Spanish for Lawyers-New Date! April 25-May 2, 2020

Spanish is the second most spoken language in the U.S.  Set yourself apart and communicate with clients in their language.  Make yourself more effective on the border or more marketable in the workplace.  Grow your linguistic confidence in a fun and supportive environment.

In this intensive week-long language course, you will gain the confidence to communicate with Spanish speakers by expanding your professional vocabulary while working directly with Central American migrants and current immigration issues.  After morning classes we will spend our afternoons volunteering at a migrant shelter, negotiating in markets, or participating in CLE classes.

The Course

Spanish for Lawyers is a one-week professional language learning experience that includes:

• Three hours daily of intensive small-group Spanish instruction at your level: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.  No prior Spanish language experience necessary.  Five days of instruction focus on practical legal vocabulary and representation of immigrants. The emphasis is on confidence and fluency in verbal communication.  
• Visits to a migrant safe house puts learning to use immediately. Practice comprehension skills by interviewing Spanish-speaking migrants.  Practice speaking skills by giving pro-bono know-your-rights sessions and client consultations.  
• Cultural and social events reinforce language learning and highlight the issue of migration.
• Small class size.  A maximum of 14 participants ensures highly personalized instruction.
• 3 hours of CLE:  Bilingual Introduction to US Asylum Law; Preparing Clients for RFI/CFI (includes cultural sensitivity training), Hot Topics (reports from the front lines).

The learning adventure begins with an orientation and walking tour of beautiful San Miguel de Allende.  Class instruction starts Monday morning and ends on Friday.  The curriculum, developed by a US immigration attorney with 20 years of experience, takes a practical approach, and is designed to build your confidence in oral communication by emphasizing legal terminology useful in your practice.  Our highly experienced instructors have been carefully chosen for their expertise, enthusiasm, and creativity.

The “World’s #1 City,” as voted by Travel & Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler readers in 2017 and 2018 and designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, San Miguel de Allende is a magical colonial gem.  This picturesque town is tucked high in Mexico’s central highlands, four hours north of Mexico City, assuring pleasant year-round temperatures and spectacular sunsets.  Rich in history with a sophisticated culinary scene, San Miguel de Allende is home to a thriving community of over 8000 foreign retirees, families, and young entrepreneurs.  Twenty percent of residents in this charming town are expatriates. 

For 15 years, the San Miguel Writers Conference and Literary Festival - the largest and most prestigious co-cultural, bi-lingual literary gathering in the Americas - has attracted thousands of writers and readers from around the world, with such distinguished speakers as Gloria Steinem, Alice Walker, Barbara Kingsolver, Paul Theroux, and former poet laureate Billy Collins.

San Miguel de Allende is a world-renowned haven for artists, boasting a vibrant arts community with many studios and galleries with working artists and artisans.  The streets are lined with tiny shops filled with the handiwork of craftspeople and there is a dedicated artisans market as well as the Fabrica La Aurora, an art and design center located in a former textile factory.

A world-class destination, San Miguel de Allende is a foodie’s haven, attracting chefs and diners from around the globe.  Home to more than 350 restaurants helmed by award-winning celebrity chefs, rising stars, and skilled abuelas, you have your pick of chic rooftop bars, intimate courtyard tables, vibrant market stalls or bustling streetside taco stands.

With its vibrant art scene, world-class restaurants and authentic street stalls, deep history, well-preserved Colonial architecture, eclectic shops and colorful markets, San Miguel is a city you will fall in love with.

Your accommodations and classes are in a luxury Mexican style Colonial home on a cobblestone street in the colorful historic center.  Click HERE for a full slideshow of the house.

Seven well appointed bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, ensures privacy and a comfortable night’s sleep after long days.  

The house has multiple outdoor patios and terraces, two living rooms with fireplaces, and two dining rooms, creating plentiful space for our small-group language classes and ample quiet space for individual study.  An outdoor ping-pong table provides a great way to take a brain break and burn off some energy.

Our in-house chef will prepare daily breakfasts and lunches (Monday to Friday). 

The house has purified water and wifi. 

• $2550 for deluxe single-occupancy full participant (queen bed in single room)
• $1900 for double-occupancy full participant (twin bed in double room)
• $2200 basic room (twin bed, single room) 
• $1850 for full participant that does NOT require accommodation  (includes lunch daily)
• Add $700 for a non-participating partner (queen room only)

• $500 non-refundable deposit per person due at time of registration 
• Full balance due 60 days prior to the course
  
  

• 15 hours of intensive Spanish language instruction in small group class (3 hours each morning, Monday to Friday).
• Accommodation in private suite with full bath, Saturday - Saturday. 
• Breakfast and lunch prepared by in-house chef Monday - Friday. 
• Welcome dinner on Saturday
• Transportation to course-related off-site excursions
• Round trip airport transfer from BJX or QRO.  

• Airfare. The closest airports to San Miguel de Allende are Queretaro (QRO)(1 hour away), Leon (BJX)(1.5 hours away) and Mexico City (MEX)(4 hours away)
• Transportation from any place other than Leon airport (BJX) or Queretaro Airport (QRO).
• Daily dinner, snacks, drinks, except those mentioned above
• Mandatory travel insurance