Program Details

In this program, you will:

• Increase your communication skills and ability to support Spanish-speaking clients and colleagues
• Practice Spanish with native speakers
• Work with common legal documents
• Complete exercises to improve your listening, speaking, reading, and writing acumen
• Build a professional portfolio to demonstrate your ability to conduct legal processes and business in Spanish without an interpreter

At the completion of this program, you will be able to:

• Use relevant vocabulary and legal terminology in the context of a professional, legal setting.
• Demonstrate correct pronunciation in spoken Spanish.
• Read materials including forms, correspondence, and other documents in Spanish.
• Compose messages, letters, and other documents with correct grammar and professional vocabulary.
• Conduct interviews with clients entirely in Spanish.
• Reflect cultural competence in interactions with colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders from across the Spanish-speaking world.

This program is designed for:

• Lawyers, paralegals or other legal professionals who work in an office with Spanish-speaking clients
• Law students, paralegal students or recent graduates who anticipate working with Spanish-speaking clients or want to set themselves apart in the job hunt
• Legal professionals looking to expand their client base or seeking a credential from SMU
• Nonprofit staff and volunteers who serve the Spanish-speaking community with legal issues
• Volunteers in a legal clinic
• Any legal professional interested in improving his/her Spanish language skills in today’s diverse society 

Prerequisites:

This course is designed to teach the fundamentals of Spanish vocabulary and grammar specifically useful for a legal professional at the work place. Basic Spanish comprehension or previous study is strongly preferred, but fluency is not required for program admission. Students who have the equivalent of one or two semesters of college-level Spanish, or heritage speakers without formal Spanish study, will be well-suited for this program.

If you need to refresh or strengthen your Spanish language skills, we recommend StraighterLine's self-paced language courses. As an SMU partner, StraighterLine will transfer the transcript for completed coursework directly to SMU.

Technical Requirements:

• Webcam
• Microphone
• TalkAbroad software subscription ($50) to practice speaking and listening skills with native Spanish speakers.

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