Paralegal Course

Lesson 1 • Legal Terminology Fundamentals

Introduces essential Latin and English legal terms used across practice areas. Accurate terminology use is required for all subsequent chapters.

Lesson 2 • Ethics and Professional Responsibility

Examines core ethical duties including confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and candor. Grounds all subsequent coursework in professional conduct standards.

Lesson 3 • The Paralegal's Role and Scope

Defines authorized paralegal tasks and the boundaries of unauthorized practice. Connects role clarity to professional liability awareness.

Lesson 1 • Statutory and Regulatory Research

Covers locating, reading, and updating statutes and administrative regulations. Connects regulatory research to client matter analysis.

Lesson 2 • Research Memorandum Drafting

Applies research skills to produce a formal internal legal memorandum. Integrates authority analysis with clear, objective written communication.

Lesson 3 • Primary vs. Secondary Authority

Distinguishes binding from persuasive authority and explains when each applies. Provides the analytical foundation for all research tasks.

Lesson 4 • Case Law Analysis and Briefing

Teaches how to read judicial opinions and extract legally significant holdings. Case briefs produced here are used in later writing chapters.

Lesson 1 • Client Correspondence and Letters

Covers drafting demand letters, opinion letters, and client status updates. Balances legal accuracy with accessible client communication.

Lesson 2 • Contracts and Transactional Documents

Introduces drafting basic contracts, amendments, and simple transactional forms. Emphasizes precision in defining rights, obligations, and conditions.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Effective Legal Writing

Establishes clarity, conciseness, and precision as core legal writing values. These principles govern every document drafted in this chapter.

Lesson 4 • Pleadings and Court Filings

Teaches drafting complaints, answers, and counterclaims following court formatting rules. Connects document structure to procedural requirements covered later.

Lesson 1 • Trial Preparation and Support

Prepares students to organize trial exhibits, witness lists, and trial notebooks. Paralegal trial support tasks are mapped to attorney courtroom responsibilities.

Lesson 2 • Motions Practice and Hearings

Covers pre-trial motions, scheduling orders, and hearing preparation tasks. Builds on motion drafting skills from Chapter 3.

Lesson 3 • Post-Trial Procedures and Appeals

Covers judgment entry, post-trial motions, and the appellate process basics. Completes the full litigation lifecycle for paralegal competency.

Lesson 4 • Pre-Filing Investigation and Analysis

Covers client intake, fact investigation, and statute of limitations analysis before filing. Prevents procedural errors that could bar client claims.

Lesson 5 • Commencing a Lawsuit

Explains filing requirements, service of process rules, and jurisdictional prerequisites. Connects filing mechanics to the pleadings drafted in Chapter 3.

Lesson 1 • Property Division and Asset Analysis

Explains community property and equitable distribution principles for dividing marital assets. Paralegal tasks include preparing asset inventories and financial disclosures.

Lesson 2 • Marriage, Divorce, and Dissolution

Covers grounds for divorce, residency requirements, and dissolution procedures. Grounds students in the legal framework before drafting documents.

Lesson 3 • Child and Spousal Support

Teaches support calculation methods, enforcement mechanisms, and modification procedures. Accurate financial worksheets are a core paralegal deliverable.

Lesson 4 • Protective Orders and Domestic Violence

Covers emergency protective order procedures and safety planning for vulnerable clients. Sensitivity and urgency protocols distinguish this section from standard filings.

Lesson 1 • Arrest, Booking, and Initial Hearings

Covers arrest procedures, constitutional rights at arrest, and initial court appearances. Paralegal tasks include preparing bail and arraignment documents.

Lesson 2 • Trial Procedure in Criminal Cases

Maps the criminal trial process from jury selection through verdict. Paralegal support tasks differ from civil trial support covered in Chapter 4.

Lesson 3 • Elements of Criminal Offenses

Defines actus reus, mens rea, and common criminal offense categories. Elemental analysis underpins all criminal case preparation tasks.

Lesson 4 • Sentencing and Post-Conviction Matters

Covers sentencing guidelines, presentence reports, and post-conviction relief options. Completes the criminal case lifecycle for paralegal competency.

Lesson 1 • Real Property Ownership Concepts

Covers types of property ownership, title concepts, and encumbrances. Foundational knowledge required before drafting any real estate document.

Lesson 2 • Wills, Trusts, and Estate Documents

Introduces testamentary capacity, will formalities, and basic trust structures. Drafting accuracy is critical given the high-stakes nature of estate documents.

Lesson 3 • Probate and Estate Administration

Covers probate filing procedures, executor duties, and estate inventory preparation. Paralegal tasks include drafting petitions and managing court deadlines.

Lesson 4 • Landlord-Tenant Law Basics

Covers lease drafting, tenant rights, and eviction procedure fundamentals. Connects transactional drafting skills to dispute resolution contexts.

Lesson 1 • Contracts in Business Transactions

Applies contract drafting skills from Chapter 3 to commercial agreements and NDAs. Focuses on risk allocation and enforceability in business contexts.

Lesson 2 • Employment Law Fundamentals

Covers anti-discrimination laws, wage and hour rules, and workplace safety obligations. Paralegals support compliance audits and employment document preparation.

Lesson 3 • Employment Disputes and Termination

Addresses wrongful termination claims, severance agreements, and agency charge responses. Connects employment law knowledge to litigation support skills from Chapter 4.

Lesson 4 • Corporate Governance and Compliance

Teaches board resolutions, meeting minutes, and corporate record maintenance. Accurate governance records protect clients from liability and regulatory penalties.