Cavendish Universities Africa Group in collaboration with the University of Bagamoyo
About TOLES
TOLES means Test of Legal English Skills and is the world’s leading series of legal English exams.
The exams are administered by Global Legal English Limited in the UK and they are members of the International Division of the Law Society of England and Wales.
TOLES has accredited exam centres across the world from Brazil to Canada, Germany to Kuwait and Russia to China.
Cavendish University is the exclusive TOLES accredited centre in all of Sub-Saharan Africa and is proud to be working in collaboration with the University of Bagamoyo in Tanzania.
The TOLES exam is not about general English. It is a measure of ability to use specific authentic legal language at the highest level and in the most challenging of environments.
TOLES was developed based on the practical needs of law firms. For this reason it is well respected by international law firms who recognise its relevance, practicality and accuracy.
The exams are administered by Global Legal English Limited in the UK and they are members of the International Division of the Law Society of England and Wales.
TOLES has accredited exam centres across the world from Brazil to Canada, Germany to Kuwait and Russia to China.
Cavendish University is the exclusive TOLES accredited centre in all of Sub-Saharan Africa and is proud to be working in collaboration with the University of Bagamoyo in Tanzania.
The TOLES exam is not about general English. It is a measure of ability to use specific authentic legal language at the highest level and in the most challenging of environments.
TOLES was developed based on the practical needs of law firms. For this reason it is well respected by international law firms who recognise its relevance, practicality and accuracy.
There are 3 levels to the TOLES exam series:
- TOLES Foundation - Tests knowledge and understanding of essential legal vocabulary through reading and writing skills in a 90 minute single paper exam. An elementary level of general English is required.
- TOLES Higher - Tests knowledge and use of essential legal vocabulary through reading, writing and listening skills over two papers, one of 90 minutes and the other of 30 minutes. There is a focus on accurate use of the vocabulary acquired at Foundation level. A pre-intermediate level of general English is required.
- TOLES Advanced - Tests ability to use authentic legal English, letter writing, explaining complex legal documents and appropriate drafting used by modern day commercial lawyers. Reading and writing skills are tested in one paper lasting 2 hours. As a minimum an upper- intermediate level of general English is required.
Students will have an advantage in the tough employment market by holding a legal English qualification recognised by major international law firms. Students will be able to prove their ability in legal English and get ahead in their legal career.
The 3-level series recognises the need for learners to build knowledge and confidence from the early stages of study. This will lead to confidence in dealing with the complex, authentic language they are expected to cope with in an international law firm, or indeed any international business.
Candidates do not have to take all 3 exams. However, they should begin at a realistic point in the exam series according to their general and legal English skills. All candidates who want to progress with their legal English studies should be extremely confident at TOLES Foundation level before continuing, as the vocabulary tested is fundamental and provides the building blocks of a candidate’s legal English skills.
The 3-level series recognises the need for learners to build knowledge and confidence from the early stages of study. This will lead to confidence in dealing with the complex, authentic language they are expected to cope with in an international law firm, or indeed any international business.
Candidates do not have to take all 3 exams. However, they should begin at a realistic point in the exam series according to their general and legal English skills. All candidates who want to progress with their legal English studies should be extremely confident at TOLES Foundation level before continuing, as the vocabulary tested is fundamental and provides the building blocks of a candidate’s legal English skills.
Aims of TOLES
- To assess and then provide evidence of a student’s legal English abilities.
- To equip professionals from all areas of business with legal English skills so as to enhance their understanding and comprehension of legal documentation and their ability to accurately understand and use legal vocabulary at the highest level of business.
- To provide an advantage to students in the tough employment market by holding a legal English qualification recognised by major international law firms and other worldwide organisations.
Objectives of TOLES
- To teach the language and legal vocabulary from many areas including contract law, employment law, business law, company law, banking law, the law of tort and property law.
- To improve students’ understanding of contracts in English and to improve their drafting and amending skills.
- To teach the language and vocabulary essential to understanding written and oral contracts.
- To teach accurate usage of prepositions in all areas of legal communication.
- To help students identify and correct common mistakes in the use of legal English.
- To demonstrate reading comprehension skills within a legal context.
