Paralegal 1: An Introduction uses real-world examples to cover all the topics a student needs to know to prepare for their paralegal career. Topics covered include career development, ethics and professional responsibility, pretrial preparation, trial proceedings, and legal interviewing and investigation. Learn guidelines for performing legal research and analysis and standards for legal communications and writing. Take the steps to develop your Paralegal career today!
The topics handled in our Discover a Career as a Paralegal course include a brief synopsis of on-the-job duties, job opportunities and a variety of legal specialties served by paralegals. We will cover the differences between civil and criminal law, legal office management and paralegal ethical concepts. With increased competition for paralegal jobs, attorneys now seek paralegal applicants who come to them with professional education and knowledge of the legal duties performed by paralegals and the ligation process.
Enroll through one of our accredited university or college partners today!
Paralegal Professional
Module 1: The Paralegal Career
• What is a Paralegal?
• Paralegal Tasks
• Educational Options
• Skills and Attributes
• Career Opportunities
• Compensation
• Organizational Structure of Law Firms
• Filing Procedures
• Communications
• Law Office Culture and Politics
Module 2: American Law and Court Systems
• Regulation of Attorneys
• Attorney Ethics
• Regulation of Paralegals
• Sources of American Law
• Constitutional Law
• Statutory Law
• Administrative Law
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Basic Judicial Requirements
• Federal and State Court Systems
Module 3: Online Legal Research and Analysis
• Researching Case Law
• Case Reporting System
• Analyzing Case Law
• Researching Constitutional and Statutory Law
• Analyzing Statutory Law
• Legal Resources on the Internet
• Lexis and Westlaw
• Alternative Legal Research Sources
• Conducting Online Research
Module 4: Legal Writing and Civil Litigation
• Receiving a Writing Assignment
• Tools for Writers
• Pleadings, Discovery and Motions
• General Legal Correspondence
• The Legal Memorandum
• Preliminaries and Pleadings
• Discovery of Electronic Evidence
• Maintenance of Electronic Records
• Pretrial Motions
Module 5: Interviews, Investigations and Trial Procedures
• Planning for the Interview
• Interviewing Skills
• Interviewing Clients
• Interviewing Witnesses
• Planning and Conducting Investigations
• Preparing for Trial
• Jury Selection
• Post-trial Motions and Procedures
Module 6: Criminal, Tort and Consumer Law
• Defining Crime
• Types of Crime
• Cyber Crime
• Prosecution
• Intentional Torts
• Negligence
• Product Liability
• Consumer Law
Module 7: Contracts, Insurance Law and Family Law
• Requirements to Form a Valid Contract
• Defenses to Contract Enforceability
• Sales Contracts and Warranties
• Contract Performance and Remedies
• Online Contracting and Electronic Signatures
• Intellectual Property Law
• Real Property
• Insurance Law
• Family Law
• Wills, Trusts and Estates
Module 8: Employment Law, Bankruptcy and Environmental Law
• Forms of Business Organization
• Agency Law
• Employment Law
• Bankruptcy Code
• Liquidation Proceedings
• Individual Repayment Plans
• Reorganizations
• Environmental Law
Legal Analysis and Writing
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 1
Introduction to Legal Principles and Legal Analysis
Sources of Law
Hierarchy of the Law
Authority
Introduction to Legal Citation
Legal Analysis
Legal Research
Analysis Process
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 2
Types of Legal Research
Constitutions
Statues
Administrative Law
Court Rules
Case Law
Encyclopedia
Treatises
American Law Reports
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 3
Legal Research, continued
Legal Periodicals
Restatements of the Law
Uniform Laws and Model Acts
Computers and Internet Legal Research
Commercial Internet Research
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 4
Legal Analysis: Key Facts and Issue Identification
Importance of Facts
Types of Facts
Key Facts Identification: Client’s Case
Key Facts Identification: Case Law
Issue Identification: Client’s Case
Issue Identification: Case Law
Spotting the Issue
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 5
Stating the Issue, On Point Importance, and Counteranalysis
Shorthand or Broad Statement of the Issue
Comprehensive or Narrow Statement of the Issue
Issue-Law Component
Issue-Question Component
Objectively Stating the Issue
Is this Case on Point?
Counteranalysis: Why, When, Where?
