LegalEnglish Online Consultancy is a specialist consultancy for Legal English and international professional communication.

Founded in Cologne in 2010 by Alexandra Mareschi, LL.M., LL.B., the consultancy combines legal and linguistic expertise with more than two decades of experience in professional language and communication.

A particular focus is the communication of German law in English. Legal concepts cannot simply be transferred from one language to another. Apparently equivalent terms may refer to different concepts, institutions or legal traditions.

The objective is not to make German law sound English, but to make it intelligible in English without obscuring its legal context.

Professionals working internationally need more than grammatically correct English. They need to explain specialist concepts accurately, respond to questions, formulate arguments and communicate with people whose legal, linguistic and professional frames of reference may differ from their own.

This is particularly important in legal communication. A term that appears to be an obvious English equivalent of a German legal concept may carry a different meaning in another legal system. Precision therefore requires an understanding not only of language, but also of the concepts behind it.

My work brings these dimensions together: law, terminology, language and professional communication.

Legal English is not simply a matter of replacing German legal terminology with English terminology.

German law and English-speaking legal systems have developed different concepts, categories and legal traditions. Terms that appear equivalent may therefore describe different legal relationships or create associations that are inappropriate in the German legal context.

My work focuses on the English needed to explain, discuss and work with German legal concepts accurately and confidently.

Depending on the professional context, this may include contracts and contractual language, employment law, compliance and regulatory matters, legal correspondence, negotiations, case analysis and the explanation of German law to international clients, colleagues and business partners.

The emphasis is not on imitating the language of another legal system. It is on finding English that communicates the relevant legal meaning precisely while preserving the context in which the concept belongs.

Not every international professional situation is primarily legal. Where the context extends beyond strictly legal work, the focus may include Business English and communication in international professional environments.

This can involve meetings and discussions, negotiations, presentations, written communication and the explanation of specialist subject matter to colleagues, clients and business partners.

Professional communication also involves questions of register, directness, argumentation and expectation. A formulation that is linguistically correct may still be inappropriate for its audience or ineffective in a particular professional context.

The central question is therefore not simply Is this correct English? but also: What needs to be communicated, to whom, in which context and with what degree of precision?

Professional communication does not take place between languages in isolation. It takes place between people who may bring different professional conventions, institutional backgrounds and ways of structuring information and argument.

Working across several languages reinforces an awareness that concepts and communication conventions do not necessarily travel unchanged from one linguistic context to another.

My own professional work draws on English and German as well as Italian, Spanish and French. This multilingual perspective informs my approach to terminology, meaning and communication across professional contexts.

The purpose is not to eliminate differences between languages or professional cultures, but to recognise them and communicate across them effectively.

My work begins with the professional context rather than with a standard course programme.

I take a holistic approach to professional communication. Language is not considered in isolation, but in relation to subject-matter knowledge, terminology, legal and institutional context, cultural awareness, the intended audience and the particular communication situation.

In Legal English, this means looking beyond the apparent linguistic equivalent of a legal term. The underlying legal concept, differences between legal systems and the purpose of the communication all influence how German legal content can be expressed appropriately in English.

Content is therefore developed around the language, documents, legal concepts and communication situations relevant to the individual or organisation. Depending on the objective, this may involve case analysis, contracts, terminology, professional writing, negotiation, discussion or the explanation of specialist concepts in English.

The starting point is not language in isolation, but the communication situation as a whole.

Alexandra Mareschi, LL.M., LL.B., is a lawyer-linguist and professional communication consultant.

Her academic background combines legal studies in Germany and England, including an LL.B. and an LL.M. in International Business Law and Dispute Resolution, with postgraduate study in terminology and further qualifications in business communication, intercultural communication and mediation.

She has worked in professional language and communication for more than two decades and founded LegalEnglish Online Consultancy in Cologne in 2010.

Her work focuses particularly on Legal English, the communication of German legal concepts in English, terminology and professional communication across linguistic and legal systems.

She is also Editor-in-Chief of The Legal Professional, the publishing platform of LegalEnglish Online Consultancy, which explores legal language, comparative legal concepts and professional communication in international practice.

Academic and Professional Qualifications

My professional background combines legal education with terminology, professional communication and intercultural studies. This interdisciplinary foundation informs my work at the intersection of law, language and international professional communication.

University Qualifications

LL.M., University of London, Queen Mary
International Dispute Resolution

Postgraduate Diploma in Laws, University of London, Queen Mary
Business Law

Postgraduate Certificate in Laws, University of London, Queen Mary
Human Rights

LL.B., University of London

Postgrado en Terminología, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona

Further University Studies

Intercultural Communication
Shanghai International Studies University

Business Fundamentals: Effective Communication
The Open University

Professional Certificates and Training

Psychology of Advanced Communication

TESOL Certificate

Human Rights Education Certificate
Human Rights Education Associates (HREA)

Mediation Training Certificate

Sachbearbeitung Außenwirtschaft (IHK)
Foreign Trade Administration

N.B. LegalEnglish Online Consultancy only provides language and intercultural mediation services, not legal advice.

For enquiries concerning Legal English, professional communication, individual training, workshops, consultancy, translations or other specialist language work, please get in touch

LegalEnglish Online Consultancy

Alexandra Mareschi, LL.M., LL.B.

Lawyer-Linguist & International Professional Communication Consultant

Josef-Gockeln-Str.1c

51109 Köln
Germany

Email

tel: +49 221 98627021

fax: +49 322 23721581

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