Legal Research & Legal Writing - A Paralegal Skills Course

Fast & practical skills course on legal research & drafting for paralegals, legal assistants, & paralegals in training

What you'll learn

Gain a functional understanding of the legal research and analysis process

Distinguish primary and secondary sources of law including practical guides and manuals

Develop a practical approach to legal research and writing (drafting) for paralegals

Develop intuition for mirroring the preferences of your supervising attorney

Navigate document automation and assembly software, templates, and formal and informal knowledgebases

Learn best practices that your supervising attorney will appreciate

Requirements

Some background and knowledge of what paralegals do is useful.

No specific prior course required.

For best audio quality, please view this course through the Chrome web browser.

Description

The course starts by providing a functional description of legal analysis, including the research, synthesis, and summary of relevant and applicable laws, as well as the factual analysis that courts and lawyers due to apply the law to the facts. Next, the course describes the objectives of individual and organizational clients when they seek legal help from a law office or law practice. Finally, the course covers fundamental aspects of the preliminary legal research and writing (drafting) that paralegals may be tasked with conducting for the supervising attorney. Notably, the course includes coverage of the practical tools as well as the informal resources that paralegals often have access to in a law office or department that can help them be efficient and provide closer to final drafts for their reviewing attorney. The course includes illustrations and examples that walk the paralegal through the thought process that can help tackle a new drafting or research assignment from their supervising attorney. The course includes extensive lecture and visual materials; however, it is not intended to substitute for post-secondary instruction in legal research and writing for paralegals. This course is also not intended to be continuing education and is not qualified for such credit in any jurisdiction. The course focuses on paralegals in the U.S. and is intended to be a highly practical skill building overview useful both to paralegals in training who want to supplement their formal studies or current paralegals who want to sharpen everyday skills to help them improve performance on the job.

Overview

Section 1: Overview and Introduction

Lecture 1 Introduction and Overview

Section 2: What is Legal Research and Analysis?

Lecture 2 Functional Illustration of Legal Analysis

Lecture 3 Objectives of a Lawyer's Client

Lecture 4 The Role of a Paralegal

Section 3: Legal Authority and Sources of Law

Lecture 5 Sources and Types of Law

Lecture 6 Jurisdiction and Precedent

Section 4: Approaching a Legal Research Assignment

Lecture 7 Secondary Sources and Practice Manuals

Section 5: Approaches to Legal Writing (Drafting)

Lecture 8 Routine Matters and Filings

Lecture 9 Legal Correspondence and Emails

Lecture 10 Legal Writing After Research

Section 6: Review and Next Steps

Lecture 11 Course Review and Next Steps

This course is beneficial to paralegals in training as well as currently qualified paralegals who want a refresher or to sharpen their skills.,This course is not for continuing paralegal credits and is not intended to substitute for an approved paralegal training program. It is important that all students research and understand the requirements of the state in which they plan to work as a paralegal and discuss qualifications with their prospective supervising attorney under whose specific direction they will work.,This course can be useful as part of orientation or on-boarding of new paralegals to law offices or in-house legal departments.