- To make students aware of the register of spoken general English in a legal context. This requires a general awareness of the register used by lawyers in meetings/negotiations when using general English to discuss legal matters. It is essential to look at idiom as well as more formal styles of expression.
- To teach the style of formal, written legal English and drafting. This involves an awareness of the unusual grammatical structure of legal English and the use of archaic terms and structures in general English as used by lawyers.
- To emphasise the importance of accuracy and encourage students to spend time in learning how to write accurately in English.
NB: The depth of the objectives depends on which level of the TOLES series is being taught.
Modules
1. The Legal Profession
2. The Language of Banking
3. The Language of Contract Law
4. The Language of Employment Law
5. The Language of the Law of Tort
6. Understanding Contracts (1)
7. The Language of Business Law
8. Modern Letter Writing
9. The Language of Company Law
10. Understanding Contracts (2)
2. The Language of Banking
3. The Language of Contract Law
4. The Language of Employment Law
5. The Language of the Law of Tort
6. Understanding Contracts (1)
7. The Language of Business Law
8. Modern Letter Writing
9. The Language of Company Law
10. Understanding Contracts (2)
Awards
Successful candidates will receive the prestigious legal English skills certificate appropriate to the level of exam they complete and the certificate shall include the score attained by the candidate.
All exam papers are marked in the UK.
All exam papers are marked in the UK.
Target Group
This prestigious series of exams is aimed primarily at law students, lawyers and legal translators, but given that the exam tests areas including the language of banking, the language of company law, modern letter day writing, the language of employment law and understanding contractual documentation, it also appeals to many other professionals including accountants, bankers, human resource managers, insurers, claims brokers and middle/senior managers in any business.
Legal issues are interwoven in to many of the day to day operational concerns of a business and English is increasingly becoming the language of international law and business.
The wide appeal of the exams can be evidenced from the list of companies and organisations that have entered candidates for the TOLES exams. These include leading international law firms such as Clifford Chance, Linklaters, Allen & Overy and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, as well as the following organisations:
• KPMG
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• The European Central Bank
• The European Court of Justice
• Daimler Chrysler
• Sony Ericsson
Legal issues are interwoven in to many of the day to day operational concerns of a business and English is increasingly becoming the language of international law and business.
The wide appeal of the exams can be evidenced from the list of companies and organisations that have entered candidates for the TOLES exams. These include leading international law firms such as Clifford Chance, Linklaters, Allen & Overy and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, as well as the following organisations:
• KPMG
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• The European Central Bank
• The European Court of Justice
• Daimler Chrysler
• Sony Ericsson
2012 Exam Dates
- 26 January 2012
- 22 March 2012
- 14 June 2012
- 23 August 2012
- 22 November 2012
Exam Preparation Courses
In order to prepare for the June 2012 TOLES exam, students can choose from one of twoModes of study, as follows:
- Full-time two weeks intensive
- Self-study
Exams, students can only enrol for the Foundation level.
All enrolled students will receive a copy of ‘The Lawyer’s English Language Coursebook’ by
Catherin Mason.
Students choosing the self-study mode can use the coursebook to prepare themselves for
the exams. The book has excellent self-study exercises with answers and a CD for listening.
It can be used for the Foundation and Higher exams. Bespoke material is prepared for the
Advanced exam.
Course Dates / Fees
The full time preparation course for the June 2012 exams will start on Monday 28 May 2012.Students must enrol by Friday 25 May 2012. The course fees are as follows:
Full time Foundation - 2,000,000.00
____________________________________________________________________
Self study Foundation - 500,000.00
____________________________________________________________________
Application form available by clicking here
All fees are in Tanzanian Shillings and include all exam fees, tuition fees and a personal copy of ‘The Lawyer’s English
Language Coursebook’ by Catherine Mason.
Contact Details
For further information on TOLES in Tanzania, including course dates and fees, please feel to contact us as follows:
Contact: Ezekiel j. Massanja
Address: Sembeti Road 709, Off Old Bagamoyo Road, Mikocheni B Area, PO. Box 75252, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Email: legalenglish.tz@gmail.com
Telephone: +255 754 283 593
