Legal English

Front 1

to plead

Back 1

1. to make an allegation in legal proceedings

2. to speak on behalf of a client in court

Front 2

to file a document with an authority

Back 2

to officially record something, especially in the court of law

Front 3

to submit a document to an authority

Back 3

to deliver a document formally for a decision to be made by others

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de facto

Back 4

in fact

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ipso facto

Back 5

by that very fact itself

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inter alia

Back 6

among other things

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per annum

Back 7

per year

Front 8

pro forma

Back 8

as a matter of form, for the sake of form

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pro rata

Back 9

proportionally

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sui juris

Back 10

of one's own right; able to exercise one's own legal rights

Front 11

ultra vires

intra vires

Back 11

beyond the legal powers of a person or a body

within the permitted powers

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videlicet (viz.)

Back 12

as follows

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per se

Back 13

by itself

Front 14

piercing the corporate veil (US)

lifting the corporate veil (UK)

Back 14

describes a legal decision to treat the rights or duties of a corporation as the rights or liabilities of its shareholders or directors. Usually a corporation is treated as a separate legal person, which is solely responsible for the debts it incurs and the sole beneficiary of the credit it is owed. Common law countries usually uphold this principle of separate personhood, but in exceptional situations may "pierce" or "lift" the corporate veil.

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memorandum of association (UK)

articles/certificate of incorporation (US)

Back 15

states the objects of the company and the details of its authorised capital, otherwise known as the nominal capital

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articles of association (UK)

bylaws (US)

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contains provisions for the internal management of the company, e.g. annual general meetings, extraordinary general meetings, the board of directors, corporate contracts and loans

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annual general meetings (AGMs - UK) - its equivalent in US?

Back 17

annual meetings of the shareholders (US)

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extraordinary general meetings (UK) - its equivalent in US?

Back 18

special meetings of the shareholders

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fiduciary duty

Back 19

fiduciary duty stems from the position of trust and responsibility entrusted to directors. This duty has many aspects, but broadly speaking, a director must act in the best interests of the company and not for any collateral purpose

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profit-and-loss account (UK) -its equivalent in US?

Back 20

profit-and-loss statement/income statement (US)

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bonus (UK) - and US?

Back 21

stock dividend (US)

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capitalisation issue (UK)

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cash dividend (US)

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accounts (UK)

Back 23

financial statements (US)

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auditor

Back 24

person appointed by the company to examine the company's accounts and to report to the shareholders annually on the accounts

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company secretary

Back 25

company’s chief administrative officer, whose responsibilities include accounting and finance duties, personnel administration and compliance with employment legislation, security of documentation, insurance and intellectual property rights

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director

Back 26

person elected by the shareholders to manage the company and decide its general policy

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liquidator

Back 27

person appointed by a court, the company or its creditors to wind up the company’s affairs

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managing director

Back 28

company director responsible for the day-to-day operation of the company

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Official Receiver

Back 29

officer of the court who commonly acts as a liquidator of a company being wound up by the court

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promoter

Back 30

person engaged in developing or taking the initiative to form a company (arranging capital, obtaining personnel, making arrangements for filing corporate documentation)

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proxy

Back 31

person appointed by a shareholder to attend and vote at a meeting in his/her place when the shareholder is unable to attend

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receiver

Back 32

person appointed by creditors to oversee the repayment of debts

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shareholder

Back 33

member of the company by virtue of an acquisition of shares in a company

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registered agent (us) at the registered office of the corporation

Back 34

...the person to be served if the company is sued

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bylaw (byelaw, by-law, bye-law)

Back 35

rules governing the internal running of a club or association; (US) rules governing the internal running of a corporation (the number of meetings, the appointment of officers)