Description: Spanish for Lawyers is intended to aid fluent or highly proficient Spanish speakers develop vocabularies to facilitate more effective attorney communications with Spanish-speaking clients who possess limited English proficiency. This course is not intended for law students with beginning or intermediate Spanish language skills. The course is appropriate for law students whose Spanish proficiency is high (can speak and understand at an advanced level, even if not fluent). The course will introduce Spanish legal terminology in such areas as immigration law, criminal law, employment law, family law, and housing. The emphasis will be on speaking and listening comprehension. Students will also be given coursework assignments, including but not limited to grammar exercises, to assist students with Spanish mastery. Class instruction will be primarily in the Spanish language and will be conducted remotely. Finally, the 2-credit course will be graded on a mandatory pass-fail basis.

Instructor: Perla J. Rubio Terrones is a UW Law alumni currently practicing immigration law as a staff attorney with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) in El Paso, Texas. Prior to her role with KIND, she was a Clinical Instructor at the Immigrant Justice Clinic of the University of Wisconsin Law School and previously taught the Spanish for Lawyers course during the Spring semester of 2021. Throughout her legal experience, Perla has used her Spanish skills to represent clients, collaborate with community leaders, and work together with federal representatives and stakeholders. Her experience has taught her the importance of utilizing her language skills for the benefit of those with limited language access. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge with future attorneys that will use their legal profession to serve Spanish-speaking communities.