Legal/Paralegal Studies

This course examines the American legal system with an emphasis on the methods and institutions of the law and the role of the legal assistant in the judicial system. The rights and responsibilities of paralegals, both professional and ethical, are described. Duties and opportunities for paralegals are discussed. Law office management procedures are introduced to the student. Prospective paralegals will be introduced to the practical workings of the legal system while acquiring needed skills to assist a supervising attorney. The course will focus on basic legal terminology, legal doctrines, procedures, court systems, research functions, analysis of case law and usage of computers and technology in the law office.

The course familiarizes the student with the substantive law of torts. A tort is a civil wrong, other than a breach of contract that causes injury for which our legal system provides a remedy. Concentration will be in three main areas -intentional torts, strict liability torts, and negligence law. The student will study torts related to property, personal injury and economic relations. The course will also examine various equitable remedies. Finally, students will analyze the specific elements required to establish defenses, damages, and immunities.

This course is designed to familiarize students with primary and secondary sources of law; judicial reports, statutes, citators, digests, annotated law reports, legal treatises, and periodicals; legislative session laws, codifications, and histories; executive branch pronouncements (primarily regulation). The course should enable the student to undertake, under the supervision of a lawyer, legal research and preparation of memoranda, briefs, and client letters, while accurately citing research sources. The course will include an overview of the legal system and the sources of law generated by each branch of government. There will be a thorough review of citation forms, basic research skills, and legal writing exercises.

In this course, the student will continue to experience "legal method" by conducting detailed research and by preparing legal briefs and memoranda. This course is intended to enhance the basic legal method skills developed in the LGS1005 course. The concentration will be on library research, including computer- assisted and test-assisted methods, giving special emphasis to Westlaw and other legal research online databases. Students will be required to present conclusions of their research in concise, grammatically correct, well-reasoned legal briefs and memoranda.

This course examines civil procedures and the court system including the role of judges, attorneys and juries. Venue, jurisdiction and ethical considerations area studied. The course enables students, under the supervision and control of an attorney, to assist in pre-trial practice, including drafting complaints, answers and pre-trial motions; preparing witnesses, conducting preliminary investigations; and assisting in the preparation of the case for trial.

An examination of the subjects and preparation of documents for adoption, legal separation, divorce, marriage, annulment, and child visitation and custody will be made in this course. The student will be prepared to assist in the interviewing of clients and the drafting of petitions and agreements. In addition, this course is a study of the general principles of family law. The legal definition of the family is examined, as are the rights and responsibilities of each family member. The course gives a practical overview of the creation and dissolution of the family by examination of the laws relating to divorce, child custody and support, and alimony. This course also describes how technology, like the introduction of DNA testing, is changing the legal landscape of domestic law. The elements of the marital relationship are explored as well as non-ceremonial types of marriages. Also examined is the relationship of family law to other areas of the law.

This course examines the transferring of assets, trusts, wills, gifts, administration of decedents' estates, federal and state taxes and administrator's responsibilities. Students will be exposed to the practical application of estate planning through the hands-on review of considerations, problems, and documents related to this area. They will also use and become familiar with software designed to expedite the process of drafting legal documents.

This course familiarizes the student with substantive criminal law and criminal procedures. It enables the student, under the supervision of a lawyer, to prepare pre-trial pleadings, interview witnesses, and conduct trial and post-trial proceedings. This course shall contain a survey of the vast field called "criminal law." The course will begin with a discussion of the source of much of today's criminal law, the great English legal tradition of the "common law." A general review of the guiding legal principles of the criminal law, the principles of criminal liability, including the liability of multiple actors; uncompleted crimes and defenses will be carefully examined. Specific crimes such as murder, burglary, rape, arson, theft, and various "public disorder" crimes will be studied, also. Theories of prosecution and punishment will be analyzed. A discussion on computer and Internet related crimes will be discussed as well. This course should give each student a practical, useful understanding of criminal law, criminal procedure, and the criminal justice system. The use of the actual criminal laws of the state will be stressed. The roles of the various participants in the system will be explained and examined (judges, lawyers, victims, peace officers, etc.). Invited speakers will provide the students with personal accounts of their role within the system. Class discussions will stress the relationship between the material being studied by the class and the material's application to the daily functions of our community's and nation's courts.

