Spanish for Legal Professionals Courses

Responding to Initial Client Inquiry

In this module, you will be introduced to the topic of establishing contact and meeting your potential client for the first time. You’ll learn vocabulary and phrases used during the initial contact and first conversation with a client. Learn to establish trust and rapport by understanding culture and overcoming language barriers.

Setting Up a Professional Meeting

In this module, you will be introduced to vocabulary and useful phrases that will further help you establish a connection with your client. From scheduling an office appointment to collecting more in-depth personal information, you will improve and strengthen your Spanish communication skills. You’ll also review and practice the two major past tenses in Spanish, the past preterite and the past imperfect.

Gathering Your Client's Information

In this module, you will learn how to identify and describe in detail family members and personal backgrounds. Learn and practice the vocabulary and grammar necessary to discuss characteristics such as age and occupations, as well as other information you may need to know about your clients. You will continue practicing all types of verbs in the present tense. To demonstrate your skills, you will conduct an interview with a client in Spanish based on an authentic immigration legal form. You will continue to practice specific sounds in Spanish to improve pronunciation and gain further understanding of the Spanish-speaking world through cultural review and reflection.

Addressing Your Client's Personal History

In this module, you will continue improving your Spanish conversation skills. In addition to the review of the important uses of the past preterite and past imperfect, you will practice and learn how to apply the present imperfect tense when interviewing clients and inquiring about experiences related to their case. You will engage in hypothetical situations to conduct an interview and collect the information necessary to prepare for a divorce case with Spanish-speaking clients. In this practical activity, you will use on-point legal vocabulary and pay special attention to commonly used reflexive verbs in the context of family background and relationships. The module will conclude with pronunciation practice and a cultural reading further addressing family law and divorce topics.

Requesting Legal Documentation

In this module, you will learn vocabulary addressing the different legal documentation typically used when dealing with a client’s case. Students will learn how to make requests and offer recommendations using the present subjunctive. You will apply the new legal terminology and specific grammatical structures in a formal letter to a client requesting specific documentation.

Reviewing Authentic Documents in Spanish

In this module, you will work through practical tasks that are extremely useful when working with a Spanish-speaking client. In an interview with a native speaker, you’ll demonstrate your ability to incorporate all the major tenses you have studied so far. You will show your ability to ask logical and grammatically correct questions as well as respond to questions. In addition, you will translate an authentic legal document from Spanish to English to establish your ability to work independently without a translator.

Composing Basic Contract Agreements in Spanish

In this module, you will learn terms commonly used in specific areas of law such as immigration, family, and business law which will help you address potential legal services your client may need. Grammatically, you will learn structures which will help you address future plans and contingencies. As a result, you will be able to write your own simple retainer contract in Spanish covering important features such as services and fees.

Showcasing a Variety of Acquired Practical Skills

The final module will focus on preparing for the final exam and combining your new professional Spanish language skills for the comprehensive final project.