This concise guide provides instruction for foreign legal practitioners or advanced LLM students on the basics of the U.S. legal system and the process of legal reasoning, using substantive topics in U.S. law as example. Using an innovative learning process, you'll be exposed to legal concepts in your system and language, and those same concepts in the U.S. legal system. This engaging book will help you develop confidence in the use of terms and concepts that are frequently used in the U.S. legal system. You'll find expert guidance on topics like summarizing key U.S. legal decisions, researching case law online, appealing judgments, and preparing case summaries for a client or partner. The guide addresses each concept using plain English language and, where appropriate, giving examples of concepts in practice to strengthen the reader's understanding.

Narrowing the Gap also provides special focus on contracts, torts, and trade law. In these areas, you'll find an outline of the law in the U.S., as well as central concepts of relevance to that area of law today. In addition, the book illustrates the pitfalls that a foreign legal practitioner can encounter when working in these areas of U.S. law to help them approach these cases with a cautious eye to detail. Finally, you'll find valuable information on how you can further your knowledge of U.S. law by studying law in the United States, and also a specialized legal English dictionary of terms and phrases that are most commonly used in the three substantive areas and in the procedural practice area of law. If you're a foreign legal practitioner or advanced LLM student looking to strengthen your discussion and negotiation skills using legal English concepts common in the United States, this guide is your perfect desk reference to refer to on key concepts that you face on a regular basis.