0323 - Certificate Program in Paralegal Studies - Online

Course Description

The Duke Online Global Paralegal Program is a 300-hour course of study designed to train students in the aspects of the paralegal profession. The program merges the interactive, user-driven aspects of the Internet with a comprehensive paralegal curriculum. It teaches students form manipulation based on any template and instructs students in foundational skill sets. In addition, the online Writing Lab included in the program contains step-by-step instructions for preparing documents specific to the United States at a state and federal court level. As a result, the skill sets learned are transferable throughout the United States and, as such, students will learn to create valid legal documents for their jurisdiction. Instructors, licensed attorneys, will provide additional state-specific guidance as needed.

Note: The curriculum is based on the United States legal system, therefore focuses on the role of paralegals in the United States.

Curriculum

Essential Skills for Paralegals - 156 hours 

Fundamentals of the Profession

• Introduction to the Legal Field 
  Students will learn what kind of job opportunities exist and what tasks a paralegal may perform.
• Legal Terminology
  By presenting an actual legal matter and following it throughout the legal process, students are introduced to the most relevant legal terms. The case presented is tracked through both the civil and criminal court procedures.
• Resume Preparation
  Students will receive instruction in preparing resumes and cover letters, as well as tips for interviewing.
• Strategies for Employment
  Multiple strategies for seeking employment will be discussed, including traditional and non-traditional methods.

Evidence and Investigation

• Stages of Litigation
  The three stages of the litigation process are presented, and the functions a paralegal may perform during each stage are discussed.
• Evidence
  Students discuss various forms of evidence, including direct, circumstantial, oral, physical, and hearsay. The elements of admissibility are presented, as are the procedures for presentation of evidence to the court.
• Interview Clients
  Specific techniques will be presented and discussed for conducting client interviews.
• Law Office Investigation
  Skip tracing, formal and informal witness statements, the obtaining of public documents, and other investigative matters are presented.

Legal Research and Writing (Part 1)

• Index Research
  Students will learn the "hierarchical structure" of legal indexes and will learn to efficiently utilize these fundamental research tools.
• Legal Analysis
  Students will develop the skills to analyze both case law and statutory authority, including the modified IRAC method.
• Legal Memorandum Form
  After learning the analytical process, students will analyze cases and statutes. Students will then be taught how to create a legal memorandum.
• Blue Book Citation Form
  Students will learn the system of legal citation. Duke Global Paralegal students are also provided with access to the online Citation Labs that help them learn, step by step, how to create valid citations.

Pleadings and Discovery

• Pleading Preparation
  Students will study pleadings and will prepare a complaint as well as a summons.
• Discovery Preparation
  Students will be taught to create sets of Interrogatories, Requests for Admissions, and Request for Production and Inspection of Documents.
• Discovery Coordination
  Students will learn the rules relevant to discovery and will learn how to track both sent and received discovery documents.
• Preparing for Depositions
  Students will study various considerations for deposition setup.
• Deposition Digesting
  Students will be provided with a deposition transcript and will be taught to summarize that document.

Legal Research and Writing (Part 2)

• Utilization of Legal Forms
  Students will learn to manipulate templates and utilize formbooks. To facilitate this process in an online environment, students have access to our very powerful Legal Writing Labs that provide interactive forms and eLectures (corresponding audio guidance). The Writing Labs are like having an instructor looking over your shoulder helping you with your assignments!
• Authority Identification
  The class will learn to identify primary, secondary, mandatory, persuasive, and non-authority.
• Legal Research Skills
  By using hands-on, interactive training devices, students will learn proper law library utilization: how to locate primary authority, how to use secondary sources, how to update research sources, how to validate authority using Shepard's, and how to utilize specific legal materials. Students will be trained in The Key Number System and the Total Client Service. In addition, students will be able to utilize the Legal Research Labs, including the Law Library Lab, Westlaw Lab, and Lexis Lab.
• Duke University Paralegal students are provided with training and access to the law library, Westlaw, and Lexis.

Motion Practice

• Motions, Notices, and Briefs
  Students will be introduced to various forms of motions and will be required to prepare a motion, notice, and brief.
• File Maintenance
  Proper file maintenance is discussed. Students will be required to assemble all documents created in the class into a client file or evaluation.

The Legal Environment

The Law Office

• Law Office Etiquette
  Students will learn how to properly present themselves in a law office environment, including dress considerations, telephone tips, and a discussion of office politics.
• File Maintenance
  Students will learn how to create and maintain a client file.
• Tickler and Calendaring Systems
  The class will discuss various forms of reminder systems for important due dates, and both hard-copy and computer-based calendaring methods.
• Billable Hours
  Student will learn the importance of keeping track of billable hours.

Legal Ethics

• ABA Rules of Ethics
  Students will become familiar with the ABA Rules that guide the ethical behavior of attorneys and will discuss how these rules affect paralegals in their day-to-day lives.
• Law Office Ethics
  Students will be taught to maintain a high ethical standard. To facilitate the learning process, students will be presented with ethical scenarios and potential pitfalls to avoid.
• Legal Advice
  The class will be instructed in rules preventing a paralegal from providing legal advice and will discuss what does and does not constitute such advice.
• Legal Representation
  Students will discuss the rules restricting paralegal representation, and the class will be presented with exceptions to these rules.

State Courts

• General State Court Structure
  Local and state trial and appellate courts will be discussed, including how to access filing procedures for specific courts. Since court structure is very similar from state to state, understanding the foundations of state court structure will be beneficial to students from any location.
• Court Rules
  Students are taught the most frequently used court rules and are also taught the skills necessary for finding any rule for specific procedural questions. Accessing court rules is an almost universal process and students will be able to access court rules in whichever jurisdiction they reside.

Federal Courts

• Government Structure
  Students will learn the structure of government and the laws that apply to each branch.
• Federal Court Structure
  Students will be instructed in the basic differences between state and federal jurisdiction, as well as the federal trial and appellate jurisdictions. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure will be introduced.

Legal Technology

• Electronic Legal Research Skills
  Students will learn how to create computer queries in order to use Westlaw and Lexis. Students will also be presented with individual access to LexisNexis online legal research.
• Electronic Discovery
  Students will learn the procedures for exchanging discovery documents digitally.

Substantive Legal Studies - 144 hours

Choose two of four possible course offerings:

• Contract Law 
• Tort Law
• Criminal Law 
• Business Organizations