Paralegal Studies Curriculum
Module 1 – Introduction to the Profession
Lesson 1 – The Course
Lesson 2 – The Paralegal
Lesson 3 – Career Opportunities
Lesson 4 – Personal Assets and Skills
Lesson 5 – Education
Lesson 6 – Regulations, Ethics, and Professional Responsibility
Lesson 7 – Licensing Requirements
Lesson 8 – Research Assignments 1-5
Complete Legal Terminology course
Module 2 –
Introduction to the Law
Lesson 1 – Introduction to Law
Lesson 2 – Origin of American Law
Lesson 3 – Case Law and Common Law Tradition
Lesson 4 – United States Constitution
Lesson 5 – National and International Law
Module 3 –
The Court System
Lesson 1 – Jurisdiction
Lesson 2 – Venue
Lesson 3 – Standing to Sue
Lesson 4 – Judicial Procedure
Lesson 5 – Choosing a Court
Lesson 6 – Research Assignment
Module 4 –
Civil Litigation
Lesson 1 – Substantive and Procedural Law
Lesson 2 – Standard of proof/Legal Reasoning
Lesson 3 – Commencement of a Lawsuit
Lesson 4 – Terms
Lesson 5 – Litigation Process
Lesson 6 – Filing the Complaint/ Service of Process
Lesson 7 – Waiver of Notice
Lesson 8 – Defendant’s Response
Lesson 9 – Motion to Dismiss
Lesson 10 – Amending the Pleadings
Lesson 11 – Motion for a Judgment on the Pleadings
Lesson 12 – Motion for Summary Judgment
Lesson 13 – Samples
Lesson 14 – Interrogations
Lesson 15 – Request for Production of Documents
Lesson 16 – Request for Admissions
Lesson 17 – Discovery
Lesson 18 – The Trial- The Stages of a Lawsuit
Lesson 19 – Trial Notebook / Jury Selection
Lesson 20 – Opening Statements/ Presentation of Evidence
Lesson 21 – Motion for Directed Verdict
Lesson 22 – Closing Arguments/ Jury Instructions
Lesson 23 – The Verdict / Appealing the Verdict
Lesson 24 – Research Assignments and Websites
Module 5 – The Law Office
Lesson 1 – Types of Law Offices
Lesson 2 – The Legal Team
Lesson 3 – Code of Ethics
Lesson 4 – Billing and Fees
Lesson 5 – Timekeeping
Lesson 6 – Accounting
Lesson 7 – Marketing
Lesson 8 – Policies and Procedures
Lesson 9 – Document Maintenance and File Systems
Lesson 10 – Law Libraries and References
Lesson 11 – Research Assignments
Module 6 –
Interview and Investigation
Lesson 1 – Interview
Lesson 2 – Differentiation Evidence
Lesson 3 – Preparing for the Interview
Lesson 4 – Listening
Lesson 5 – Investigation Checklist for Documents
Lesson 6 – Investigating
Lesson 7 – Interoffice Assignment/ Communications
Lesson 8 – Research Assignments
Module 7 –
Legal Writing
Lesson 1 – English Grammar
Lesson 2 – Punctuation
Lesson 3 – Italics and Numbers
Lesson 4 – Latin
Lesson 5 – Pronunciation
Lesson 6 – Writing
Lesson 7 – Legal Writing Flaws
Lesson 8 – Hattie Beatty vs. The Railroad
Lesson 9 – Effective Brief Writing
Lesson 10 – Dictation, Word Processing, and File Organization
Lesson 11 – Typing Rules
Lesson 12 – Ideas for Naming Files
Module 8 –
Research and Citations
Lesson 1 – Overview
Lesson 2 – Case Scenario
Lesson 3 – Case Briefing
Lesson 4 – Applying Case Law
Lesson 5 – Citation
Lesson 6 – Case Citation
Lesson 7 – Research Assignments
Module 9 –
