“反腐败之夜”：法律英语案情摘要研习会

Anti-Corruption is not merely the powerful tool in support of governance in China in recent years, it is also a matter of implementation as far as China’s treaty obligations are concerned. linli Legal English Study Group learned this in the “Anti-Corruption Night” last Friday, November 30, 2018.

近年来，反腐败不仅是支持我国治理的有力武器, 就中国的条约义务而言，这也是一个合规的问题。霖理法律英语学习小组在上星期五，2018年11月30日的“反腐败之夜”中理解到了这一点。

Thanks to the invitation of UIBE’s Assistant Professor Ji Ying, LESG provided a legal English casebrief workshop at the graduate students’ class on criminal law at UIBE. Jerry Zhang, PhD & Arbitrator, and Thomas Manson Q.C. co-led the workshop moderated by Professor Ji.

在UIBE助理教授冀莹的邀请下，法律英语学习小组在UIBE研究生刑法课上提供了一个法律英语案情摘要研讨课。在冀莹教授的主持下，法哲学博士、仲裁员张玉林先生和托马斯·曼先生共同主讲了有关内容。

The workshop was divided into the following sections:

1. Legal English writing rules;

2. Criminal Intent

3. Anti-Corruption Convention

4. Casebrief method

5. Workshop on a case study

研习会分为以下几部分：

1、法律英语写作规则；

2、犯罪故意

3、反腐败公约

4、案情摘要方法

5、特选个案研讨

Legal English writing rules

Legal writing is never overemphasized for law practitioners. Rules of legal writing were explained to the participants in some detail. Particular attention was called to rules applicable to analytical and persuasive writing. Pay attention to the readers when writing. Pay attention to legal logic and appropriate order when preparing documents and submissions. Lawyers are keen to use legalese, but, except for some permissible legal jargon, it is best to discard legalisms and obtuse writing in legal documents.

法律英语写作规则

对法律从业人员来说，法律写作的重要意义从来不会被过分强调。我们向与会者详细解释了法律书写规则，特别注意了对于分析性和说服性写作的适用规则。写作时要注重读者的需求。在准备文件和意见书时要注意法律逻辑和适当的顺序。律师们热衷于使用法律术语，但是，除了一些允许使用的法律术语外，最好是摒弃法律术语和法律文件中呆板的写作。

Simplicity is clarity in modern legal writing. The rules on topic sentence, short paragraphs and limit of sentence words are highlighted. It is advisable to use topic sentence for a new paragraph so the readers can find the central meaning of the paragraph in the first sentence of the paragraph.

简约使得现代法律写作更加清晰明朗。我们也重点介绍了主题句、短小的段落和句子长度限制的规则。在新的段落中使用主题句是明智之举，这样读者可以在第一句中找到段落的中心含义。

Criminal Intent

The subject matter of the workshop included criminal intent, which is required for corruption convictions. Under Chinese law, clear knowledge for criminal offences are required for many crimes, including the crime of money laundering. Criminal liability shall be pursued in case of intentional crimes.

犯罪故意

研习课的主题包括犯罪意图，这是认定腐败罪所必需的。根据中国法律，许多犯罪都需要对刑事犯罪有明确的认知，包括洗钱罪。故意犯罪的，应当追究刑事责任。

In Canadian criminal law, means rea (criminal intent) and actus reus (acts) are examples of permissible use of legal jargon. Cases showing use of such terms were discussed with the participants.

在加拿大刑法中，犯罪意图(犯罪故意)和犯罪行为(行为)是允许使用的法律术语的例子。参加者们讨论了使用这类术语的案例。

Anti-Corruption/Anti-Money Laundering

The UN Convention Against Corruption is an international treaty that many countries have acceded to in recent years. China entered into the treaty in 2005. After that, China adopted the Anti-Money Laundering Law of the PRC to implement the terms of the Convention. Canada also implemented the terms of the Convention after it acceded to the Convention. It even has a special act against corruption of public officials in overseas activities.

