Legal English Movie Club
Watch films about law, and remember what you hear.
A free monthly club for legal professionals: one film about law, a workbook to fill in as you watch, and a live conversation at the end of the month.
How many times have you thought
Everyone tells me to watch films in English. I tried, and it didn’t help.
I watched a whole film in English. A week later, I couldn’t remember a single new word.
Nobody around me speaks English. Where can I hear real legal English every week?
Many legal professionals I work with have said exactly this.
You’re already good at your job. You read carefully, you listen for details, and you notice when one word changes the meaning of a sentence. That’s the skill you need here too.
To be honest, “watch films in English” is good advice. It just isn’t complete. When you only watch, most new words go past you. They stay when you do something with them: write them down, check what they mean, and use them in a conversation.
That’s what the Movie Club is for.
How the Movie Club works
Every month, we focus on one film about law or legal themes.
The blog post
At the start of the month, I publish a blog post. I tell you what to notice in the film, what to look for, and what's useful to know before you watch. So you watch with a purpose, not only for the story.
The workbook
You download the workbook. It's divided into sections, and each section has its own learning goal. So while you watch, you know what to look for, and everything you notice is in one place, ready to review.
You watch the film
You watch, on your own time, with the workbook close by. When something catches your ear, you pause and write it down. So nothing gets lost between watching and remembering.
Your own dictionary
You look up the words you wrote down. You check their meaning and keep them in your own dictionary. So the words you learn are the ones you chose, from scenes you remember.
5 The live call
A guided conversation, not a lesson
At the end of the month, we meet online for one hour, in a small group. It's a guided conversation about the film: the scenes, the legal ideas, the words you found, and any questions you have. Everyone takes part.
No need for perfect English
You don't need perfect English to do that. Everyone in the call is learning, and mistakes are a normal part of the conversation.
Not recorded
The call isn't recorded, so only the people in it hear what's said.
Your new words, in a real conversation
You use your new words in a real conversation, with people who work in law. And you hear what others noticed, including what you missed.
Hello, I'm Claudia
I grew up speaking English at home with my mother. But legal English wasn’t part of my home. When I came back to Italy after my traineeship in London, I needed a way to keep hearing real English, every week.
Films were one of the things I tried. And I soon noticed that watching wasn’t enough. A week later, most of the new words were gone. So I started writing them down. That’s when I started to remember them.
Later, at international events, I found that films were an easy way to start a conversation. And when I talked about a film, I remembered its words even better.
I trained and worked as a lawyer in Italy, and I’ve taught legal English for more than ten years. So when I choose a film and write about it, I know which words and scenes matter to someone who works in law.
The Movie Club is what worked for me: watching, writing, and talking. I’d love to do it with other legal professionals. That’s why it’s a group.
What changes
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Watching a whole film, and forgetting the new words a week later | You remember them, because you wrote them down and used them |
| "I think this term means..." | You check the meaning, and keep it in your own dictionary of legal terms |
| Nobody around you to talk to in English | Every month, you talk about the film with other legal professionals |
| Legal terms you hear in a film stay in the film | A term from the film comes up at work, and you recognise it |
Before
Watching a whole film, and forgetting the new words a week later
After
You remember them, because you wrote them down and used them
Before
"I think this term means..."
After
You check the meaning, and keep it in your own dictionary of legal terms
Before
Nobody around you to talk to in English
After
Every month, you talk about the film with other legal professionals
Before
Legal terms you hear in a film stay in the film
After
A term from the film comes up at work, and you recognise it
How to start
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Join the Movie Club
Sign up for the Movie Club newsletter (a regular email from me). This is where I send the workbooks and the links to the live calls.
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Read and download
Read the blog post and download the workbook. Both arrive at the start of each month.
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Watch and complete
Watch the film on your own time, and complete your workbook as you go.
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Join the live call
At the end of the month, join other legal professionals for a live discussion of the film: the language, the law, and your view.
Is this right for you?
The Movie Club is made for you if:
- You're a legal professional who wants more contact with legal English.
- You'd like to learn from films, not only watch them.
- You're happy to write down what you notice and look up new words.
- You'd like to talk about films and law with other legal professionals.
Questions you may have
Is it really free?
Yes. You only need to sign up for the Movie Club newsletter, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Is my English good enough?
Yes. You don't need perfect English. I share the blog post at the start of the month, so you have the whole month to watch the film at your own pace before the live call. Every word you notice and write down is progress. Watching with attention is already practice, and small, regular habits make a real difference.
Do I have to join the live call?
No, the live call is optional. You can watch the film and complete your workbook on your own. If you'd like to join the call and use your new words in a conversation, you register with the link in the newsletter.
Do I have to speak in the live call?
Everyone takes part, at their own level. It's a guided conversation, not a test, and mistakes are a normal part of it.
What kind of films do you choose?
Every film is about law or legal themes.
Where do I watch the film?
You watch it on your own. You need to find where the film is available to you.
Your next film can be practice too
Watch it, write down what you hear, and talk about it with people who work in law.