Paralegal Practice Foundations

This unit prepares students to perform core paralegal functions by combining substantive law, procedure, and professional practice. Students will learn to identify jurisdictional and procedural frameworks, draft and manage litigation documents and evidence, and apply ethical, technological, and business practices in a law office setting.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the structure and levels of the U.S. judicial system and distinctions between criminal and civil law to determine applicable jurisdiction and controlling authority for given cases
• Apply the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and relevant state procedural rules to organize case workflows, draft core litigation documents, and create evidence-preservation and witness interview plans
• Demonstrate professional and ethical responsibilities by implementing attorney-client confidentiality, billing procedures, conflict checks, and compliance with rules of professional conduct during simulated case management
• Evaluate and use legal research principles (primary and secondary authority), document-drafting conventions, case-management software, and basic freelance business considerations to support efficient paralegal operations