Legal Jargon

A contract term that, if breached, gives the aggrieved party the opportunity to terminate the contract and/or make a claim for damages or losses.

Another word for “seller”.

Undertakings are a common part of the legal process, and are defined as a legally-binding promise to do, or not do, something.

The people or entities appointed to oversee the management of property or other assets on behalf of beneficiaries, who might be private individuals, a charity or another type of organisation. In the context of estate administration following a death, trustees will be the people named in a will to manage the money held in trust for the beneficiaries. The trustees are the legal owners of the assets held in a trust and their role is to deal with the assets according to the deceased’s wishes, as set out in the trust deed or their will.

A formal legal structure where property or other assets are held by one or more people for the benefit of another.

A dealing with property such as a sale, purchase or remortgage.

A clause in an employment contract that sets limits on what a former employee can do in the weeks and months after their employment ends. Typically, these will prohibit an employee from working for a direct competitor or setting up in direct competition with their former employer, or contacting their clients / customers and suppliers for a set period of time after leaving the business.

A way of giving permission to someone, either temporarily or for the rest of your life, to make decisions and act on your behalf in relation to your personal affairs, usually relating to financial and/or health and welfare matters. Actions taken by your attorney are legally binding and you should therefore take legal advice before granting power of attorney.

Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution that can be used to settle a wide range of legal disputes and avoid some of the expense, delay and potential risk associated with court action. In mediation, a neutral, trained third-party individual is appointed to assist disputing parties in coming to a mutually acceptable resolution through negotiation and compromise. In certain cases, the disputing parties’ legal advisers will attend a mediation. Mediation is voluntary for both the claimant and defendant and is non-binding until it is written into an agreement that both parties sign. If not satisfactory agreement can be reached, the parties can still decide to pursue the matter through the court system.

In family cases it is usually a requirement to have attempted mediation before an application can be made to the court. Mediations for family cases are generally attended by the parties only.

The age when a person gains full legal rights and responsibilities. In the UK this is the age of 18. Up until then, a minor would generally need a Litigation Friend to act on their behalf.