Certified Paralegal

Paralegal 1: An Introduction uses real-world examples to cover all the topics a student needs to know to prepare for their paralegal career. Topics covered include career development, ethics and professional responsibility, pretrial preparation, trial proceedings, and legal interviewing and investigation. Learn guidelines for performing legal research and analysis and standards for legal communications and writing. Take the steps to develop your Paralegal career today! The topics handled in our Discover a Career as a Paralegal course include a brief synopsis of on-the-job duties, job opportunities and a variety of legal specialties served by paralegals. We will cover the differences between civil and criminal law, legal office management and paralegal ethical concepts. With increased competition for paralegal jobs, attorneys now seek paralegal applicants who come to them with professional education and knowledge of the legal duties performed by paralegals and the ligation process. Enroll through one of our accredited university or college partners today!

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 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 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 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 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 Module 6: Criminal, Tort and Consumer Law • Defining Crime • Types of Crime • Cyber Crime • Prosecution • Intentional Torts • Negligence • Product Liability • Consumer Law 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 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 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 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 Discover a Career as a Paralegal Module 1: Paralegal Duties • Duties of a Paralegal in a Law Firm and Public Sector • Skills Required by a Paralegal • Importance of the Legal Precedence in American Jurisprudence • Paralegal Specialties • Categories Used to Describe Types of Law Module 2: Legal Authority • Explanation of Mandatory and Persuasive Authority • Understanding of Primary and Secondary Authority • The Court Doctrine of Stare Decisis • Preparing Legal Documents • Gathering Evidence as a Paralegal Module 3: Legal Research • Preparing for the Initial Interview • Searching for Applicable Law • Pre-Trial Duties for a Paralegal in a Civil Case • Differences Between Procedural and Substantive Law • Criminal Trial Procedures Module 4: Effective Writing Style • Effective Writing for a Paralegal • Mastering the Mechanics of Writing • Maintaining a Good Filing System • Most Important Rules of Ethics • Using a Calendar System for Time Management

All required reference materials are provided with this program. Technical requirements: Internet Connection • Broadband or High-Speed (DSL, Cable, Wireless) Hardware Requirements • Processor - 2GHz Processor or Higher • Memory - 1 GB RAM Minimum Recommended Software Requirements • Operating Systems - Windows 7, 8 or 10; Mac OS x 10 or higher • Microsoft Office 2007, 2010 or 2013 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) • Adobe PDF Reader

Upon successfully completion of the training program, learners will be prepared to sit for the Certified Paralegal certification exam through NALA. Learners will be provided an exam voucher, at no cost, to sit for the exam. To be eligible for the Certified Paralegal examination, a paralegal must meet one of the following requirements listed below. The NALA Certifying Board and NALA do not provide nor approve any education that is required for initial certification. 1. Graduation from a paralegal program that is: (a) Approved by the American Bar Association; or (b) An associate degree program; or (c) A post-baccalaureate certificate program in paralegal studies; or (d) A bachelor's degree program in paralegal studies; or (e) A paralegal program which consists of a minimum of 60 semester hours (900 clock hours or 90 quarter hours) of which at least 15 semester hours (225 clock hours or 22.5 quarter hours) are substantive legal courses. Each state may have additional licensing requirements, be sure to research your states requirements for employment by visiting your states occupation board.

This class is an independent-study course. Students will have all the resources needed to successfully complete the course within the online material. A student helpdesk is available for technical support during the course enrollment.