Bankruptcy Law
Lesson 1 – Terms
Lesson 2 – Bankruptcy Reform Act
Lesson 3 – Types of Bankruptcy
Lesson 4 – The Current System
Lesson 5 – Dismissal of a Bankruptcy Case
Lesson 6 – Chapter 13 Wage Earner
Lesson 7 – Discussion
Lesson 8 – Trustee and Exemptions
Lesson 9 – Research Assignments
Module 10 –
Business Law
Lesson 1 – Commercial Law
Lesson 2 – Consumer Law
Lesson 3 – Business Organization
Lesson 4 – Business Client Representation
Lesson 5 – Formal Structure and Forms
Lesson 6 – Sole Proprietorship
Lesson 7 – Limited Liability Corporation
Lesson 8 – General Partnership
Lesson 9 – Limited Partnership
Lesson 10 – Corporation
Lesson 11 – Intellectual Property
Lesson 12 – Research Assignments
Module 11 –
Contract Law
Lesson 1 – Terms
Lesson 2 – Contract Definition
Lesson 3 – Classification of Contracts
Lesson 4 – Contract Sample
Lesson 5 – Research Assignments
Module 12 –
Family Law
Lesson 1 – Introduction to Family Law
Lesson 2 – Case Scenario
Lesson 3 – Sample Non-Marital Agreement
Lesson 4 – Marriage Formalities
Lesson 5 – Common law Marriage
Lesson 6 – Annulment
Lesson 7 – Premarital Legal Complaints and Divorce
Lesson 8 - Divorce Issues
Lesson 9 – Divorce Process
Lesson 10 – Sample- Pre-divorce Interview
Lesson 11 – Child Support and Custody
Lesson 12 – Samples of Custody and Related Issues
Lesson 13 – Research Assignments
Module 13 –
Torts and Tortfeasors
Lesson 1 – Introduction- Overview
Lesson 2 – Intentional Torts
Lesson 3 – Defamation
Lesson 4 – Negligence
Lesson 5 – Product Liability
Lesson 6 – Research Assignments
Module 14 –
Review of Litigation
Lesson 1 – Civil Litigation Processes and Practice
Lesson 2 – Refresher
Lesson 3 – Caption- Identify the Parties
Lesson 4 – Research Assignments
Module 15 –
Criminal Law
Lesson 1 – Terms
Lesson 2 – Overview
Lesson 3 – Motions
Lesson 4 – Criminal Offenses
Lesson 5 – The Trial
Lesson 6 – Appeal
Lesson 7 – Precedent
Lesson 8 – Sample- Writ of Certiorari
Lesson 9 – Research Assignments
Module 16 – Real Estate Law
Lesson 1 – Real Estate Terms
Lesson 2 – Estates, Land, and Tenants
Lesson 3 – Community Property
Lesson 4 – Multiownership of Property
Lesson 5 – Title
Lesson 6 – Deeds
Lesson 7 – Valid Deed Requirements
Lesson 8 – Mortgages
Lesson 9 – Foreclosure
Lesson 10 – Recording Real Estate Property Transactions
Lesson 11 – Sample title
Lesson 12 – Real Estate Closing
Lesson 13 – Real Estate Sales Related Contracts
Lesson 14 – Research Assignments
Lesson 15 – Contract Risk of Loss
Lesson 16 - Sample Letter Executory Contract of Sale
Lesson 17 – Actions Pertaining to Contracts
Lesson 18 – Actions for Fraudulent Inducement
Lesson 19 – Breach of Construction Contract
Lesson 20 – Actions for Breach of Implied Warranty
Lesson 21 – Landlords and Tenants
Lesson 22 – Research Assignments
Module 17 –
Wills and Trusts
Lesson 1 – Terms
Lesson 2 – Estate Planning
Lesson 3 – Advance Directive, Intestacy, and Guardianships
Lesson 4 - Sample- Will
Lesson 5 – Trusts
Module 18 – Internet References and Resources
Module 19 -- All
About Employment
