How to write clear and precise clauses
2 weeks
Learn to review and prepare legal documents in Spanish. Master the typical formulas, structures, connectors, how to avoid ambiguities and how to sound natural and professional.
Format: Live online (videoconference) and downloadable materials
Duration: 2 live sessions (90 minutes each) — 1 session per week over 2 weeks
Limited places: Small group
Overview
This course is designed to help you draft contract clauses in natural legal Spanish, as they are written in professional practice. We will work on common formulas, recurring structures, and real-use vocabulary, with particular attention to typical non-native errors (calques, unnatural phrasing, prepositions, agreement, and register). The goal is for your contract drafting to sound clear, precise, and professional—without literal translation effects or “machine-translator style.”
What you will learn
- How to use typical formulas and structures found in Spanish legal clauses.
- How to express obligations, conditions, exceptions, and consequences in a coherent professional register.
- How to avoid frequent calques and unnatural phrasing common among non-native lawyers.
- How to improve linguistic precision.
- How to review and reformulate your clauses to gain clarity and naturalness without changing the legal meaning.
Syllabus
Week 1: Core formulas and natural clause style
- Common structures (definitions, obligations, conditions, consequences): drafting form and style
- Frequent professional formulas: “a efectos…”, “por escrito”, “en ausencia de…”, “se entenderá…”
- Typical verbs
- Frequent calques and common errors
- Terminological consistency and clarity (consistent terms, clear references, structured lists)
Week 2: Precision and cautious legal drafting
- Exceptions and limitations
- Conditions and the subjunctive: “siempre que se cumpla…”, “salvo que…”
- Recurring contractual drafting vocabulary
- Clear style: avoiding ambiguity, overly long sentences, and double negatives
- Final product: a revised clause pack and a personal revision checklist
Methodology
Action-oriented approach: we will work with real contract clause models. From them, we will extract common formulas and resources and apply them in class through detection and reformulation activities to eliminate calques and improve naturalness. Includes checkpoint exercises to verify acquisition. By the end, each participant will have a mini pack of revised clauses and a personal style guide to reuse in their work.
Who is this course for
Aimed at law students and legal professionals who work with contracts in Spanish and want to improve their ability to draft and understand clear, precise contract clauses. Especially useful for those who review, negotiate, or prepare contracts and want to feel more confident identifying risks, avoiding ambiguity, and wording standard clauses correctly and professionally.
Requirements
- A minimum general Spanish level of upper-intermediate (B1+) is recommended.
- A device with a camera and microphone, and a stable internet connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is a certificate issued at the end of the course? Yes. A certificate of attendance is issued.
- Will I receive additional materials? Yes. You will receive downloadable materials to prepare for the class and to continue revising at your own pace afterwards.
- What level of Spanish do I need? We aim to accommodate different levels, but a minimum of upper-intermediate (Advanced B1) or B2 is recommended.
- What happens if I cannot attend the live session? If you are unable to attend, please let me know in advance and we will look for the best alternative, subject to availability.
- How many people are there per group? Groups are small to ensure participation, practice, and personalised feedback. Places are limited.
- Which platform is used, and what do I need technically? The class is delivered by video conference (Google Meet). You will receive the link the day before. You will need a device with a stable internet connection, a camera and microphone, and preferably headphones.
- How do I make the payment? Payment is made through the website via PayPal or bank card.
- Is an invoice issued? Yes. If you require an invoice, you can request one directly at checkout by selecting the “I need an invoice” option and entering your billing details (name/company name, tax ID number, and address). We will email the invoice to you after payment.
Reviews
I already knew some legal vocabulary, but I found it hard to be precise when speaking Spanish in meetings, and sometimes I sounded unnatural or insecure. With this course, I’ve learned to express myself more clearly and to speak up with more confidence, using phrases that I know are correct in a professional context, instead of translating directly from my language. I recommend it to lawyers and other legal professionals.
Emily J. (UK)
I needed to become more fluent in Spanish in real work situations: phone calls, meetings with clients, and everyday conversations. The course is very practical and doesn’t waste time on theory. We worked on real examples and useful phrases you can use right away. I feel I’ve improved a lot when speaking Spanish at work.
Julien M. (France)
€ 195
Next edition: spring 2026
Limited places: Small group
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