Curriculum
The curriculum for the Paralegal Certificate consists of four required courses: three core courses, which all students take, and one specialty course, which each student selects. The specialty course is a 154 classroom hour course in one of three areas of law practice: Civil Litigation, Business Organizations, or Real Estate. To receive the certificate, students must earn a grade of C or better in each required course. The coursework is designed to be completed in two semesters; classes meet three evenings per week. All coursework must be completed within two calendar years. Changes in the curriculum and in the calendar may change without notice.
Core Courses:
Legal Survey
Law Office Management and Professional Responsibility
Legal Research (Pre- or co-requisite: Legal Survey)
Specialty Course: (select one)
Civil Litigation
Business Organizations
Real Estate
The entire required curriculum totals 289 classroom hours, equivalent to 19.27 semester hours. The courses vary in length. Classes are generally 3 hours in length. The specialty courses are open only to students formally admitted to the certificate program. Students must take all core courses either before or concurrent with their specialty course. Legal Survey must be taken before or concurrent with Legal Research.
Prospective applicants are also encouraged to attend one of the regularly scheduled information sessions for first-hand information on choice of specialty and career opportunities.
Legal Survey, Legal Research and Law Office Management are open to persons who have not yet been formally admitted to the program. Prospective students taking Legal Survey or Legal Research must have at least a 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and be at least a junior or senior in a 4-year accredited college. Students wishing to take Law Office Management must have a bachelor's degree and at least a 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Taking a course on a trial basis can be valuable to students who wish to learn more about the field before applying and choosing their specialty, or who have concerns about their ability to meet academic or admission requirements. Approval from the Director of the Paralegal Program is required to take these courses.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Legal Survey
45 classroom hours
Objectives: Students will gain an overview of the legal system and the major substantive areas of the law. Students will become familiar with basic legal concepts and will be able to understand and use legal terminology. Students will be able to identify and explain the function of various legal documents and procedures.
Topics include: The federal and state judicial systems; civil procedure; torts; contracts; real property; wills, trusts and estate administration; domestic law; criminal law; corporations, agency and partnership.
Legal Research
45 classroom hours
Objectives: Students will learn how to use the law library and Westlaw or Lexis/Nexis to find legal authority that is on point. Students will learn the basic principles of legal analysis and writing, and will be able to brief a case and research and write an office memorandum of law. Students will be able to cite authorities correctly and to update and validate citations using Shepard's citations.
Topics include: Federal and state statutes, cases, and administrative regulations; reading and understanding caselaw and statutes; use of encyclopedias, annotations, legal periodicals, and other secondary authority; use of digests, indexes, and other finding aids; citation form; cite-checking and validation of authority; use of Shepard's citations; research methods; legal resources available on the Internet.
Pre-requisite/co-requisite: Legal Survey.
Law Office Management and Professional Responsibility
45 classroom hours
Objectives: Students will gain an understanding of the role of the paralegal in the law office. Students will gain a thorough knowledge of the NC Rules of Professional Conduct and their applicability to attorneys and paralegals. Students will be able to identify ethical issues a paralegal may encounter and determine the appropriate response. Students will become familiar with a variety of law office procedures and management techniques.
Topics include: Definition, role and responsibilities of the paralegal; confidentiality; conflicts of interest; unauthorized practice of law; professional negligence; developing forms and systems; time keeping and billing; tickler systems; communications skills; career paths and professional development.
Pre-requisite: Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. If you are not proficient in these programs, you should take computer classes at a local college or community college.
Civil Litigation Specialty
154 classroom hours
Objectives: Students will gain a working knowledge of the NC and federal court systems, the stages of civil litigation and the rules of civil procedure. Students will learn how to gather information and evidence in a civil lawsuit. Students will gain a thorough understanding of the discovery process and will be able to prepare appropriate discovery devices and respond to discovery requests. Students will be able to draft complaints, answers and motions and will be able to file and obtain service of court documents. Students will be able to prepare a trial notebook and a settlement brochure.
Topics include: Stages of a civil action; organization of NC and Federal court systems; personal and subject matter jurisdiction; rules of procedure; basic principles of tort and contract; role of the paralegal in litigation; confidentiality and conflicts of interest. Investigation of facts; evidence; interviewing of clients and witnesses; ethical considerations in interviewing; preparation of diagrams and maps; location and review of public records; obtaining and reviewing medical records; expert witnesses. Commencement of action; parties and capacity; requirements and drafting of complaint, answer, counterclaim, reply; affirmative defenses; joinder of claims and parties; process and service of process; motions addressed to the pleadings; case intake and management; docket control. Purpose and scope of discovery under NC and Federal rules; preparing for and digesting depositions; drafting and responding to interrogatories; requests for production of documents; sanctions and protective orders. Preparation for trial; pretrial conference and order; preparation of settlement brochure and trial notebook; assisting at trial. Judgments and mechanisms for enforcement of judgments; appeals; notice of appeal and route of appeal.
