Spanish for Lawyers
BE A BETTER LAWYER:
LEARN SPANISH
In this intensive week-long language course, you will gain the confidence to communicate with Spanish speakers by expanding your professional vocabulary and getting comfortable using it. After building your foundation in morning classes, we will spend our afternoons visiting a migrant shelter, negotiating at markets, and more.
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.
Visit to a migrant safe house puts learning to use immediately.
Practice comprehension & speaking skills by interacting with Spanish-speaking immigration professionals.
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.
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.
Location: San Miguel de Allende
The “World’s #1 City,” as voted by Travel & Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler readers in 2017 and 2018, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, San Miguel de Allende is a colonial gem tucked high in Mexico’s central highlands, four hours north of Mexico City.
For 15 years, the San Miguel Writers Conference – 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 distinguished speakers such as Gloria Steinem, Alice Walker, Barbara Kingsolver, Paul Theroux, and former poet laureate Billy Collins.
San Miguel de Allende is world-renowned for its vibrant arts community with an abundance of art studios and galleries, a large artisan market, and an art & design center located in a former textile factory called Fabrica La Aurora.
San Miguel de Allende is a foodie’s haven, attracting chefs 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 dynamic art scene, world-class restaurants, deep history, well-preserved Colonial architecture, eclectic shops, and colorful markets, San Miguel is a city you will fall in love with.
Accomodations & Program House
Your accommodations and classes are in a luxury Mexican-style Colonial home on a cobblestone street in the colorful historic center.
All bedrooms have private bathrooms and are either private or shared. Ample common areas provide space for our small-group language classes and quiet space for individual study.
Our in-house chef will prepare daily breakfasts and lunches (Monday to Friday). The house has purified water and wifi.
(*Program House subject to change)
Kayla M. Chisholm, March 2024
“My language skills have plateaued over the last two years. I’ve attended academic courses, and paid for private tutors, but I saw no improvement. After just one week with Elsanne my language skills have skyrocketed. I not only feel more confident, but I have a better grasp on the language. I truly can’t thank this program enough for the language support provided along with the level of cultural competency given. Nothing quite like it”.
Asiyah Sarwari, March 2024
“Context and the Spanish language instruction are the main strengths of the program. The context provided by the ABBA visit and the Otomi village visit were profound. I considered myself well-versed in immigration and our client's situation but the visits were illuminating and provided a context I didn't know I needed. The Spanish language instruction was wonderful and I hope to continue in the future. Other Spanish language classes I've taken were not geared towards immigration professionals - this was and my reading level and comprehension increased considerably.
Hemanth Gundavarum, March 2024
“An instant community of like-minded, mission and purpose driven people.”
Costs
$3050 for Deluxe Single-Occupancy
Add $1150 for a non-participating partner
Add $550 for a child
$2650 for Double-Occupancy Full Participant
Choose your roommate or we will pair you with another participant
$2250 for a full participant that does NOT require accommodation
This includes lunch daily
$500 non-refundable deposit per person, due at time of registration.
Full balance due 45 days prior to the course.
Enjoy your private space in the program house, or invite some of your favorite people to join you on the adventure. We have options to accommodate a non-participating partner and/or children. Please add these options during checkout.
Have another plan for your lodging? We’ll see you for all of the classes, shared meals, activities and adventures.
Share your room in the program house with another student, and enjoy an additional chance to connect.
Want to save your spot in the upcoming course? Purchase your deposit and let us know below which type of course package to reserve for you.
Bringing a friend, family member or partner along for the adventure? Add the non-participating partner option. (Add-ons are only applicable to the private room.)
Bringing a child (12 or under) along for the adventure? Add the child option. (Add-ons are only applicable to the private room.)
This is included in your course fee
15 hours of intensive Spanish language instruction in small group class (3 hours each morning, Monday to Friday).
Accommodation in your choice of private or shared room with full bath, Saturday – Saturday.
Breakfast daily and lunch Monday-Friday, prepared by in-house chef. Welcome dinner on Saturday.
Transportation to course-related off-site excursions.
Round trip airport transfer from either QRO or BJX airports.
This is not included in your course fee
Airfare. The closest airports to San Miguel de Allende are Querétaro Intercontinental Airport (QRO -1 hour away), León/Bajio International Airport (BJX - 1.5 hours away) and Mexico City (MEX -4 hours away).
Transportation from/to any place other than QRO or BJX airports.
Daily dinner, snacks, drinks, except those mentioned above.
Mandatory travel insurance.
FAQ
Who is this course designed for?
