1. THE PARALEGAL PROFESSIONAL! PA101 Unit 1 Seminar

2. FUTURE STARS OF THE LEGAL WORLD! Glad to have you in class!

3. TIPS FOR SUCCESS Ask questions Preparation is everything. Organize your time, think ahead. Review what is expected for the Units ahead. Print out the assignment requirements in case there is a power outage, computer failure, or other emergency. Read directions carefully! Make sure you know what you are supposed to answer in the DB, and what you are supposed to have in your written assignments. Easy way to gain (or lose) points. Check out the rubrics too. Outline the topics as you read about them, and note where you found the information. Be sure to read all Announcements.

4. Discussion Board Tips Make at least 3 substantive posts per week. Answer the main post in depth, and respond to other students. Build upon another’s response. A substantive response is not just agreeing with or disagreeing with or simply complimenting another student. Explain why you agree or disagree. Add your take, ask questions, share your research. Offer dialogue that relates to the objectives of our course and keep the conversation on track

5. More Discussion Board Tips Incorporate the course materials Offer relevant workplace experience Offer an opposing viewpoint in a courteous manner Read every post—it gives you a sense of what issues are intriguing and helps you prepare responses. Please read my posts—I often address the whole class in a response to keep the discussion going. Take the time to review your posts before submitting. Read, re-read, and proofread and spell check—this is practice for preparing professional communications.

6. LATE POLICY Please check out the Announcement on late assignments. Timely submission of work is essential! If you cannot submit work timely, contact instructor via email before the assignment is due. Assignments submitted late without prior communication with instructor can result in point deductions. DON’T GIVE UP! Turning in an assignment late is better than receiving a zero!

7. ANNOUNCEMENTS Please read all new Announcements each and every time you enter the classroom.

8. Written Assignment Rubric Posted in Doc Sharing Review rubric before submitting written assignments Shows criteria used to grade each written assignment. There is never a mystery about my expectations for assignments!

9. PLAGIARISM is a big no-no!!! Any research source that you use for any written or discussion board assignment MUST be cited to. Any point that is not an original idea must be cited to. Always give credit where credit is due. All written assignments will be reviewed to check for plagiarism! If any portion of an assignment is plagiarized, the student will receive a “0” grade. Kaplan Writing Center offers assistance and tips to help prevent plagiarism. Review the Kaplan Plagiarism Policy.

10. Unit 1 Assignment Checklist: 1. Introduce Yourself (Meet your Classmates) 2. Seminar 3. Discussion board 4. Read chapters 1 and 3 in your text 5. Quiz

11. What is a Paralegal? Legal Assistant ABA and NALA’s definition: “Person qualified by education, training, or work experience, who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work, for which a lawyer is responsible.”

12. What Paralegals CANNOT DO 1. Cannot give legal advice 2. Cannot represent a client in court 3. Cannot set a fee 4. Cannot accept a case

13. What do Paralegals Do? 1. Draft legal documents 2. Calendar and track deadlines 3. Assist attorney in trial preparation 4. Interview clients and witnesses 5. Investigate 6. Organize and maintain files 7. Legal research 8. Coordinate legal proceedings 9. Use computers and other technology

14. COMPUTERS SOFTWARE Internal Case Management Time and Billing Imaging software Legal Research Investigation sources Retrieve, organize, index documents Email Paralegals and Technology

15. JACK’S CASE Jack is a spine surgeon. On a flight from Sidney to L.A. the ABC plane Jack is a passenger on crashes onto an island in the Pacific Ocean. Jack survives the crash but suffers serious physical injuries and he is also traumatized by the event. An investigation reveals that there were mechanical problems with the plane that ABC should have been aware of and prevented. After Jack is rescued, he decides to sue ABC for negligence. Because of Jack’s injuries and mental state, he claims he is unable to practice medicine ever again. Jack wants the firm you work for to represent him in a law suit against ABC. You are the paralegal assigned to the case. What types of tasks can you be expected to perform if you are working on this case?

16. What would a paralegal do for Jack’s case? 1. Case Management 2. Client Relations 3. Legal Research and Investigation 4. Initiate Lawsuit 5. Discovery 6. Settlement 7. Trial

17. Becoming a Paralegal: Education or Work Experience? Originally all paralegals were trained on the job Educational programs are on the rise No state licensure requirements generally Depends on what the employer requires

18. Paralegal Skills and Attributes 1. Analytical Skills 2. Communication Skills 3. Computer Skills 4. Organizational Skills 5. Interpersonal Skills 6. Ability to keep confidences 7. Professionalism

19. More about Skills “Soft” skills are relevant:  Communication  Initiative  Resourcefulness  Problem solving  Commitment  Team work  Leadership  Self-motivation

20. Career Planning What are your goals?  Identify other educational skills  Identify your personality traits  Assess whether you enjoy working under deadlines  Do you enjoy working with certain groups?  Identify your personal interests  Recognize your strengths  Acknowledge weaknesses

21. Career Planning (cont.) Selecting a specialty:  Your decision should be based on self-evaluation of your likes, dislikes, interests, passions and any physical or geographic limitations.

22. Career Planning (cont.) Assessing your background:  Doing a self-assessment early in your studies offers you an opportunity to recognize your strengths and to develop them and  To acknowledge weaknesses that you need to address in order to allow for personal and professional growth.

23. Professional Skills Previous work experience helpful:  science & medicine  engineering, architecture, construction  customer relations (front end positions)  bookkeeping or financial experience

24. PARALEGAL SPECIALTIES 1. Legal Nurse Consultant or Nurse Paralegal 2. Real Estate 3. Complex Litigation 4. Environmental Law 5. Intellectual Property 6. Elder Law 7. Paralegal Manager 8. Pro Bono Paralegals

25. Where Paralegals Work Private law firms Corporate Legal Departments Insurance companies Real Estate/Title Insurance Offices Banks Government Agencies (federal, state & local) Legal services

26. ARRANGEMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS OF LAW OFFICES AND FIRMS 1. Solo Practice 2. Small Offices 3. Partnerships 4. Large Offices 5. Large Firms 6. General Practice 7. Specialty Practice

27. Other Employment Opportunities 1. Government employment 2. Legal Departments of Corporations 3. Self Employment 4. Networking

28. Opportunities for Paralegals More paralegals are employed by large firms than smaller firms; small firms tend to use secretaries for some paralegal tasks 2/3 of attorneys use paralegals at their firms Paralegals are most commonly utilized by firms practicing in the areas of:  Business/corporate  Probate/estate planning  Litigation

29. Opportunities for Paralegals (cont.) Salaries are higher in large, metropolitan areas Large firms tend to pay more Paralegal billings must be based on paralegal (billable) activities, not clerical or secretarial (overhead) activities

30. FUTURE OF THE PROFESSION Dynamic and changing field Profession is growing at a faster rate than many other professions Role of paralegals has grown Paralegals work in many different environments

31. THE END Questions? Have a great week! Good luck!