This course develops the student's understanding of ownership, deeds, mortgages, easements, landlord/tenant relations, liens and eviction procedures. An examination is made of the mechanics of transferring interest in real property. It deals with the nature of real property interests, sources of law, methods of conveyance, the financing of real estate transactions, contracts for sale, methods of encumbering property, the role of the real estate broker, title searches, title insurance and real estate closings. Emphasis is placed upon local laws and methods of practice, including the use of present-day technology. Further, the course is designed to teach the prospective paralegal how to assist an attorney in closing a real estate transaction.

This course introduces paralegal students to the uses of computer software in the law office including drafting legal documents, legal timekeeping and billing, docket control and litigation support. Other specialized legal software is introduced as appropriate. During hands-on training with macros, merges and tables, the student will use the advanced features of software document assembly and office procedure programs to complete complex operations and save time in the law office. Students will learn how to design, maintain and complete forms processing. Organizing the computer directories and files for easy retrieval and use in the law office will be covered. The course will, additionally cover Power Point presentations for trial.

This course is a detailed study of worker's compensation law covering the procedures used to initiate and process worker's compensation claims. Students will have the opportunity to draft relevant forms as well as to study employer responsibility, risk management, and litigation. Worker's compensation laws are designed to ensure that employees who are injured or disabled on the job are provided with fixed monetary awards, eliminating the need for litigation. These laws also provide benefits for dependents of those workers who are killed because of work-related accidents or illnesses. Some laws also protect employers and fellow workers by limiting the amount an injured employee can recover from an employer and by eliminating the liability of co-workers in most accidents. State worker's compensation statutes establish this framework for most employment. Federal statutes are limited to federal employees or those workers employed in some significant aspect of interstate commerce.

This course provides an overview of the federal bankruptcy law and rights of creditors and debtors. Emphasis is placed upon bankruptcy procedures in Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Upon completion, students under the supervision of an attorney should be able to prepare and file bankruptcy forms, collection letters, and UCC search and post-judgment collection such as garnishment.

This course presents basic concepts of administrative law and procedure in federal and state agencies. Topics include representing clients before administrative bodies, agency operation, adjudication, constitutional questions, statutory issues, and appeals. Students will learn both formal and informal advocacy techniques. This course will offer a practical approach to administrative law with hands on learning of documents, forms, and the legal theories behind them.

This course is designed for paralegal and legal studies majors to validate their skills through a 120-hour supervised, unpaid externship experience local to them in a private legal office, government legal department, corporate legal department, or other legally related sites where they perform legal and administrative duties appropriate to the field in a professional manner. Students are required to attend regularly scheduled class meetings to interact with other students in the externship and the externship coordinator. Here, they will complete assignments, prepare a portfolio and submit a final written report. Students are required to find the externship site and seek approval from the department chair a quarter before enrolling in the course. A final grade of “C” or better is required to receive a paralegal or legal studies degree and placement assistance. Failure to attain the required grade will necessitate repeating the externship.

This course will acquaint the student with the principles, laws, and organizations that impact on the management of an international business transaction. Topics include basic principles, such as human rights, treaties, sovereign immunity and dispute resolution that govern relations between nations. At the end of this course, students will be able to analyze the risks involved in international trade and to create an import/export business. As an introduction to the study of international business law, the student will study the function and importance of public international law as well as the role of public and private international organizations in setting standards and guidelines for international business.

This course is designed to give the student a basic understanding of constitutional law. The course will provide an overview of the Constitution itself, coupled with the beliefs and purpose of its framers. We will also examine the ongoing controversies over jurisprudence of original intent versus the evolutionary interpretation of the Constitution. Topics covered will include separation of powers in the national government, regulation of commerce, taxing and spending powers, war and national defense, conduct of foreign relations, state and local powers, limitations on the exercise of government powers, and the bill of rights.

This is a practical course on immigration law and procedures including the history and administration of US immigration law. Topics include citizenship, admission to the U.S., and refugees, and political asylum. Students will gain experience in filling out numerous immigration forms, including application for naturalization and application for employment authorization.

This course is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in basic concepts of contract law from formation of contracts (offer, acceptance, consideration, capacity, intent and mistake) to more complex issues presented by advancements in technology in business and the law. Students will learn to analyze a variety of contracts, develop defenses to breach of contract claims and handle "bad faith" claims that paralegals face in modern legal or business offices. Upon completion of the course students will be able to draft a contract, identify various defenses and identify ways of voiding a contract.