反腐败/反洗钱

“联合国反腐败公约”是近年来许多国家加入的一项国际条约。中国于2005年加入该公约。此后，中国为执行“公约”条款而制定了《中华人民共和国反洗钱法》。加拿大在加入“公约”后也执行了“公约”的条款。加拿大甚至还有一项打击海外活动中公职人员腐败的特殊条令。

In the case, R v. Daoust, interesting finding is a principle of bilingual statutory interpretation: where legislations of two languages contain different wordings, one version is ambiguous, and the other is clear and unequivocal, the common meaning of the two versions would a priori be preferred.

在R诉Daoust案中，与会者有趣地发现了双语法条解释的原则：两种语言的立法包含不同的措辞，其中一个版本含糊不清，另一个却是明确而具体的，这两个版本的共同含义将是优先考虑的。

Casebrief Method

Various case brief methods are discussed at the workshop including the IRAC method - “issue, rule, application and conclusion”. A lawyer will identify the issues and the rules, apply the rules and reach conclusions in legal practice. However, as Thomas Manson, Q.C. forcefully argued, the IRAC method is not always used. Often times, a more sophisticated method is used.

案情摘要方法

研习会讨论了各种案情摘要方法，包括IRAC方法-“问题、规则、应用和结论”。律师将识别问题和规则，应用规则，并在法律实践中得出结论。然而，正如托马斯·曼森先生有力地指出，IRAC方法并不总是被使用。通常情况下，我们使用了更复杂的方法。

Casebrief Writing Exercise

As the “Anti-Corruption Night” went deeper, the group examined a case of investor-state arbitration involving money-laundering activities. In Belokon v. Kyrgyz Republic, Belokon is an investor from Latvia who invested in a local bank in Kyrgyz Republic. The Republic conducted anti-money laundering supervisory measures against the bank, which resulted in economic loss of the bank. Belokon started investor-state arbitration against the Republic in Paris under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, and won the case against the Republic. Belokon sought recognition and enforcement of the award in Toronto, Ontario.

案情摘要写作练习

随着“反腐败之夜”学习的深入，学习小组探讨了一起涉及洗钱活动的投资者与东道国仲裁案件。在Belokon诉吉尔吉斯共和国一案中，Belokon是拉脱维亚的投资者，他在吉尔吉斯共和国的一家地方银行投资。共和国对该银行采取反洗钱监督措施，造成银行经济损失。Belokon根据“联合国国际贸易法委员会”仲裁规则在巴黎对共和国提起了投资者-东道国仲裁并胜诉。Belokon在安大略省多伦多寻求对该裁决的承认和执行。

The Ontario enforcing court was faced with an affidavit presented by the Republic which allegedly contain evidence of money laundering. Belokon sought to strike out the affidavit as evidence in the recognition and enforcement proceedings, and won the application.

安大略执行法院面临共和国提交的一份宣誓书，据称其中载有洗钱的证据。Belokon试图排除该宣誓书在承认和执行程序中作为证据，其申请得到法院支持。

The participants’ writing covers various perspectives of criminal acts, merits of the case in arbitration, impacts of criminal acts on procedural part of civil matter and the matter of public policy. It is really interesting to learn new concepts of international arbitration under a case of investor state disputes governed by a bilateral investment treaty.

与会者的写作涵盖了犯罪行为的各种观点、仲裁案件的案情、犯罪行为对民事事项程序部分的影响以及公共政策问题。在由双边投资条约管辖的投资者与东道国争端的案例中学习国际仲裁的新概念是非常有趣的。

The "Anti-Corruption Night" went by quickly with fulsome discussion of legal writing, criminal intent, case brief, and how anti-money laundering may be forcefully dealt with in cross border international arbitrations. This remains to be monitored in the future as the UN Convention Against Corruption continues to be implemented by more sovereign states.

“反腐败之夜”在关于法律写作、犯罪意图、案情摘要，以及如何在跨境国际仲裁中有力地处理反洗钱问题的充分讨论中很快就结束了。随着“联合国反腐败公约”被更多主权国家继续施行，这一议题今后仍有待继续关注。