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

Chapter 21

Ten Survival Tips to Thrive in the Legal Environment

IN THIS CHAPTER

Enhancing your paralegal career

Avoiding behaviors that can hurt your success as a paralegal

After you secure a paralegal position, you can do — and avoid doing — a few key things to make sure your career is successful. Here are few tips from working paralegals.

Continue Your Education

The practice of law changes, especially in specialized areas, like bankruptcy and estate planning, so keep on top of your profession by enrolling in continuing legal education courses periodically throughout your career. You’ll not only gain valuable information but also good friendships with other paralegals. Local colleges, bar associations, and paralegal organizations are good sources for specialized paralegal courses.

Keep a Good Legal Dictionary Nearby

Legal terminology can seem like a foreign language (and in many cases it is — Latin!). To ensure that you understand every document you read and apply the correct terminology to the documents you draft, have easy access to a comprehensive and comprehensible legal dictionary, such as Webster’s New World Law Dictionary (Wiley) or Black’s Law Dictionary, Pocket Edition. websites such as https://thelawdictionary.org/ and mobile apps provide immediate sources of legal ...