- Description
- Objectives
- Outline
- Materials
- Certification
- System Requirements
- Watch a Demo
Paralegals help lawyers prepare for hearings, trials, and corporate meetings. However, their specific duties may vary depending on the size of the firm or organization. Our Paralegal Professional program will engage student’s in the study of the law and what it means to a Paralegal. This course discusses how various aspects of the law affect the individual, filling a void for those looking to learn about many of the personal law issues that confront people in their everyday lives. This three part course will prepare students for an exciting career as a paralegal.
Paralegal Professional
After completing this course, you should be able to:
- Identify the job description and classifications of the paralegal profession
- Define law ethics, the categories of law, and the court system
- List the steps involved in trial and pretrial procedures
- Recall techniques for effective legal research and analysis
- Recognize guidelines for legal writing and communications
Legal Analysis and Writing
After completing this course, you should be able to:
- Recall the basic anatomy of a statute and how to read a case
- Recognize how to uncover key facts and identify legal issues
- Define counter-analysis and how to properly state legal issues
- Recall the fundamentals of effective legal writing
- Identify proper etiquette and techniques for drafting office legal memoranda and correspondence
Understanding the Law
After completing this course, you should be able to:
- Identify the concepts involved in US law
- Recall basic classifications of the state and federal court system
- Define administrative law classifications
- Differentiate between the elements of torts and contracts
- Identify how the law relates to consumer rights
Paralegal Professional
Paralegal Professional Module 1
The Paralegal Career
- What is a Paralegal?
- Paralegal Tasks
- Educational Options
- Skills and Attributes
- Career Opportunities
- Compensation
- Organizational Structure of Law Firms
- Filing Procedures
- Communications
- Law Office Culture and Politics
Paralegal Professional Module 2
American Law and Court Systems
- Regulation of Attorneys
- Attorney Ethics
- Regulation of Paralegals
- Sources of American Law
- Constitutional Law
- Statutory Law
- Administrative Law
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Basic Judicial Requirements
- Federal and State Court Systems
Paralegal Professional Module 3
Online Legal Research and Analysis
- Researching Case Law
- Case Reporting System
- Analyzing Case Law
- Researching Constitutional and Statutory Law
- Analyzing Statutory Law
- Legal Resources on the Internet
- Lexis and Westlaw
- Alternative Legal Research Sources
- Conducting Online Research
Paralegal Professional Module 4
Legal Writing and Civil Litigation
- Receiving a Writing Assignment
- Tools for Writers
- Pleadings, Discovery and Motions
- General Legal Correspondence
- The Legal Memorandum
- Preliminaries and Pleadings
- Discovery of Electronic Evidence
- Maintenance of Electronic Records
- Pretrial Motions
Paralegal Professional Module 5
Interviews, Investigations and Trial Procedures
- Planning for the Interview
- Interviewing Skills
- Interviewing Clients
- Interviewing Witnesses
- Planning and Conducting Investigations
- Preparing for Trial
- Jury Selection
- Post-trial Motions and Procedures
Paralegal Professional Module 6
Criminal, Tort and Consumer Law
- Defining Crime
- Types of Crime
- Cyber Crime
- Prosecution
- Intentional Torts
- Negligence
- Product Liability
- Consumer Law
Paralegal Professional Module 7
Contracts, Insurance Law and Family Law
- Requirements to Form a Valid Contract
- Defenses to Contract Enforceability
- Sales Contracts and Warranties
- Contract Performance and Remedies
- Online Contracting and Electronic Signatures
- Intellectual Property Law
- Real Property
- Insurance Law
- Family Law
- Wills, Trusts and Estates
Paralegal Professional Module 8
Employment Law, Bankruptcy and Environmental Law
- Forms of Business Organization
- Agency Law
- Employment Law
- Bankruptcy Code
- Liquidation Proceedings
- Individual Repayment Plans
- Reorganizations
- Environmental Law
**Outlines are subject to change, as courses and materials are updated.**
Legal Analysis and Writing
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 1
Introduction to Legal Principles and Legal Analysis
- Sources of Law
- Hierarchy of the Law
- Authority
- Introduction to Legal Citation
- Legal Analysis
- Legal Research
- Analysis Process
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 2
Types of Legal Research
- Constitutions
- Statues
- Administrative Law
- Court Rules
- Case Law
- Encyclopedia
- Treatises
- American Law Reports
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 3
Legal Research, continued
- Legal Periodicals
- Restatements of the Law
- Uniform Laws and Model Acts
- Computers and Internet Legal Research
- Commercial Internet Research
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 4
Legal Analysis: Key Facts and Issue Identification
- Importance of Facts
- Types of Facts
- Key Facts Identification: Client’s Case
- Key Facts Identification: Case Law
- Issue Identification: Client’s Case
- Issue Identification: Case Law
- Spotting the Issue
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 5
Stating the Issue, On Point Importance, and Counteranalysis
- Shorthand or Broad Statement of the Issue
- Comprehensive or Narrow Statement of the Issue
- Issue-Law Component
- Issue-Question Component
- Objectively Stating the Issue
- Is this Case on Point?
- Counteranalysis: Why, When, Where?
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 6
Fundamentals of Writing
- Sentences
- Paragraphs
- Word Selection and Usage
- Grammar
- Punctuation
- Importance of Writing Skills
- Legal Writing Process
- Goal of Legal Writing
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 7
Office Legal Memorandum
- Purposes, Uses, and Importance
- Prewriting Stage
- Sections of the Office Memorandum
- Analysis to Conclusion
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 8
Court Briefs and Correspondence
- Trial Court Briefs
- Appellate Court Briefs
- Basic Components of Correspondence
- Types of Correspondence
**Outlines are subject to change, as courses and materials are updated.**
Understanding the Law
Understanding the Law Module 1
Introduction to the Law
- The English Source of U.S. Law
- Modern Sources of U.S. Law
- Types & Classifications of Law
- The Relationship Between Law & Ethics
- Using Court Cases
- Constitutional Law
- Judicial Review
- Separation of Powers
- The National Government
- What is Federalism?