This course mixes the study of our constitution and common law in regard to the procedural steps in a criminal prosecution from arrest through trial. Pre-Trial through Post -trial motions and remedies are also covered. The primarily focus is based on criminal defense since the cases studied apply equally to the defense and prosecution. Students will review at least one pivotal US Supreme Court case in each chapter and apply the law to hypothetical situations presented in the text. Discussion Questions and Hypothetical Questions are presented in each chapter to sharpen student's critical thinking skills so they will understand the procedural safeguards that stem from the federal constitution.

This course is a comprehensive examination of legal resources and references. It allows the student to apply analytical and logical skills to draft legal documents such as a memorandum of law and an appellate court brief.

This is an intensive drafting course where students have the opportunity to concentrate on preparing complex pleadings and motions relating to the pre-trial, trial, and appeal processes. The focus is on developing practical skills and the legal analysis necessary to identify and pursue an appropriate cause of action in a civil case.

This course is designed to provide a thorough study of the rules of evidence. Emphasis will be placed on application of the rules in preparing and presenting evidence for trial. We will examine the role evidence plays in the legal system and the paralegals responsibility in finding, collecting, handling, labeling, and preparing evidence for litigation. Each assignment will be designed for coverage in a single class period; however, occasionally an assignment will require additional time. As class time and circumstances permit, support assignments of library materials may be given.

This course is an advanced study of real property law relating to title examination, foreclosures, and preparation of commercial closing documents. There is an emphasis on practical work including examination of titles by obtaining information from the public records and drafting title insurance forms. By studying problems, techniques, and solutions, transactional matters will be covered. Course coverage should include the study of condominiums, planned unit developments, mortgage financing problems, and construction liens. This in-depth course in real estate law will integrate traditional learning with computerized data research and document assembly programs.

This course is designed to provide students with an overview of the legal relationship between the employer and the employee. Areas covered include federal and state laws governing discrimination, wrongful termination, unionization, and privacy. Students will get practical experience in drafting an employment policy manual that addresses sexual harassment, Americans with Disabilities Act, and other employment issues. Other topics studied include preemployment concerns, employee benefits, and other ethical issues in employment law.

The purpose of this course is to explore electronically stored information (ESI) with an emphasis on managing ESI. Students will analyze the leading cases, existing and pending rules, and prepare several drafting assignments, including motions and supporting memoranda. Student will learn about emerging technologies of electronic filing of court documents with an understanding of the architecture and usability of popular litigation support and trial presentation software used currently in law offices. Students will be given different client scenarios and generate associated legal content.

This course is a thorough overview of the government systems that form environmental policy. This course covers the federal environmental statutes, including National Environmental Policy Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, Resources Conservation and Recovery Act and Clean Air Act. Administrative procedures used to enforce the various domestic and international laws additionally will be covered. This course will provide students with a working knowledge of the laws that have the most practical significance for practicing environmental lawyers and paralegals.

This course introduces paralegal students to the legal environment of cyberlaw in law firms, businesses and governmental agencies. Cyberlaw transcends many areas of legal practice. Responsibility for managing digital data is increasingly being delegated to paralegals working under the supervision of licensed attorneys. In the twenty-first century attorneys, businesses, and governmental agencies frequently utilize electronic communications to transmit documents. On-line aspects of business include contract formation and signing, intellectual property protections, tort law and invasions of privacy, security and encryption and the proper creation, protection and use of software. This course covers topics that paralegals employed in such firms would benefit from in the digital age.

This course explores the areas of patent, trademark and copyright and how they are bound up with antitrust law and government regulations. Topics include competition among businesses and protection of intellectual property in the global market place. Students will apply substantive legal concepts to protection of intellectual property, including poetry, lyrics, advertising, inventions, and product names.

This course is a supervised practical experience in a law firm, corporate legal department, or government entity. It provides the student with the opportunity to make a transition from classroom knowledge and theory to practical applications. This course is highly recommended for students who have never worked in a legal setting. The goal of this class is to assist legal studies students in bridging the gap between the classroom and the world of legal offices, corporations, public agencies, and organizations, i.e. the legal assistant's "work world." Students are expected to complete 120 total hours at the internship site.

This capstone class will be conducted in a seminar format where students can apply their broad knowledge of the paralegal profession through specific projects integrating work related competencies with academic information. Students will review the various skills learned in the legal studies curriculum and take a comprehensive outcome assessment exam. The major objective of this course is successful completion of the capstone project.