Successful graduates will be awarded a Certificate of Completion from Bellarmine University. To receive a Certificate, students must pass numerous quizzes and successfully complete several legal document writing assignments.
Session 1: "Legal Terminology, Documents, Ethics, and the Litigation Process": This first session will focus on the history of American jurisprudence, the theory of law, the legal process, and the nature of litigation. Discussion will cover pre-trial, trial and post-trial procedures as well as an in depth coverage of legal ethics. Students will learn how to prepare a Complaint, Answer, Third Party Complaint, and Motion for Summary Judgment based upon tort and contract causes of action.
Session 2: "Introduction to the Evidentiary Predicate": During this session we will review the rules of evidence and civil procedure as well as basic interviewing and investigation techniques and the development and use of demonstrative evidence. Students will prepare discovery matter such as Interrogatories, Request for Admissions and Request for Production of Documents.
Session 3: "Identifying Relevant Authority": Throughout this session you will learn how to identify relevant law and determine the differences between primary and secondary authority, and between mandatory and persuasive authority through the use of hypothetical situations.
Session 5: "Legal Research Practice and Document Preparation": Legal research skills will be reviewed during this session with emphasis on shepardizing statutes and case law and an introduction to computerized legal research. Numerous research assignments will be given, discussed, and critiqued. Students will learn how to prepare important legal documents relating to real property, corporations, partnerships, wills, trusts, bankruptcy, and domestic relations.
Session 6: "Legal Writing and Appellate Procedure": This final session will concentrate on the preparation and critique of legal memoranda, including an Interoffice Memorandum of Law and Appellate Brief. Principles of appellate procedure will be reviewed along with proper citation format. Job hunting techniques and job leads for those seeking their first employment as paralegals will also be features.
There are no prerequisites to take the course, but students will be expected to complete a significant amount of homework for each session. This program will help students increase their office's efficiency, productivity, and billable hours as well as learn new marketable job skills. Internship assistance is also available to the top 25% of each live lecture course, or to students who complete the course with a 95% or better on the VHS, audio, DVD, text-only, or online formats.
Required texts for the live lecture format: Introduction to Paralegalism, 6th edition, by William Statsky; Basics of Legal Document Preparation, by Robert Cummins; Paralegal Procedures and Practices and Paralegal Career for Dummies, with CD of Forms, both by Scott and Lisa Hatch; and Kentucky State Rules of Court.
Highly Recommended Legal Resources for all formats: WESTLAW legal research access is highly recommended and is available for purchase from The Center for Legal Studies for only $60. Black's Law Pocket Dictionary is not required but highly recommended for those students with little or no legal experience.
*Textbooks extra. All textbooks and resources are available for purchase from The Center for Legal Studies by calling 1-800-522-7737 or by using the secure online order form at legalstudies.com. Books ordered from The Center for Legal Studies during the week immediately prior to the beginning of class may incur an additional FEDEX shipping fee to assure timely receipt.
