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.
* You have 4 weeks to complete this course from date of your enrollment.
Discover a Career as a Paralegal training course content
The Discover a Career as a Paralegal training course consists of 4 modules:
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.
Ater completing Discover a Career as a Paralegal training course
After completing the Discover a Career as a Paralegal training course, you should be able to:
- Define the daily responsibilities of paralegals
- List the skills and training needed to become a paralegal
- State differences between types of law
- List important contributions paralegals make in the legal field
- List types of research paralegals perform
Course duration
The Discover a Career as a Paralegal training course is 24 hours long, taught over 4 weeks.