Spanish for Lawyers is designed for legal professionals and anyone working with immigrants 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 professional vocabulary. The emphasis is on immigration law, though the skills you will learn readily translate to a variety of professions, including family & criminal law and social services.
Do I need to be a lawyer to participate?
No. There is no requirement to be a licensed or practicing attorney to participate. Past participants have included psychologists, corporate and municipal attorneys, as well as non-attorney advocates working with immigrants.
The course is designed for professionals with an interest in improving their oral communication skills.
What is the migrant shelter and what will we do there?
We have a mutually-beneficial and unique relationship with ABBA A.C., a registered non-profit migrant shelter providing humanitarian assistance in neighboring Celaya, approximately 1 hour away. We will speak with the shelter’s charismatic Director about the current state of migration in Mexico and his challenges and opportunities working as a human rights defender. Students will gain valuable insight into the migrant journey and confidence applying the course lessons in real life.
Why do we go to the migrant center in Celaya?
Celaya sits at a strategic crossroads for migrants. Mexico’s two train lines intersect here. Migrants riding “La Bestia” must choose which part of the US they will try to enter: either northwest towards Mexicali, Nogales, or El Paso, or northeast towards Laredo or Brownsville. Thousands of migrants pass through Celaya monthly, and many of them stay at ABBA house to rest, eat, and recover from their arduous journey.
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. Playing the fun and free app Duolingo will help.
What CLEs will be offered?
We have been approved for CLE credits for Trauma-Informed Lawyering (1 hour) and in The Use of FOIA in Immigration Practice (1 hour).
How do I get to San Miguel de Allende?
The closest airports to San Miguel are Querétaro Intercontinental Airport (QRO) and León/Bajio International Airport (BJX), both approximately 1 – 1.5 hours away. United Airlines has multiple daily flights through Houston and American Airlines flies through Dallas/Ft. Worth. Mexico City (MEX) is also well-served by multiple US and Mexican airlines, including Aeromexico and Delta.
Your program fee includes round trip shuttle transport from BJX and QRO.
There are shuttles, private drivers, and luxury buses available from Mexico City and we can help you coordinate your ground transportation should you fly into there. To search for low-cost airfares, we recommend the following websites: Kayak, Skyscanner, Skiplagged, and budget airlines Southwest Airlines, Volaris, and VivaAerobus.
Is it safe?
San Miguel de Allende is a popular tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors from around the world. But is it safe? US State Department travel warnings and and news reports of crime in Mexico make travelers nervous to consider it as a vacation destination. However, Mexico is a large country and most of the reported crime takes place in cities far from San Miguel de Allende. The State Department’s “Level 2” advisory tells travelers to “exercise increased caution in Mexico” and explicitly requests that U.S citizens avoid the Mexican states of Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas. San Miguel is located in Guanajuato state and bears no additional travel warnings. Risk in one part of the country shouldn’t preclude travel to another part. San Miguel is home to many foreigners – including families with children – who feel safer here than in the US. That said, there is crime in San Miguel and visitors should use the same common sense safety measures as they would anywhere else in the world.
Can I bring my family?
Adult partners are welcome to share your room and will be charged a nominal fee of $800 for accommodation and meals (breakfasts and lunches, dinners not included). 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, as well. There is an additional cost of $400 per child for those 12 and under.
What about the food? Can you accommodate my dietary restrictions?
In-house chef-prepared daily breakfasts and lunches Monday through Friday are included. Hot breakfasts include fresh fruits and juices, 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 include your dietary restrictions in your registration form so that we can accommodate them.
What free time is there?
Check-in is on Saturday, with a welcome dinner on Saturday evening. You are invited to join a walking orientation tour of our beautiful host city on Sunday morning. The rest of the day is yours. Scheduled activities will occupy much of your time Monday through Friday. Class hours are 9:00 am – 12 pm, followed by formal program activities in the afternoon. Evenings are yours to discover the magic of San Miguel de Allende: watch the sunset 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 ambiance serenaded by the wandering mariachi. (Yes, there really are wandering mariachi.)
Please let us know if you would like to add additional days on to your stay and we are happy to provide accommodation recommendations.
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 am very interested but can’t attend the offered course dates. Will you have other courses?
With a minimum of 4 participants, we are able to offer alternate course dates. Please contact us if you are interested in an alternate course date, extending your trip, or join our mailing list to be in the know for future course dates.
I really want to learn Spanish. Can I study longer?
Language learning requires ongoing active practice. All of our courses are offered in two back-to-back weekly sessions and we encourage you to register for both weeks. If you wish to continue your studies after your course but can’t move to Mexico, we offer online classes with our experienced faculty. Learn more about our online classes here.