#Paralegal Studies - Professional Certificates - Duke Continuing Studies
Paralegal Studies - Online
Curriculum
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 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.
The following is the course curriculum for the online program.
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
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)
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
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
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.
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.
- 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
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.
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.