法務担当者の1日を英語で乗り切る！実践フレーズ＆専門用語集

Anna: Good morning, Tom. Did you arrive at the office and clock in already?
Tom: Morning, Anna! Yes, I just did. I’m about to check emails and messages from clients regarding the new contract negotiations.

Anna: Same here. I need to review today’s schedule and tasks in our system—there’s a meeting soon.
Tom: Right, we have to attend a team meeting and then update the project management systemwith the tasks for the new non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Are you ready to draft legal documents this morning?

Anna: Yes, after the meeting, I’ll review contracts and agreements for compliance and maybe negotiate contract terms with the vendor. Yesterday, I had to consult with external lawyers about a complex case involving a possible contract breach.
Tom: I see. I spent much of yesterday conducting a compliance check and trying to identify legal risks in the new partnership proposal.

Anna: Did you get any request for contract review or compliance questions from other departments?
Tom: Yes—the HR team sent a compliance question about our internal policy on data protection. I’ll need to provide legal advice about it after lunch.

Anna: Sounds busy! I have to organize legal documents and files and prepare for the afternoon’s review and approval of documents. By the way, did you finish your legal report for management?
Tom: I’m working on it. After lunch, I also need to respond to legal inquiries and hold a compliance training session for new hires.

Anna: Let’s grab coffee before things get hectic!

Legal Officer (Yuki):
Good morning, Mr. Harris. Thanks for joining the call. I’d like to consult with external lawyers today regarding a potential contract breach.
External Lawyer (Mr. Harris):
Good morning, Yuki. Of course—tell me more about the case.

Yuki: Last week, we received a formal claim from a supplier, stating that we didn’t fulfill a delivery obligation. The project file indicates that the terms were modified, but the agreement wasn’t updated formally.
Mr. Harris: I see. Have you reviewed the contract and the relevant confidentiality clause and indemnity provisions?

Yuki: Yes, I’ve already reviewed the contract and agreement, and I noticed the governing law clause refers to Singapore law. That’s why I needed your expertise.
Mr. Harris: Thanks for the clarification. It’s essential to assess any compliance risks and identify whether a waiver was implied by continued performance or not.

Yuki: Agreed. We’re also preparing an internal response and may need to send an affidavit. Should I issue a power of attorney to authorize one of our directors for the proceedings?
Mr. Harris: Yes, issuing a power of attorney would be advisable in that case. Also, I recommend preparing contract enforcement advice and clear points for dispute resolution if this escalates.

Yuki: Understood. We’ll also initiate due diligence in case we need to renegotiate terms or reach settlement. Do you mind drafting the initial legal memo?
Mr. Harris: Certainly. I’ll send a draft memo covering the legal interpretation and suggesting risk mitigation strategies by tomorrow.

Yuki: That’d be great. Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Harris.
Mr. Harris: You’re welcome. Please let me know if you receive any further legal inquiries about this matter.

A Day in the Life of a Legal Officer

At 8:50 a.m., Yuki arrives at the office, greets her team members, and quickly clocks in. Her first routine is to check emails and messages, most of which include contract-related updates and a few legal inquiries from other departments. She then opens the task management system to review today’s schedule and tasks.

At 9:30, she heads into a regular morning meeting and attends a team meeting to discuss updates on ongoing matters, including a potential contract breach reported by the procurement team. After the meeting, she updates the project management system and prioritizes tasks—placing the contract issue at the top of her list.

By late morning, she begins drafting a new non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and also has to draft legal documents such as amendments to an existing contract. She carefully reviews contracts and agreements to ensure that all clauses—especially the confidentiality clause, indemnity terms, and governing law—comply with internal policies and applicable statutes. There’s one clause causing uncertainty, so she decides to consult with external lawyers.

Around noon, Yuki has a scheduled call with Mr. Harris, an experienced outside counsel. They discuss risks related to the claim made by the supplier, whether a waiver might have occurred, and the need to prepare a possible affidavit. She also considers preparing a power of attorney for one of the company directors, in case legal proceedings advance.

After her sandwich lunch and a short break, she researches relevant laws and regulations, including recent updates on data protection and employment law. She works with HR to provide legal advice on a data policy review, then responds to legal inquiries about a new marketing campaign. Yuki also communicates with other departments—especially sales and finance—about contract terms and ongoing negotiations.

An unexpected request for contract review arrives from the product team, so she begins a quick risk assessment. From that, she identifies legal risks in proposed terms. She drafts a note recommending risk mitigation strategies and updates the department’s shared folder after she organizes legal documents and files for internal reference.

Before wrapping up for the day, Yuki reviews and approves documents, finalizes a monthly regulatory update to prepare legal reports for senior leadership, and joins a short call to attend a negotiation with a distributor.

By 6:00 p.m., she summarizes and reports daily progress, prepares tasks for tomorrow, and remembers to clean up her workspace. She then clocks out and leaves the office, knowing tomorrow will be another full day of compliance, contracts, and corporate counsel challenges.