Legal Assistant Course

Lesson 1 • Unauthorized Practice of Law

Identifies boundaries legal assistants must not cross to avoid unauthorized practice. Reinforces ethical compliance as a daily professional obligation.

Lesson 2 • Roles Within a Law Firm

Defines attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, and support staff responsibilities. Students map their role relative to supervising attorneys.

Lesson 3 • Structure of the Legal System

Covers court hierarchies, branches of government, and civil versus criminal distinctions. Establishes the framework all subsequent legal work depends on.

Lesson 1 • Supervision and Accountability

Explains attorney responsibility for supervising non-lawyer staff and the assistant's duty to report misconduct. Builds a culture of ethical accountability.

Lesson 2 • Fees, Billing Ethics, and Trust Accounts

Covers reasonable fee standards, prohibited fee arrangements, and proper handling of client funds. Students recognize billing fraud indicators and trust account requirements.

Lesson 3 • Confidentiality and Attorney-Client Privilege

Distinguishes ethical confidentiality from evidentiary privilege and explains when each applies. Students protect client information across all communication channels.

Lesson 4 • Conflicts of Interest

Teaches identification and resolution of conflicts involving clients, former clients, and personal interests. Students conduct conflict checks using systematic screening methods.

Lesson 1 • Primary vs. Secondary Sources

Distinguishes constitutions, statutes, regulations, and case law from secondary commentary. Students select appropriate source types for each research task.

Lesson 2 • Validating Legal Authority

Teaches citation validation to confirm cases are still good law and statutes are current. Students use citator tools to flag negative treatment.

Lesson 3 • Organizing and Summarizing Research

Covers outlining findings, annotating sources, and drafting concise research summaries. Students deliver organized research packages attorneys can act on immediately.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Legal Writing Style

Applies plain language, active voice, and precise word choice to legal documents. Eliminates legalese while preserving technical accuracy.

Lesson 2 • Drafting Pleadings and Motions

Teaches caption formatting, numbered paragraphs, and prayer for relief in foundational court documents. Students draft complaints and basic motions under attorney review.

Lesson 3 • Legal Citation Standards

Introduces standard citation formats for cases, statutes, and secondary sources. Students format citations consistently within documents and bibliographies.

Lesson 4 • Editing and Proofreading Legal Documents

Applies multi-pass editing for substance, style, and mechanics in legal documents. Students use checklists to catch errors before attorney review.

Lesson 1 • Cultural Competence in Client Relations

Develops awareness of cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic factors affecting client interactions. Students adapt communication style to serve diverse client populations.

Lesson 2 • Client Intake Procedures

Covers initial contact protocols, intake forms, conflict checks, and engagement letter preparation. Students complete intake workflows accurately and efficiently.

Lesson 3 • Handling Sensitive Client Information

Applies confidentiality rules to intake data, medical records, financial documents, and personal disclosures. Students implement secure handling procedures for all sensitive materials.

Lesson 1 • Filing and Service of Process

Covers document filing requirements, e-filing systems, and proper service methods. Students prepare filing packages and verify service compliance.

Lesson 2 • Civil Litigation Stages Overview

Maps the full lifecycle from pre-filing investigation through post-judgment enforcement. Provides context for every procedural task legal assistants perform.

Lesson 3 • Case File Organization and Management

Establishes physical and digital file structures, indexing, and retention policies. Students maintain complete, accessible case files throughout litigation.

Lesson 4 • Calendaring and Deadline Management

Teaches calculation of procedural deadlines, statute of limitations, and response windows. Students build and maintain litigation calendars with zero-error standards.

Lesson 1 • Transactional Closing Support

Covers closing checklists, signature page assembly, and post-closing document distribution. Students coordinate closing logistics and maintain closing binders.

Lesson 2 • Drafting Basic Contract Provisions

Guides drafting of recitals, definitions, payment terms, and boilerplate under attorney supervision. Students use templates and adapt language to specific transactions.

Lesson 3 • Reading and Analyzing Contract Clauses

Teaches interpretation of indemnification, limitation of liability, termination, and dispute resolution clauses. Students annotate contracts and summarize key obligations.

Lesson 1 • Real Estate Transaction Support

Covers purchase agreements, title searches, closing documents, and deed preparation. Students coordinate real estate closings and maintain transaction files.

Lesson 2 • Criminal Law Practice Support

Covers criminal complaint review, bail documentation, discovery in criminal cases, and plea agreement preparation. Students support defense and prosecution workflows.

Lesson 3 • Employment Law Practice Support

Covers charge filings, employment contracts, severance agreements, and workplace investigation support. Students organize employment records and prepare agency submissions.

Lesson 4 • Family Law Practice Support

Covers divorce petitions, custody agreements, support calculations, and property division documents. Students prepare family law filings and organize sensitive case materials.