- The Police Power
- The Bill of Rights
- Freedom of Speech & Religion
- Unreasonable Searches
- Due Process of Law
- Affirmative Action
- The Right to Privacy
Understanding the Law Module 2
The Court System & The Attorney
- What is Trial Court?
- Appellate Court
- Understanding Jurisdiction
- The State Court System
- The Federal Court System
- Trial Proceedings
- The Adversarial System
- Attorneys-at-Law
- Professional Ethics
- Hire & Fire an Attorney
- Legal Malpractice
- Unauthorized Practice of Law
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
Understanding the Law Module 3
Administrative Law & Crimes
- What is Administrative Law?
- History of U.S. Administrative Law
- Administrative Agencies
- Areas of Administrative Law
- Agency Power, Process, & Action
- Limits of Agency Power
- What is a Crime?
- Parties to a Crime
- Corpus Delicti
- Felony, Misdemeanor, or Infraction
- Crimes Against the Person
- Crimes Against Property
- Defenses to Crimes
- Statute of Limitations
- Procedures in a Criminal Trial
- Parole, Probation, & Clemency
Understanding the Law Module 4
Torts & Contracts
- What are Torts?
- Torts by Intentional Conduct
- Torts by Negligent Behavior
- Strict Liability Torts
- Damages & the Collection of Damages
- Contracts: Enforceable Agreements
- How are Contracts Classified?
- Requisites of a Valid Contract
- Third Parties in Contracts
- Discharged Contracts
- Breach of Contract
- Individual Consumer Contracts
- Warranty Protection
Understanding the Law Module 5
Application of Law to the Individual
- Family Law
- Marriage Laws
- Legal Consequences of Marriage
- Laws Governing Parenthood
- Protection of Minors
- Termination of Marriage
- Family Law Contracts
- Motor Vehicle Law
- Owning a Motor Vehicle
- Driving a Motor Vehicle
- Purchasing Automobile Insurance
- Acquiring Ownership of Personal Property
- Will or Inheritance
- Mislaid, Lost, & Abandoned Property
Understanding the Law Module 6
Renters, Landlords & Employee Rights
- Types of Leases
- Landlord-Tenant Relationship
- Legal Remedies for Landlords
- Legal Remedies for Tenants
- Employee Rights
- Worker Laws
- Legal Classification of Employees
- Discrimination Laws
- Employee Duties
- Benefits for Employees
- Rights Regarding Unions
Understanding the Law Module 7
Consumer Rights, Family Law and Wills
- Consumer Rights and Protection
- Consumer Privacy
- Consumer Protection
- Federal Government Involvement in Family Law
- What is Marriage?
- Legal Consequences of Marriage
- Laws Govern Parenthood
- Divorce
- Family Laws and Contracts
- What is Estate Planning?
- Tax Burdens Reduced or Avoided
- Matters Concerning Wills
- Matters Concerning Probate
- Living Wills & Advance Directives
**Outlines are subject to change, as courses and materials are updated.**
All course materials included.
Paralegal Professional
Upon successful completion of our Paralegal Professional course, students will be prepared, in part, to sit for the NALA (National Association of Legal Assistants) certification exam to become a Certified Paralegal (CP). MUST fulfill additional requirements per NALA to sit for the exam.
Note: This course is not affiliated with, nor has it been endorsed by NALA.
Legal Analysis and Writing
Upon successful completion of our Legal Analysis and Writing course, students will be prepared, in part, to sit for the NALA (National Association of Legal Assistants) certification exam to become a Certified Paralegal (CP). MUST fulfill additional requirements per NALA to sit for the exam.
Note: This course is not affiliated with, nor has it been endorsed by NALA.
Understanding the Law
Upon successful completion of our Understanding the Law course, students will be prepared, in part, to sit for the NALA (National Association of Legal Assistants) certification exam to become a Certified Paralegal (CP). MUST fulfill additional requirements per NALA to sit for the exam.
Note: This course is not affiliated with, nor has it been endorsed by NALA.
Internet Connection
- Broadband or High-Speed - DSL, Cable, and Wireless Connections
*Dial-Up internet connections will result in a diminished online experience. Classroom pages may load slowly and viewing large audio and video files may not be possible.
Hardware Requirements
- Processor - 2GHz Processor or Higher
- Memory - 1 GB RAM Minimum Recommended
PC Software Requirements
- Operating Systems - Windows 7 or higher
- Microsoft Office 2013 or higher. Also, you could use a general Word Processing application to save and open Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx)
- Internet Browsers - Google Chrome is highly recommended
- Cookies MUST be enabled
- Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled)
- The Kindle Reader App or VitalSource Bookshelf App are needed for many of our courses (No special equipment needed. This can be downloaded for FREE onto your computer.)
- PowerPoint Viewer (if you do not have PowerPoint)
- Adobe PDF Reader
- QuickTime, Windows Media Player &/or Real Player
MAC Software Requirements
- Operating Systems - Mac OS x 10 or higher with Windows
- Mac office programs or a Word Processing application to save and open Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx)
- Internet Browsers- Google Chrome is highly recommended
- Cookies MUST be enabled
- Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled)
- The Kindle Reader App or VitalSource Bookshelf App are needed for many of our courses (No special equipment needed. This can be downloaded for FREE onto your computer.)
- PowerPoint Viewer (if you do not have PowerPoint)
- Adobe PDF Reader
- Apple QuickTime Media Player
