Spanish for Lawyers
AILA has partnered with American University Washington College of Law to provide a discount on the Spanish for Lawyers Online Course and the Advanced Spanish for Lawyers Online Course to AILA members, law student members, and international associates.
Spanish for Lawyers Online Course
Registration is currently open for the fall 2024 semester! This online course is designed to improve legal Spanish speaking and writing skills for immigration and criminal law practitioners. The sessions will run from September 9 to November 15, 2024, and require a weekly commitment of 5 to 10 hours of coursework (synchronous and asynchronous) during 10 weeks. View the announcement and registration info for the course.
Advanced Spanish for Lawyers Online Course
Registration is currently open for the spring 2024 semester! This course focuses on more advanced terminology and topics involving immigration law in the United States. This course directly builds upon the general Spanish for Lawyers course and provides participants enhanced practice opportunity. The sessions will run from April 22 to June 28, 2024, and require a weekly commitment of 5 to 10 hours of coursework (synchronous and asynchronous) during 10 weeks. View the announcement and registration info for the course.
General Overview
Spanish for Lawyers at American University Washington College of Law introduces lawyers, legal professionals, and law students with a high-intermediate to advanced level of Spanish speaking skills to legal Spanish concepts and cross-cultural communication in the context of U.S. Criminal Law and U.S. Immigration Law. Through lectures, written assignments, and oral exercises, participants will practice a wide array of legal Spanish skills ranging from legal reading and writing strategies to oral presentation of substantive legal issues. The courses will be taught in Spanish.
Listening and Speaking Skills
With the aim of preparing participants for real world situations such as client meetings and conference calls, Spanish for Lawyers incorporates exercises that focus on listening and speaking skills. Participants will give presentations and will engage in discussions and attorney-client meeting simulations.
Requirements
Participants must be practicing lawyers, legal professionals, or law students with a high-intermediate to advanced level of Spanish proficiency. Participants are expected to actively participate in class exercises and complete homework assignments.
Placement Test
If you are not sure that you have a high-intermediate to advanced level of Spanish proficiency, please feel free to take this placement test. Please download the test or print it out and send the filled-out test to the course coordinator, Bjorn Arp, at arp@wcl.american.edu. The program administrators will review your answers and inform you of your score. If you score 70% and above, you can feel comfortable taking the course!
Instructors
The instructors of Spanish for Lawyers are Spanish and Latin American lawyers and teachers who have experience with international students.
Questions
If you have any questions about the program, please contact the Coordinator, Bjorn Arp, at (202) 274-4346 or LegalSpanish@wcl.american.edu.