Catalog Description
- Transfer Status
- CSU
- Unit(s)
- 3.00
- Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
- Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
Course Description: This course introduces legal terminology, use of various legal documents and correspondence, how to navigate the court system and triage clients and their needs. Emphasis is placed on developing legal vocabulary, enhancing legal communication skills, building strong problem-solving techniques, and utilizing technical abilities in a legal office setting.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- Define and correctly apply legal terminology as it relates to the various areas of law.
- Analyze the procedures followed and forms utilized in probate, civil, family, criminal, and corporate law offices.
- Identify the different sections of legal documents and evaluate the quality of the content.
- Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various scheduling tools used in the court litigation process.
- Analyze scenarios related to the ethical and confidential conduct required in a law office.
Course Content
Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic
Lecture
| Topics | Lec Hrs |
|---|---|
Terminology, forms, scheduling, and other activities involved in a Probate Law office. | 7.00 |
Terminology, forms, scheduling, and other activities involved in a Civil Law office. | 14.00 |
Terminology, forms, scheduling, and other activities involved in a Family Law office. | 12.00 |
Terminology, forms, scheduling, and other activities involved in a Corporate Law office. | 2.00 |
Terminology, forms, scheduling, and other activities involved in a Criminal Law office. | 4.00 |
The field of legal office administration. | 12.00 |
| Total Hours: | 51.00 |
Methods of Instruction
- Group Discussions
- Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
- Lecture
Methods of Evaluation
- Exams/Tests
- Quizzes
- Research Projects
- Papers
- Class participation
- Written Assignments
Examples of Assignments
Reading Assignments
- Complete assigned reading of articles by Robert Half. Identify all of the different areas of law mentioned and, utilizing all of the tools available to you, identify into which area of law each of the Chico, CA attorneys fit. Be prepared to share your work with the class.
- Select an article from the Legal Secretary Quarterly publication, summarize its content, and be ready to discuss in class whether you agree of disagree with the author's point.
Writing Assignments
- Using the scenarios provided by the instructor, prepare the necessary documents and provide a written summary of the steps taken to complete the process.
- Given a client interview narrative, identify the required forms and provide a one-page justification for their use.
Out-of-Class Assignments
- Utilizing all of your resources, identify the areas of law. Select the one that most interests you and explain why.
- Given a typical set of corporate by-laws, identify and accurately list the corporate structure.
Recommended Materials of Instruction
LPI. (2024). Legal Secretary's Reference Guide. LPI, California Edition. 979-8335212922.
The Rutter Group. (2024). Law Office Procedures Manual. The Rutter Group, Updated Edition. N/A.
Minimum Qualifications
Legal Assisting
Office Technologies
Business (Masters Required)
Business Education (Masters Required)
Court Reporting
Law (Masters Required)