Understanding court rulings in Spanish
90 minutes
Recommended for professionals and students who face complex documents and need to “decode” the Spanish legal style.
Format: Live online (videoconference) + downloadable materials
Duration: 1 live session (90 minutes)
Limited places: Small group
Overview
A practical mini course for non-native legal professionals and law students who need to understand Spanish court decisions without getting lost in long, complex sentences. You will learn how to identify the structure, recognize key expressions, and summarise the content in clear Spanish.
What you will learn
- How to quickly locate what matters most in a court decision.
- How to identify the parties, claims, facts, legal reasoning/grounds, and ruling.
- Key verbs used in decisions: estima/desestima, declara, condena, absuelve…
- Understanding legal vocabulary
- How to interpret common legal connectors (“por tanto”, “no obstante”, “a la vista de…”).
- How to convert legal phrasing into clear Spanish and write a brief summary.
Syllabus
- Basic structure of judgments
- Key verbs and core expressions (reasoning and decision)
- Frequent legal connectors
- Highlighting, labelling, and summarising techniques
- Final output: “sentencia en 6 líneas” and a short oral explanation
Methodology
Action-oriented approach: we will work with real texts adapted for teaching purposes, extract linguistic and cultural resources, practise guided highlighting and reformulation, and conclude with a final product.
Who is it for?
For non-native Spanish-speaking legal professionals and law students who need to understand judicial decisions in Spanish with confidence, even when the text is lengthy and complex. You will learn to identify the overall structure, pinpoint key expressions, and summarise the content in clear Spanish.
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)
€ 80
Nest edition: spring 2026
Limited places
Secure payment
