News Release

Law School offers Courses on Mexican Law

This semester, UDM launched an introduction to "Mexican Law and Spanish Legal Terminology", the first in a series of three courses now offered at UDM School of Law as part of its "Degrees of the Americas" program. The first course should build students Spanish language skills as it best prepares students for Mexican Law electives scheduled for the coming summer and fall terms at UDM. Basic proficiency in Spanish is required for this introductory course.

Gabriela Sakmar, the licensed Mexican attorney teaching the course, describes this seminar as a preview of Mexican law in which students receive a general overview of the Mexican legal system, its institutions and civil law traditions, as well as general information about the country of Mexico. Throughout the course, students are also learning Spanish legal terminology.

The course began with the history of Mexico — its culture, customs, educational program — and basic legal vocabulary. As the course progresses, participants — law students, faculty and staff — learn about the structure of the Mexican government as well as its politics and economy. Sakmar uses a comparative approach to look at issues that arise in both the U.S. and Mexico, such as the individual rights included in the Mexican Constitution and the U.S. Bill of Rights.

During the 2009-2010 intersession, UDM will offer two other courses in Mexican law to be taught this summer as part of the joint J.D./L.E.D. degree program and the "Degrees of the Americas" program.

Release date: May 02, 2010

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