DALLAS, TX—Students may apply now for SMU’s new online Spanish for Legal Professionals Certificate program, which will begin July 1, 2021. Presented by SMU Continuing and Professional Education (CAPE), classes in the interactive nine-week program will be taught by a licensed attorney and faculty member from the SMU Department of World Languages and Literatures.
With specialized Spanish language skills, attorneys and legal professionals can offer personalized service and advocacy to their clients. Traditional language courses usually do not cover the professional terminology and particular nuances needed in law practice. SMU’s new Spanish for Legal Professionals Certificate program will prepare attorneys, legal administrators, paralegals and others to engage effectively with Spanish-speaking clients and other stakeholders in professional legal settings.
Attorneys and legal professionals who speak Spanish can provide better services to an important and growing segment of potential clients. More Texans claim Hispanic heritage than in any other state, except for California and almost 30% of all Texans live in households in which Spanish is spoken.
The entirely online nine-week program is much more than lectures over Zoom. Students will work independently through videos, exercises and assignments to learn relevant vocabulary and gain cultural competency. They will have many opportunities to practice their speaking, listening, and comprehension skills in weekly live online class sessions with their classmates, the instructor and native Spanish speakers.
