2015-06-26
373
Exercise 10
Interview with a Finance Lawyer
(Interviewer – I; Mr. Stewart – financial attorney – M.S.)
Read the following dialogue in pairs. Switch the roles.
| I. | Let me introduce Mr. Andrew Stewart, an attorney who specializes in the world of money and banking. As I understand finance lawyers work for a bank or any other financial institution. Can you tell us what organization do you work for? |
| M.S | I work for a law firm, and our practice areas mainly include financial matters. We advise our clients on a wide range of issues: loans, leasing, investments, stock trading and bankruptcy. |
| I | I see. And who are your clients Mr. Stewart? |
| M.S | Well, we represent individuals and legal entities. Our clients are people or businesses that intend to borrow or lend money, put the money into some project so that to make profit, buy or sell securities, those who intend to rent valuable equipment or find good premises for the office, or those who have failed to run the business and are losing money. |
| I. | Now, if I want to make a loan at a bank, how exactly can you help here? |
| M.S. | Firstly, we’ll offer you a reliable bank and advise you on the subject of loan options. We’ll prepare the necessary documents and represent you at negotiations with the bank. |
| I | And why should I follow your advice? |
| M.S. | You see, we know the laws that govern banking activities, and we usually are aware of the banks that observe these laws. Moreover, finance lawyers can deal with the client’s capital management. So, if you are going to make an investment we’ll research the possibilities and estimate the risks. |
| I | What about stock market transactions? Buying securities is also a kind of investment…. |
| M.S. | If you trade at the stock exchange, you are our welcome client. We follow the stock market trends, know the rates so we’ll counsel you on the best transaction. |
| I. | Great! And can you help my business out of debt? |
| M.S. | Sure. There are certain laws that regulate the procedure of bankruptcy. We provide expertise of your business status, draft documents, deal with your creditors and regulatory bodies, find solutions either to save your business or to mitigate the effects of bankruptcy. |
| I. | That really sounds encouraging! You’ve mentioned litigation. Does it mean that your firm lawyers can represent a client in court? |
| M.S. | Absolutely. Our clients may sue or be sued for any financial issue, so we do most of the job – draft claims, motions, collect information, prepare documents. Our client can be a bank or financial institution, and they also may file a lawsuit that concerns a monetary debt or fraud, for example. We act for them in court. |
| I. | So I see that lawyers practicing in the area of finance are also both competent advisors and expert advocates. Thank you, Mr. Stewart, for coming here. |
| M.S. | My pleasure. |
Tasks
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1. Scan the text and highlight (underline) the words and phrases that refer to financial matters.
2. The chart below will summarize the financial matters the lawyer deals with and the activities and services relevant (corresponding) to these matters. Complete the chart with the phrases from the dialogue. The first line is done for you.
| Finance matter | Relevant activity | Relevant service |
| Loan | borrow or lend money | offer reliable bank; prepare documents, negotiate with the bank |
| Leasing | ||
| Investments | ||
| stock trading | ||
| Bankruptcy |
3. Prepare a text about the Finance lawyer job. You are free to add more information about the lawyer’s responsibilities.
