book

Paralegal Career For Dummies, 2nd Edition

by Scott A. Hatch, Lisa Zimmer Hatch

April 2019

Beginner

384 pages

10h 25m

English

For Dummies

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About This BookFoolish AssumptionsIcons Used in This BookWhere to Go from Here
Almost a Lawyer: What a Paralegal DoesOn the Job: Where Paralegals WorkWhat It Takes: The Skills, Knowledge, and Training You Need
To Join or Not to JoinDeciding Whether to Get Certified
Finding the Perfect JobCreating the DocumentationSetting Up Shop: Starting a Freelance Paralegal Business
Everything Old Is New Again: The Importance of Legal PrecedenceChecks and Balances: Branches of U.S. GovernmentPlaying Fair: Levels of the U.S. Judicial SystemJudge and Jury: The U.S. Jury System
Cutting Through the Red Tape: Administrative LawEliminating Any Reasonable Doubt: The Nature of Criminal LawMaintaining Polite Society: Civil Law
Constructing the Criminal CaseCarrying Through a Civil Case

Distinguishing Between Procedural Law and Substantive LawFollowing the Federal Rules of Civil ProcedureSticking to State Procedural RulesFiguring Out Federal Rules of Evidence
Déjà Vu All Over Again: Review of Stare DecisisWho’s the Boss? The Premises of Primary and Secondary AuthorityApplying the Law: Mandatory and Persuasive AuthorityHelpful But You Can’t Rely On It: Nonauthority
Facing the Family: Domestic Law and Estate PlanningBuilding the Boom and Blanketing the Bust: Business and Bankruptcy LawCompensating for Pain and Suffering: Personal Injury and Medical MalpracticeGetting It in Writing: Entertainment and Real Estate LawProtecting Assets: Tax and Intellectual Property Law
Communicating in Writing: Types of Legal DocumentsMaking the Case: Effective Document Drafting
Searching for Clues: Gathering EvidenceKeeping Track: Identifying and Protecting EvidenceKeeping Order: Organizing the Evidence
Gauging Whether the Case Is Valid: Initial Client InterviewsCompleting the Story: Witness InterviewsPreparing Clients and Witnesses for Testimony
Conducting Legal ResearchRelying On Tools of the TradeGetting Technological: Computerized Legal ResearchCiting Cases Properly: Citation Format
Creating the Ultimate Source of Information: The Trial NotebookSelecting the Jury: The Paralegal and Voir DireKeeping Track of WitnessesWeighing Testimony: The Paralegal’s Take on the Jury’s ReactionPreparing Questions for the AttorneySettling Up: Preparing the Cost BillBlood from a Turnip: Collecting a Difficult Judgment
Doing What’s Right: The Importance of EthicsAbiding by the Rules of Professional ConductSorting through the Codes of Paralegal Associations
Corresponding CarefullyGrammar: Grasping the Foundation of an Effective Writing StyleSentence Structure: Positioning the Sentence’s ElementsPunctuation and Mechanics: Mastering the RulesOrganization: Structuring the Finished ProductProofreading: Polishing the Finished ProductAvoiding Plagiarism
Operating Computer Hardware and Networks in the Law OfficeGetting Savvy on Software Applications for the Law OfficeSurfing the Net: Online Resources for Legal ProfessionalsCarting Computers into the Courtroom
Buying Time: Management SystemsKeeping Account: Billing SystemsA Place for Everything: File Management
Avoiding the Unauthorized Practice of LawMaintaining Client ConfidentialityDisclosing Your Paralegal StatusReporting Ethics Violations of Other Legal ProfessionalsDisclosing Information to Prevent Death or Serious Bodily HarmSharing Information with Your Supervising AttorneyAvoiding Conflicts of InterestObeying All Applicable Attorneys’ Ethics RulesGiving Something to the Community: Pro Bono ServicesMaking Your Voice Heard: Supporting Efforts to Improve the Legal System
How to Ask for HelpYour RoleHow to Communicate EffectivelyThe Value of Being OrganizedYour LimitationsHow to ResearchHow to Use TechnologyThe Rules of Professional ResponsibilityHow to Draft Fundamental Legal DocumentsHow to Weigh the Value of Paralegal Organizations
Continue Your EducationKeep a Good Legal Dictionary NearbyMaintain the Integrity of Your ProfessionBe Polite and Patient with Court ClerksTake a Mind Reading CourseEnjoy Problem SolvingRefrain from Badmouthing Other Paralegals and AttorneysNever Act as though You’re IrreplaceableDon’t Count on a Normal Work ScheduleResist the Urge to Gossip about Clients
Documents OnlineLinks to Websites

Content preview from Paralegal Career For Dummies, 2nd Edition

About the Authors

Scott and Lisa Hatch have prepared students for careers in the legal field for more than 35 years. While in law school in the late ’70s, Scott Hatch taught LSAT preparation courses throughout Southern California to pay for his education. After graduation, he went out on his own and, at the urging of one of his students, added paralegal courses to his course offerings. Using materials he developed, he then prepared thousands of eager career seekers to work as paralegals, legal nurse consultants, legal secretaries, legal investigators, mediators, and victim advocates.

Scott and Lisa kindled their romance in the classroom. Lisa took one of Scott’s LSAT preparation courses at the University of Colorado and improved her love life as well as her LSAT score. Lisa’s love for instructing and writing allowed her to fit right in with Scott’s lifestyle, teaching courses and preparing course materials. They married shortly thereafter.

Since then, Scott and Lisa have taught students worldwide. Currently, more than 300 universities and colleges offer their courses through live lectures, correspondence, and online, and Scott and Lisa have written the curriculum for all formats. The company they built together, The Center for Legal Studies, provides courses for those who desire careers in the field of law (including paralegals, legal secretaries, legal investigators, victim advocates, and legal nurse consultants) and who need preparation for the gamut of standardized tests.