Paralegal Professional - Certification Program

Paralegal Professional Module 1
Today’s Paralegal and Career Opportunities

• What is a Paralegal?
• What Do Paralegals Do?
• Paralegal Education
• Paralegal Skills and Attributes
• Paralegal Specialties and Compensation
• Planning Your Career
• Locating Potential Employers
• Marketing Your Skills

Paralegal Professional Module 2
The Law Office and Ethics

• The Organizational Structure of Law Firms
• Law Office Management and Personnel
• Law Firms and Financial Procedures
• Communications and Social Media Tools
• The Regulation of Attorneys
• Attorney Ethics and Paralegal Practice
• The Indirect Regulation of Paralegals
• The Unauthorized Practice of Law

Paralegal Professional Module 3
American Law and the Court System

• The Framework of American Law
• Case Law and the Common Law Tradition
• Constitutional, Statutory, and Administrative Law
• National and International Law
• Judicial Requirements
• State Court Systems
• The Federal Court System
• Alternative Dispute Resolution

Paralegal Professional Module 4
Legal Research and Analysis

• Finding Relevant Cases
• The Case Reporting System
• Analyzing Case Law
• Researching Constitutional and Statutory Law
• Free Legal Resources on the Internet
• Lexis and Westlaw
• Alternative Legal Research Sources
• Conducting Online Research

Paralegal Professional Module 5
Legal Writing

• Receiving a Writing Assignment
• Writing Well
• Pleadings, Discovery, and Motions
• General Legal Correspondence
• The Legal Memorandum

Paralegal Professional Module 6
Civil Litigation and Interviews

• The Preliminaries
• The Pleadings
• Discovery of Electronic Evidence
• Maintenance of Electronic Records
• Planning the Interview
• Interviewing Skills
• Interviewing Clients and Witnesses
• Planning and Conducting Investigations

Paralegal Professional Module 7
Criminal Law and Procedures

• Planning and Conducting Investigations
• Jury Selection and The Trial
• Posttrial Motions and Procedures
• Enforcing the Judgment
• Defining Crime
• Elements of Criminal Liability
• Types of Crimes
• Criminal Procedures Prior to Prosecution

Paralegal Professional Module 8
Tort Law, Product Liability, and Consumer Law

• The Basis of Tort Law
• Intentional Torts
• Negligence
• Cyber Torts: Defamation Online
• Strict and Product Liability
• Consumer Law

Paralegal Professional Module 9
Contracts, IP Law, Real Property Law, and Insurance 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

Paralegal Professional Module 10
Family Law, Employment Law, and Environmental Law

• Family Law
• Wills, Trusts, and Estates
• Forms of Business Organization
• Agency and Employment Law
• The Bankruptcy Code
• Liquidation Proceedings
• Individual Repayment Plans
• Reorganizations
• Environmental Law