Publication Details
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| Paralegal Certificate Program 1 | ||
| Price: | $149.00 | |
| Business Focus: | Law & Legal Careers | |
| Instructor: | Scott and LisaHatch | |
| Course Code: | pc1 | |
| Delivery Method: | Instructor-led Online Course | |
| Frequently Asked Questions | ||
| Course Overview: |
| Paralegals, also known as legal assistants, help lawyers prepare for trials. Paralegals are responsible for investigating the facts of a case and review laws, legal decisions, and legal articles that might be relevant to the case. Paralegals may also prepare written reports, arguments, pleadings, and motions. Paralegals are also often charged with organizing and tracking files, and may also draft contracts, estate plans, agreements, and other common legal documents. Demand for paralegals continues to be strong as more and more private law offices are turning to paralegals to help them reduce costs and provide more legal services in less time. This course provides an overview of the American judicial system focusing on the origins of American law and the litigation process. Important: This six-course certificate program will provide you with the skills and knowledge you will need to perform the basic duties of a paralegal. By the time you finish this series, you will have a solid understanding of what activities a paralegal must perform and how to perform them. If you are interested in becoming a paralegal, completing this program will take you one step closer to your goal. However, please understand that this is a non-credit program and it does not lead to any type of professional certification or a degree. Although there is no current requirement that a paralegal have any level of professional experience or hold any type of degree, most employers prefer to hire paralegals who have experience working in a law office and/or an associate's degree, in addition to the skills and knowledge taught in this certificate program. If you have not already done so, we recommend that you consider working as an intern in a law office and/or enrolling in an accredited two-year college degree program while (or soon after) completing this certificate program. |
| Instructor Biography: |
| Scott Hatch has presented paralegal courses since 1980. He is listed in Who's Who in California, Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities, and has been named one of the Outstanding Young Men of America by the United States Jaycees. He was a contributing editor to The Judicial Profiler (McGraw-Hill and the Colorado Law Annotated (West/Lawyers Co-op)series, and editor of several award-winning publications. He is author of Paralegal Procedures and Practices, published by West Publishing, as well as books on mediation and legal investigation. Lisa Zimmer Hatch, M.A., has been teaching legal certificate and standardized test preparation courses since 1987. She graduated with honors in English from the University of Puget Sound, and received her master's degree from California State University. She is co-author of numerous law and standardized test texts. |
| Course Syllabus: | |
| Lesson 1 Syllabus | The American Legal System |
| Lesson 2 Syllabus | The Litigation Process |
| Lesson 2 Objective | Get to know the origins and history of the American legal and judicial systems. |
| Lesson 3 Syllabus | Paralegals in the Litigation Process |
| Lesson 3 Objective | Become acquainted with the litigation process through the pretrial, trial, and post-trial stages. |
| Lesson 4 Syllabus | Legal Terminology |
| Lesson 4 Objective | Learn what it means to be a paralegal. |
| Lesson 5 Syllabus | Regulation of Paralegals |
| Lesson 5 Objective | Understand the meaning of important legal terminology and apply it to the legal process and the practice of paralegalism. |
| Lesson 6 Syllabus | Ethical Considerations for Attorneys and Paralegals |
| Lesson 6 Objective | Gain insight into how the paralegal profession is regulated. |
| Lesson 7 Syllabus | Overview of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure |
| Lesson 7 Objective | Evaluate the complexities of attorney and paralegal ethics and learn the types of activities that are permitted and prohibited for paralegals. |
| Lesson 8 Syllabus | Important Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for Paralegals |
| Lesson 8 Objective | Get familiar with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and how to access each state's rules of civil procedure. |
| Lesson 9 Syllabus | Contract Law |
| Lesson 9 Objective | Explore in more detail the elements of some of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure that apply most directly to paralegals. |
| Lesson 10 Syllabus | Contract Law Documents |
| Lesson 10 Objective | Get to know the significant components of contract law, the elements of a valid contract, and the types of contract law litigation. |
| Lesson 11 Syllabus | Tort Law |
| Lesson 11 Objective | Examine the general format of a contract and its provisions. |
| Lesson 12 Syllabus | Tort Law Practice |
| Lesson 12 Objective | Evaluate the nature of a tort, the major areas of tort law, and some of the common types of torts. |