Who is this course designed for?

Spanish for Lawyers is designed for legal professionals who want to learn or improve their spoken Spanish skills. While many language courses teach you the basics, the focus of this course is on practical vocabulary for the legal professional. The emphasis is on immigration law though the skills you will learn readily translate to a variety of practices, including family law. Through our unique partnership with the ABBA migrant shelter, you will have multiple opportunities to put your lessons into practice immediately, speaking with Central American migrants making the arduous journey north.

Do I need to be a lawyer to participate?

No. There is no requirement to be a licensed or practicing attorney to participate.

The course is designed for legal professionals with an interest in improving their oral communication skills. We will offer CLE credits during the week. If you choose not to participate in the courses, we encourage you to use the free time to practice the day’s lessons.

What is the migrant shelter and what will we do there?

We have a unique relationship with ABBA A.C., a registered non-profit migrant shelter providing humanitarian assistance in neighboring Celaya. Through this mutually-beneficial partnership, we will provide pro bono advice as we are able to as well as contribute to the shelter’s migrant data collection project. In return, students will gain experience and confidence to put the course lessons into real life practice.

Do I need to already speak some Spanish?

There is no language prerequisite to participate in the language learning adventure. To get the most benefit from the course, we recommend some previous practice in the basics of Spanish. A few weeks playing the fun and free app Duolingo will help.

What CLEs will be offered?

CLE credits in introductory immigration law, asylum law and credible fear interviews, and hot topics in immigration law are pending. When you register, please inform us where you will be seeking credit and we will make all attempts to ensure you get credit in your state.

What about money?

Mexico is a cash-based economy with some larger businesses accepting credit cards. We recommend that you have cash as well as a credit card that charges no international transaction fees, such as airline credit cards as well as the Chase Sapphire line of credit cards . You will get the best exchange rates by withdrawing cash from ATM machines, which are plentiful and available in the airports as well as throughout San Miguel de Allende. You will need to bring enough cash for snacks, dinners, souvenirs, and daily incidentals. We personally recommend the Charles Schwab no-fee investor checking account which reimburses all ATM fees worldwide.

Can I drink the water?

The Educational Adventure Center has filtered potable water throughout. We recommend disinfecting produce prior to consumption.

Please bring a reusable water bottle to use when venturing beyond the Center. Mexico’s recycling infrastructure is spotty at best and we do not wish to contribute additional plastic to the waste stream.

Can I bring my family?

Adult partners are welcome to share your room and will be charged a nominal fee of $600 for accommodation and meals (breakfasts and lunches.) The partner rate also includes cultural activities but does not include language instruction or other professional development activities. We are happy to to arrange separate language instruction or other activities such as cooking classes or local tours to hot springs, markets, or archeological sites. Children are welcome on a case by case basis depending on accommodation availability.

What about the food? Can you accommodate my dietary restrictions?

Breakfast and lunch, prepared by our in-house chef, is included Monday through Friday. Breakfasts will include fresh fruits and juices, bread, yogurt and granola, tea and coffee. Lunch is the main meal of the day in Mexico and will be substantial, hot and freshly prepared.

Please contact us if you have dietary restrictions, so that we can accommodate.

What free time is there?

Registration opens Saturday with a welcome dinner Saturday evening. Following Sunday language placement evaluations, you are invited to join a walking orientation tour of our beautiful host city. The rest of the day is yours. Scheduled activities will occupy much of your time Monday through Friday. Class hours are 9am - 12pm, followed by formal program activities in the afternoon. Evenings are yours to discover the magic of San Miguel de Allende: watch the sun set on a rooftop bar, dine in one of 350 restaurants, grab a taco from our favorite nighttime taco stand, or simply sit in the central plaza soaking up the ambience serenaded by the wandering mariachi. (Yes, there really are wandering mariachi.)

Can I really learn Spanish in a week?

No. It takes years of practice to truly learn a new language, so unless you already have a foundation in a romance language, you likely won’t leave our program chattering away fluently in Spanish.

What you will gain though is confidence to speak Spanish as a result of many opportunities to practice. The largest hurdle to speaking Spanish is your own inhibition and fear of failure. We will help you overcome this fear and give you tools to use in your own practice.

I really want to learn Spanish. Can I study longer?

If there is enough interest, we can add a second residential week to the course. Please contact us for information on how to extend your studies.

Because language learning requires active practice, if you wish to continue your studies but can’t move to Mexico, we offer post-course remote classes via Skype with our experienced faculty. Please contact us for details.