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 6
Fundamentals of Writing
Sentences
Paragraphs
Word Selection and Usage
Grammar
Punctuation
Importance of Writing Skills
Legal Writing Process
Goal of Legal Writing
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 7
Office Legal Memorandum
Purposes, Uses, and Importance
Prewriting Stage
Sections of the Office Memorandum
Analysis to Conclusion
Legal Analysis and Writing Module 8
Court Briefs and Correspondence
Trial Court Briefs
Appellate Court Briefs
Basic Components of Correspondence
Types of Correspondence
Understanding the Law Module 1
Introduction to the Law
The English Source of U.S. Law
Modern Sources of U.S. Law
Types & Classifications of Law
The Relationship Between Law & Ethics
Using Court Cases
Constitutional Law
Judicial Review
Separation of Powers
The National Government
What is Federalism?
The Police Power
The Bill of Rights
Freedom of Speech & Religion
Unreasonable Searches
Due Process of Law
Affirmative Action
The Right to Privacy
Understanding the Law Module 2
The Court System & The Attorney
What is Trial Court?
Appellate Court
Understanding Jurisdiction
The State Court System
The Federal Court System
Trial Proceedings
The Adversarial System
Attorneys-at-Law
Professional Ethics
Hire & Fire an Attorney
Legal Malpractice
Unauthorized Practice of Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Understanding the Law Module 3
Administrative Law & Crimes
What is Administrative Law?
History of U.S. Administrative Law
Administrative Agencies
Areas of Administrative Law
Agency Power, Process, & Action
Limits of Agency Power
What is a Crime?
Parties to a Crime
Corpus Delicti
Felony, Misdemeanor, or Infraction
Crimes Against the Person
Crimes Against Property
Defenses to Crimes
Statute of Limitations
Procedures in a Criminal Trial
Parole, Probation, & Clemency
Understanding the Law Module 4
Torts & Contracts
What are Torts?
Torts by Intentional Conduct
Torts by Negligent Behavior
Strict Liability Torts
Damages & the Collection of Damages
Contracts: Enforceable Agreements
How are Contracts Classified?
Requisites of a Valid Contract
Third Parties in Contracts
Discharged Contracts
Breach of Contract
Individual Consumer Contracts
Warranty Protection
Understanding the Law Module 5
Application of Law to the Individual
Family Law
Marriage Laws
Legal Consequences of Marriage
Laws Governing Parenthood
Protection of Minors
Termination of Marriage
Family Law Contracts
Motor Vehicle Law
Owning a Motor Vehicle
Driving a Motor Vehicle
Purchasing Automobile Insurance
Acquiring Ownership of Personal Property
Will or Inheritance
Mislaid, Lost, & Abandoned Property
Understanding the Law Module 6
Renters, Landlords & Employee Rights
Types of Leases
Landlord-Tenant Relationship
Legal Remedies for Landlords
Legal Remedies for Tenants
Employee Rights
Worker Laws
Legal Classification of Employees
Discrimination Laws
Employee Duties
Benefits for Employees
Rights Regarding Unions
Understanding the Law Module 7
Consumer Rights, Family Law and Wills
Consumer Rights and Protection
Consumer Privacy
Consumer Protection
Federal Government Involvement in Family Law
What is Marriage?
Legal Consequences of Marriage
Laws Govern Parenthood
Divorce
Family Laws and Contracts
What is Estate Planning?
Tax Burdens Reduced or Avoided
Matters Concerning Wills
Matters Concerning Probate
Living Wills & Advance Directives
Discover a Career as a Paralegal
Module 1: Paralegal Duties
• Duties of a Paralegal in a Law Firm and Public Sector
• Skills Required by a Paralegal
• Importance of the Legal Precedence in American Jurisprudence
• Paralegal Specialties
• Categories Used to Describe Types of Law
Module 2: Legal Authority
• Explanation of Mandatory and Persuasive Authority
• Understanding of Primary and Secondary Authority
• The Court Doctrine of Stare Decisis
• Preparing Legal Documents
• Gathering Evidence as a Paralegal
Module 3: Legal Research
• Preparing for the Initial Interview
• Searching for Applicable Law
• Pre-Trial Duties for a Paralegal in a Civil Case
• Differences Between Procedural and Substantive Law
• Criminal Trial Procedures
Module 4: Effective Writing Style
• Effective Writing for a Paralegal
• Mastering the Mechanics of Writing
• Maintaining a Good Filing System
• Most Important Rules of Ethics
• Using a Calendar System for Time Management
All required reference materials are provided with this program. Technical requirements:
Internet Connection
• Broadband or High-Speed (DSL, Cable, Wireless)
Hardware Requirements
• Processor - 2GHz Processor or Higher
• Memory - 1 GB RAM Minimum Recommended
Software Requirements
• Operating Systems - Windows 7, 8 or 10; Mac OS x 10 or higher
• Microsoft Office 2007, 2010 or 2013 or a Word Processing application to save and open Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx)
• Internet Browsers - Google Chrome is highly recommended
• Cookies MUST be enabled
• Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled)
• Adobe PDF Reader
Upon successfully completion of the training program, learners will be prepared to sit for the Certified Paralegal certification exam through NALA. Learners will be provided an exam voucher,
at no cost, to sit for the exam.
