A new course to be offered by the University of Virginia School of Law in the spring will help students improve their skills as advocates for Spanish-speaking clients amid growing demand for such services.
“Spanish for Public Service Lawyers” will introduce eight students who already have some proficiency in speaking Spanish to real-world clients who are facing some type of struggle in the legal system.
The course will be taught by professor Camilo Sánchez, director of the Law School’s Center for International & Comparative Law, and Madeline Starbranch, a School of Law 2015 graduate and a Legal Aid Justice Center attorney.
A major component of the course, in addition to classroom instruction and independent study to build cultural competency, will be working directly with Spanish speakers in the Charlottesville area through a field office of the nonprofit organization Sin Barreras. Students will perform intake for Spanish-speaking callers who may be seeking assistance with access to justice or other community concerns, and they will provide education in Spanish on important topics and issues.
The course will be taught by Madeline Starbranch, a 2015 alumna and Legal Aid Justice Center attorney, and professo Camilo Sánchez, director of the Law School’s Center for International & Comparative Law. (Photos by Dan Addison, University Communications)
“Including an experiential component changes the instruction dynamics and brings the course closer to the population’s real needs,” Sánchez said.
Having increased in number by 23% from 2010 to 2020, Latinos make up more than 18% of the U.S. population, or about 62 million people.
