understanding financial agreements

Question

I have recently taken on a bank lawyer who needs to understand contracts in English.

I find the task rather daunting and although I have a degree in law, I find that a lot of the language is beyond me.

My teaching books deal with what constitutes a contract but not the individul clauses and how to understand them.

I would be very grateful if anyone could recommend books or websites that would give me a crash course in understanding financial agreements.

This should include things like "mandate letter", "due diligence reports" "certificate of indebtedness."

Lawyee · Accepted Answer

Hi, try to start with Ian MacKenzie: Financial English in Use published recently by the Cambridge University Press. This can help you if you have a problem with terminology. If you have a problem with legal institutes, try something else.
By the way, if you have a problem with understanding certain contractual clauses, feel free to send it here and there are many wise people in this Forum who will help you to understand it (they have helped me as well and I am thankful for that). There are also lawyers here, so you will surely get professional advice.
Concerning your terms - mandate letter is a certificate empowering a person (mandant) to act in the name and on the account of the empowering person (mandatary). It is also called a letter of attorney
due dilligence reports - report about the financial state of a company (usually before a merger or restructuring of a company)
certificate of indebtedness - paper proving that a person or a company has no finances to repay all its obligations

This is only a brief explanation (maybe you do not need it either). Hope it will help you

understanding financial agreements

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