Paralegal

The law of marriage, divorce, annulment, legal separation, pre-marital agreements, cohabitation, child support, alimony, and adoption are studied, as well as their implementing procedures.

Students learn to work in a law office environment and receive hands-on training in billing, basic bookkeeping, form preparation and library maintenance. Legal ethics, attorney/client relationships, and the paralegal's role in maintaining files, libraries and client confidentiality are stressed.

This course is an introduction to the methods and materials employed in legal research and the writing of legal memoranda and briefs. Emphasis is placed on how and where to locate the law and how to present the law that is found in those sources. Many different strategies of research are explored including computer resources and online database research.

This course is a study of the law of real property with special emphasis on both substantive law and practical considerations including drafting of real estate contracts and documents, title examinations, and an understanding of the mortgage lending field. Particular attention is given to the skills needed by paralegals including closing documents.

This course covers basic steps in lawsuits from the initial interview through the appellate process. Students learn how to prepare complaints, answers, motions, discovery and study in-depth the different phases of a civil trial.

This course covers the procedure, techniques and the substantive law in the planning of estates from simple wills to more complicated trusts. Students also learn to administer the estate of the deceased and will study the tax consequences involved.

Students are introduced to the Law of Contracts with an emphasis on understanding the interrelationships among concepts and the tools required in drafting good solid contracts. Students learn how to choose and organize the different types of business organizations such as sole proprietorships, partnership, limited liability entities, and corporations.

This course is a study of criminal law and procedure with special emphasis on both substantive and procedural criminal law and constitutional issues. Students learn to draft motions, and other documents necessary for criminal defense and prosecution, prepare affidavits, briefs, and discovery. Particular attention is given to the skills needed by paralegals to assist attorneys and other legal professionals.

Students spend the semester (180 hours, at least 12 hours per week) working in a paralegal setting, either in a private law firm or for a government or non-profit agency such as the Sheriff's department, District Attorney's office, court, or Legal Aid office. Participation in this course is subject to availability of placements, application and acceptance into the course.