Paralegal Studies Certificate

This course is an introduction for students interested in entering the paralegal profession. It offers basic information concerning the legal profession in general and the paralegal profession in particular. Topics include the American legal system, legal ethics, legal research sources and authority, interviewing, and preparation of legal documents.

It also introduces material in various substantive areas of the law, such as bankruptcy, family law, successions and wills, real estate, business organizations, and Louisiana civil procedure. The focus of the course is the paralegal's role in the legal system.

This course is designed to acquaint learners with the fundamentals of legal research. The first part of this course introduces the learner to different sources of law (both primary and secondary) and explains how they are applied by courts in common and civil law jurisdictions. The second part of this course offers hands-on experience with computer-assisted legal research and analysis including teaching learners how to identify legal issues, construct a list of key terms and search queries, locate answers in primary and secondary sources, and apply findings to a client's situation. The third part of this course teaches learners how to update and validate findings and how to properly cite and present their work to a supervising attorney. Emphasis is on the development of research skills, working with enacted law, judicial decisions, secondary sources, the West Key Number System®, KeyCite®, and The Bluebook®, A Uniform System of Citation. This course includes Westlaw access for students for the duration of their time in the paralegal program after passing this course.

This course develops the skills necessary to read and understand legal opinions. Emphasis is on legal analysis, using cases focusing on key facts and legal issues. A legal memorandum is assigned as a final project.

This course provides an overview of Louisiana civil procedural rules. Students will learn how to locate Louisiana procedural statutes, draft pleadings and other litigation-related documents, utilize a docket control system, draft discovery documents and responses, coordinate a discovery schedule, and assist the attorney in final preparation for jury and bench trials. It follows a case from inception through discovery.

This course will help students develop the skills necessary to use a variety of software applications commonly used in law offices. Basic computer concepts will be covered as well as more complex skills. Students will be guided on practical and hands-on projects specific to the legal field and will create document templates and forms they can bring with them when starting a new job. Software to be covered will include Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, TrialDirector and timekeeping and billing software. Upon completion of this course, students will receive a Legal Technology Certificate from the National Society for Legal Technology.

This course offers instruction and practical experience in a wide spectrum of on-the-job paralegal duties. Students apply their legal knowledge to mastering routine work tasks performed by practicing paralegals, such as summarizing depositions, producing and managing documents, organizing and maintaining a client's file, filing court records, and scheduling procedures for trial, hearings and discovery. The course also focuses on administrative duties often assigned to paralegals such as library maintenance, calendar and docket control, tickler system, professional correspondence, and the intra-office memo.

The paralegal internship provides valuable experience in a law office, government agency, court, or non-profit. Students must be available to work 150 hours at their internship site, which equates to approximately 12.5 hours a week during the regular semester, and 25 hours a week during the summer term. All students are required to take the internship unless they work full-time. Students who work full-time should make a written request to have the internship waived and will be required to take an additional elective in its place.

Please note: Students who are presently working in a law office, government agency, court, or non-profit as a legal assistant or paralegal may use their employer as their internship sponsor. The employer must be approved in order for them to be the student's sponsor. Please contact the program coordinator for more information.

Students need to register for the internship class. Prior to the first class, students will receive a list of available sponsors. Students will list their top four choices and e-mail the list to the program coordinator. The program coordinator will work with the student and sponsor to set up the internship. There are four mandatory class meetings during the semester. The dates and times of the internship classes will be announced at the first internship class. Students prepare a paper at the end of the semester evaluating their internship experience.

This self-paced online course familiarizes students with the Louisiana State Bar Association Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys. Various court decisions interpreting the ethics code are examined in detail. The course covers a paralegal's relationship with attorneys, clients, legal secretaries, and law clerks, and emphasizes the parameters of a paralegal's duties. Students must pass a quiz given at the end of the course to get credit for the legal ethics seminar.