracts, English case law, English client conversations. For legal and corporate practices, 'workable English' is the minimum threshold, but legal English is a discipline of its own. Legalese has its own conventions, contract terms have their own precision, and procedural language slips easily if your English is only second-hand. The Legal English Assessment measures in 20 multiple-choice questions whether a candidate masters that specific language. Contract terminology, procedural language, formal correspondence and the nuances between apparently synonymous words. For legal professionals in international firms and cross-border practices, a baseline you cannot afford to miss.

Time

~15 minutes

Type

Hard skills test (legal English)

Form

Multiple choice (20 questions)

Perfect for:
Lawyers at international firms, Corporate legal counsel in multinationals, Trainee lawyers on the Zuidas and at large firms, Legal operations and KM in international practices, In-house counsel at international organisations, Compliance and tax professionals with cross-border work
Lawyers at international firms, Corporate legal counsel in multinationals, Trainee lawyers on the Zuidas and at large firms, Legal operations and KM in international practices, In-house counsel at international organisations, Compliance and tax professionals with cross-border work
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Welten company logo with stylized pink and navy blue diagonal stripes.Quooker brand logo in red text.Home of HR logo with pink abstract shape above dark blue text.DPD logo with red 3D cube icon and lowercase black letters 'dpd'.Continu Professionals logo featuring blue stylized text and an abstract figure with an extended arm.Talent & pro logo with the tagline 'value in people'.Oxfam Novib logo with a green circle and stylized black figure inside.Graph illustrating the progression from an initial point to an advanced stage with steps labeled as launched and maturing, showing growth in capabilities.
Welten company logo with stylized pink and navy blue diagonal stripes.Quooker brand logo in red text.Home of HR logo with pink abstract shape above dark blue text.DPD logo with red 3D cube icon and lowercase black letters 'dpd'.Continu Professionals logo featuring blue stylized text and an abstract figure with an extended arm.Talent & pro logo with the tagline 'value in people'.Oxfam Novib logo with a green circle and stylized black figure inside.Graph illustrating the progression from an initial point to an advanced stage with steps labeled as launched and maturing, showing growth in capabilities.
Welten company logo with stylized pink and navy blue diagonal stripes.Quooker brand logo in red text.Home of HR logo with pink abstract shape above dark blue text.DPD logo with red 3D cube icon and lowercase black letters 'dpd'.Continu Professionals logo featuring blue stylized text and an abstract figure with an extended arm.Talent & pro logo with the tagline 'value in people'.Oxfam Novib logo with a green circle and stylized black figure inside.Graph illustrating the progression from an initial point to an advanced stage with steps labeled as launched and maturing, showing growth in capabilities.

3 Reasons we love this assessment

01
Beyond 'fluent'
Every LinkedIn CV lists 'fluent English'. In legal practice that means nothing: it's about the nuance between 'agreement' and 'covenant', 'representations' and 'warranties'. The test makes that difference measurable.
02
Contract, procedural and client English
Three sub-registers that mingle in daily practice. A good legal English speaker switches between contract tone, procedural precision and warm client correspondence without it being noticeable.
03
Common law influence on Dutch practice
More and more transaction structures are Anglo-Saxon in form. Anyone lacking the vocabulary misses the subtleties. The test gauges whether a candidate handles terms like 'indemnity', 'consideration' and 'severability' correctly.
Technical Details
Self-developed by Selection Lab.
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Information

Contract terminology

Standard terms from business contracts: representations, warranties, covenants, indemnification, boilerplate. The vocabulary that moves daily across the Zuidas.

Procedural language

Terms from procedural law across common law and civil law: writ versus petition, motion versus request, pleadings, discovery. The grammar of international litigation.

Nuances between synonyms

'May' versus 'shall', 'reasonable' versus 'reasonably', 'material' versus 'materially'. Words that look alike but do not legally mean the same.

Formal correspondence

Tone and register in emails and letters to clients, counterparties, courts and regulators. Where the business English training ends and legal English begins.

Measurement
Objectives

The Big Five Personality Model assesses key personality traits that influence behavior and performance:

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Contract vocabulary

Core terms from business agreements, with a feel for their precise legal meaning.

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Procedural English

Terms and constructions from litigation, spanning common law, Dutch and European practice.

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Precision and nuance

Distinguishing near-synonyms and modal verbs with different legal consequences.

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Formal register control

Tone, structure and word choice in written communication with clients, counterparties and authorities.

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