Discover a Career as a Paralegal

The demand for skilled paralegal is rapidly growing. If you are interested in a dynamic career in a high demand, rewarding profession, this course is for you. This course provides a look into becoming a paralegal and their day to day responsibilities. We will take a deep dive into the training and requirements for pursuing a successful career in this field. Lastly, this course will look at the evolution, current trends, and facts of working in the legal industry as a paralegal.

Discover a Career as a Paralegal Module 1 (Introduction, Lessons 1 and 2) Paralegal Duties Module one provides an overview of the judicial system and work possibilities for the paralegal. Paralegals can work in a variety of places such as large corporate level departments, federal, state and local governments, as well as legal aid offices and unions. Common law categories and job opportunities are also covered. 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 Discover a Career as a Paralegal Module 2 (Lessons 3 and 4) Legal Authority When researching and writing legal material, a paralegal must first gather and cite sources possessing mandatory, or binding, authority to the court litigating the case. Module two covers the importance of a paralegal’s role for the law team in fact-finding missions. Knowing the aim of the investigation and following through with factual sources of information is a key to a paralegal’s success in this realm of his or her job duties. 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 Discover a Career as a Paralegal Module 3 (Lessons 5 and 6) Legal Research Module three covers preparation, professionalism, directing tone and driving the avenue of a conversation. A paralegal must ensure the information discussed in an interview provides quality information and facts. This module discusses applicable law that involves the regulation, executive order, judicial decision or statute that determines the legal standing of an issue or a case. 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 Discover a Career as a Paralegal Module 4 (Lessons 7 and 8, Conclusion) Effective Writing Style For a paralegal, effective writing involves keeping it simple and to the point. This module discusses proper writing styles, proofreading and correcting errors. Module four covers implementing a good filing system, organizing those files and ways of retrieving them with speed. We will also discuss rules of ethics in providing sound legal advice to clients. 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

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.