To be eligible for the Certified Paralegal examination, a paralegal must meet one of the following requirements listed below. The NALA Certifying Board and NALA do not provide nor approve any education that is required for initial certification.
1. Graduation from a paralegal program that is:
(a) Approved by the American Bar Association; or
(b) An associate degree program; or
(c) A post-baccalaureate certificate program in paralegal studies; or
(d) A bachelor's degree program in paralegal studies; or
(e) A paralegal program which consists of a minimum of 60 semester hours (900 clock hours or 90 quarter hours) of which at least 15 semester hours (225 clock hours or 22.5 quarter hours) are substantive legal courses.
Each state may have additional licensing requirements, be sure to research your states requirements for employment by visiting your states occupation board.
This class is an independent-study course. Students will have all the resources needed to successfully complete the course within the online material. A student helpdesk is available for technical support during the course enrollment.
Certified Paralegal FAQs
To request more information, you can contact us via online chat, our website contact
form, or toll free at
1-855-201-6910.
Online courses are accessible 24/7/365 and self-paced, allowing you to progress at your own pace on your own schedule. They can be taken from anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. Classroom courses have a set schedule of the days and times the courses will be held, and you must attend during those specific times.
Find out if online learning is right for you by contacting our team of registration advisers. Our team is available to answer any of your questions about taking an online course before you commit to enrolling. We will walk you through what to expect to ensure you are making the right decision. You can contact a registration adviser today via online chat, our website contact
form, or toll free at
1-855-201-6910.
No, you are not required to have a diploma or higher education degree to enroll in an online course. However, some occupations may require minimum educational thresholds for employment or certification. For more information on your desired career requirements, please contact us via online chat, our website contact
form, or toll free at
1-855-201-6910
To take an online course, you will need to have access to an internet connection and an internet ready device such as a laptop, PC, or tablet. For course specific requirements, please visit the course page or contact a registration adviser today.
Our courses are developed with multiple formats including text, audio, video, and interactivity. Our courses also include multiple resources and tools which can include flashcards, games, activities, and more.
No, you can take the online courses from anywhere in the world.
We participate in several financial assistance options including third party funding, both military and non-military. To request more information on the financial assistance options available and check your eligibility, contact us via online chat, our website contact
form, or toll free at
1-855-201-6910.
Duration is the amount of time you will receive access to your course. Durations vary by course and range between 1 month and 12 months. If you complete your course before your duration ends you will continue to have access to your course until the duration period ends.
Many of our career training programs include certification vouchers. This means that at the successful completion of your course, at no additional charge, you will receive an exam voucher for the corresponding industry certification. This voucher will allow you to register and sit for the appropriate certification exam to obtain your industry credential.
Our online courses are open enrollment, so you can start immediately. If you are using any third-party funding to cover your course tuition, your start date may be a future date determined by your funding program.
Once enrolled, you will be assigned a client adviser who will provide you with customer and technical support. Your client adviser will supply you with your course access information, any needed materials, and be available to answer any questions you have during your training experience. They will regularly check-in with you to monitor your progress and assist you with staying on track. You will also be assigned to a course mentor who will provide curriculum support throughout your training. Your mentor is available to answer any questions you have on your course curriculum, will monitor your progress and understanding of the curriculum, and may give assignments or quizzes.
If you experience any trouble accessing your course including technical issues or lost login credentials, please contact your client adviser at
helpdesk@worldeducation.net.
We strive to provide a fully online experience for students however some of our training courses include physical materials or equipment. Courses that have materials shipped directly to students will be shipped within 7 business days of registration. Some training courses have material for different sections and these courses may require multiple shipments as you completed stages of your course.
Our goal for students is to successfully complete their training course and achieve their career goals. We understand that extenuating circumstances can interfere with your ability to complete your course in the duration given. Because of this we have free or low-cost extensions available for our courses upon request. To discuss or request an extension please contact your client adviser at
helpdesk@worldeducation.net.
Upon successful completion of your course and fulfillment of any outstanding financial obligations, you will receive your certificate of completion. Certificates are provided to you within 30 days of completion. Your certificate will validate the training course you completed with a stamp of completion.
Students that successfully complete our career training programs are assigned a career development adviser who will coordinate placement at a local externship or hands on opportunity. These opportunities are optional and may vary based on availability and occupation. Your career development adviser will also provide job search services such as: resume building, mock interviews, job opportunity resources, and more. Our professional enrichment courses do not come with a career adviser or career services.