This course consists of 4 lessons in a Standard Language Course plus 2 private tutorials on Italian for law, each day.

The course is designed for those students who are already experts in the field of law in their own language and who are interested in the language of law in Italian for professional reasons or for study. The program focuses on different areas of law, aiming at providing students with the basic vocabulary and professional expressions that are most often used. Since it is held that a dry presentation of vocabulary on the subject matter would be of little practical use, each of the fields will be covered through the analysis of "texts" that are presented on video cassettes and in written form. Through the study and discussion of texts, the basic vocabulary of the specific topic is laid out. For example, the vocabulary relating to Constitutional Law is presented through readings from the Italian Constitution and from rulings of the Constitutional Court, the vocabulary of Labor Law through readings from national labor contracts, etc. After identifying the basic technical vocabulary and expressions, the student is helped to assimilate them through targeted exercises and discussions.

Topics that may be included in the course:

1. Constitutional Law

2. Roman Law

3. Private Law

4. Public Law

5. Criminal Law

6. Administrative Law

7. Labor Law

8. Business Law

Since the law field is extremely broad and cannot be covered in a thorough manner in the few available lessons, students may begin the course by planning with the instructor a program with a narrower focus on the basis of their needs, with a concentration on only several topics. In particular, if a student needs to increase his expertise in a specific area for professional reasons, we recommend that he inform us before arriving in order to give the instructor sufficient time to prepare a specific program with selected texts. For example, if a student works in a law office that has contractual dealings with Italian companies, the course may focus on Italian-type contracts and laws on private contracting.

Program example:

Constitutional Law

• reading of excerpts from the Italian Constitution, for example "Rights and duties of citizens: civil relations"
• exercises on oral and written comprehension from text readings
• analysis and deeper understanding of a text: summary, paraphrase, translation, identification of areas of law vocabulary
• on the basis of the vocabulary identified, a general description of Italian Constitutional Law
• activities to stimulate oral and written production in important legal contex