Paralegal 1 - An Introduction

Hours: 350 / Access Length: 12 Months / Delivery: Open, Mentor Supported
Retail Price: $1,625.00

Course Overview:

Paralegal: An Introduction makes the paralegal field come alive for the student. It uses real-world examples, offering practical applications for each concept discussed. In this course each student will gain a thorough introduction to not only the legal system in general but also to specific areas of the law and the paralegal's integral role as a member of the legal team.

After completing this course, you should be able to:

  • Comprehend the job description and classifications of the paralegal profession
  • Comprehend law ethics, the categories of law, and the court system
  • Define the steps involved in various legal procedures
  • Identify the key elements of the law
  • Identify the different types of law

Course Outline:

Paralegal: An Introduction Module 1
The Paralegal Profession
  • What Do Paralegals Do?
  • Paralegal Skills & Attributes
  • The Future of Paralegalism
  • Career Opportunities
  • Paralegal Specialties
  • Paralegal Compensation
  • Planning Your Career
  • Marketing Your Skills
  • The Inner Workings of the Law Office
  • Organizational Structure
  • Employment Policies
  • Filing Procedures
  • Financial Procedures
  • Law Office Culture & Politics
Paralegal: An Introduction Module 2
Ethics, the Law & the Court System
  • The Regulation of Attorneys
  • Attorney Ethics & Paralegal Practice
  • Regulation of Paralegals
  • The Unauthorized Practice of Law
  • Sources of American Law
  • Case Law & the Common Law Tradition
  • Constitutional Law
  • Statutory Law
  • Administrative Law
  • National & International Law
  • Basic Judicial Requirements
  • State Court System
  • The Federal Court System
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
Paralegal: An Introduction Module 3
Legal Procedures
  • Researching Case Law
  • Finding Relevant Cases
  • The Case Reporting System
  • Analyzing Case Law
  • Researching Constitutional & Statutory Law
  • Analyzing Statutory Law
  • Researching Administrative Law
  • Online Legal Research
  • Free Legal Resources on the Internet
  • Lexis & Westlaw
  • alternative Online Programs
  • Conducting Online Research
  • Legal Writing
  • The Importance of Good Writing Skills
  • Pleadings and Discovery
  • General Legal Correspondence
  • The Legal Memorandum
Paralegal: An Introduction Module 4
Paralegal Skills & Legal Procedures
  • Civil Litigation
  • Preliminary Investigation
  • The Pleadings
  • Pretrial Motions
  • Traditional Discovery Tools
  • The Duty to Disclose
  • Planning the Interview
  • Interviewing Clients
  • Interviewing Witnesses
  • Planning & Conducting Investigations
  • Preparing for Trial
  • Jury Selection
  • The Trial
  • Posttrial Motions & Procedures
  • Criminal Law & Procedures
  • Elements of Criminal Liability
  • Types of Crimes
  • Constitutional Safeguards
  • Criminal Procedures & Trial
Paralegal: An Introduction Module 5
Key Elements of the Law
  • The Basis of Tort Law
  • Intentional Torts
  • Negligence
  • Cyber Torts
  • Strict Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Consumer Law
  • Contracts & Intellectual Property Law
  • Requirements to Form a Valid Contract
  • Defenses to Contract Enforceability
  • Sales Contracts & Warranties
  • Electronic Contracting
  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Real Property Law
  • Insurance Law
Paralegal: An Introduction Module 6
Additional Types of Law 
  • Family Law
  • Wills, Trusts, & Estates
  • Forms of Business Organization
  • Agency Law
  • Employment Law
  • Family & Medical Leave
  • Workers' Compensation Laws
  • The Bankruptcy Code
  • The Bankruptcy Trustee
  • Liquidation Proceedings
  • Individual Repayment Plans
  • Filing the Petition
  • Confirmation of the Plan
  • Reorganizations
  • Debtor in Possession
  • Environmental Law
  • Federal Regulation of the Environment

All necessary materials are included.


System Requirements:

System Requirements:

Internet Connectivity Requirements:
  • Cable and DSL internet connections are recommended for the best experience.
Hardware Requirements:
  • CPU: 1 GHz or higher
  • RAM: 2 GB or higher
  • Resolution: 1280 x 720 or higher
  • Speakers / Headphones
  • Microphone (Webinar / Live Online sessions)
Operating System Requirements:
  • Microsoft Windows 7 or 10 (Home, Pro)
  • Mac OSX 10 or higher.
  • Latest Chrome OS
  • Latest Linux Distributions

NOTE: While we understand that our courses can be viewed on Android and iPhone devices, we do not recommend the use of these devices for our courses. The size of these devices do not provide a good learning environment for students taking online or live online based courses.

Web Browser Requirements:
  • Latest Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
  • Latest Mozilla FireFox
  • Latest Microsoft Edge
  • Latest Apple Safari
Basic Software Requirements (These are recommendations of software to use):
  • Office suite software (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice)
  • PDF reader program (Adobe Reader, FoxIt)
  • Courses may require other software that is denoted in the above course outline.


** The course outlines displayed on this website are subject to change at any time without prior notice. **