Electives: Within this specialty, students will enroll in five 4-week courses in substantive areas of the law. Students will receive one grade for the specialty course which will include the grades they have received in the short courses.
Business Organizations
154 classroom hours
Objectives: Students will gain a thorough understanding of the laws pertaining to the structure, formation, and operation of corporations and partnerships. Students will be able to prepare and file articles of incorporation and to prepare bylaws, minutes, notices and other documents for corporate meetings. Students will learn to maintain corporate minute books and shareholder records. Students will be able to prepare documents relating to mergers, acquisitions and dissolutions. Students will become familiar with the basic principles of contract, employment, and business regulatory law and will learn to draft contracts and other documents relating to corporate financing and other corporate transactions.
Topics include: Types of business organizations: sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations; considerations in selecting form of organization; non-profit and professional corporations. Organizing the corporation; subscription agreements; articles of incorporation; bylaws; filing and formalities; shareholder agreements; foreign corporations; qualification in other jurisdictions. Financial structure of corporations; equity and debt securities; classes of stock; capital; dividends and distributions to shareholders; repurchase of shares; federal and state securities laws; registration requirements and exemptions. Corporate meetings: organizational meeting; directors' regular and special meetings; annual meeting of shareholders; shareholder rights and duties; voting; minutes; action without meeting. Regulatory statutes and compliance: consumer protection; environmental protection; antitrust; employment laws. Agency; employment agreements; restrictive covenants and covenants not to compete; trade secret protection. Secured transactions; notes, security agreements and financing statements. Changes in corporate structure and dissolution; amendment of articles of incorporation; merger and consolidation; sale of assets; liquidation and dissolution; rights of dissenting shareholders. Litigation involving corporations.
Electives: Within this specialty, students will enroll in five 4-week courses in substantive areas of the law. Students will receive one grade for the specialty course which will include the grades they have received in the short courses.
Real Estate Specialty
154 classroom hours
Objectives: Students will gain a thorough understanding of legal concepts and terminology pertaining to real property law, title examination, title insurance, and transfer of interests in real property. Students will learn the techniques of title examination and will gain experience in conducting complete title searches. Students will become familiar with the procedures and documents used in a real estate closing. Students will gain a thorough understanding of the legal and ethical responsibilities of attorneys and paralegals in title examination and real estate transactions.
Topics include: Principles of real property: estates in land, future interests, concurrent ownership, easements, fixtures; leases; recordation and priorities; title and title insurance. Types of deeds; legal descriptions, plats, and surveys; transfers by deed, will or inheritance; administration of estates; transfers by judicial sale, adverse possession, and operation of law. Purpose and methods of title examination; running a chain of title; abstracting deeds; estates; adverse conveyances; objections to title: restrictive covenants and zoning; city and county taxes; special assessments; U.C.C. filings; judgments, liens, lis pendens, and special proceedings. Preparation of exceptions sheet and report on title; organization of base title file. Contracts of sale; preparation for closing; closing checklists; preparation of notes, deeds, deeds of trust; closing statements; tax proration.
Internship
The Internship is not required. The purpose of the internship is to give the student exposure to a law office environment and the opportunity to observe and practice the skills learned in the classroom. Students are placed with local law firms and government offices and work under the supervision of an attorney or paralegal. Placements are arranged and monitored by the program director.
Internships are structured as 8-week, 10 hour per week assignments during the second half of Spring semester. Students arrange their own work schedule with the employer, generally working two mornings or afternoons per week. In general internships are unpaid. Students keep a journal of their activities and are evaluated by the employer at the conclusion of the internship. Pass/fail credit is awarded upon completion of the internship.
CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
Certificates are awarded upon completion of the program to students who earn a grade of C or higher in each required course. Instructors are responsible for assigning a semester grade for each course. Grades are based on tests, quizzes, projects, exams and other assignments as determined by the instructor and stated in the course syllabus. Semester grade reports are furnished to students at the end of each semester. Cumulative grade reports are furnished upon completion of the certificate program. Official transcripts are available from the Registrar upon written request by the student.A student who earns below a C in two of the core courses (Legal Survey, Legal Research, Law Office Management and Professional Responsibility) or below a C in the Specialty course will be dropped from the program and must appeal for readmission. A student who earns below a C in one of the core courses must repeat the course before or concurrently with taking the specialty course. Class attendance and participation are of key importance, and students are expected to attend all classes. Students should recognize that the program requires a significant commitment of time and should expect to spend two hours in studying and class preparation for each hour in class. Some courses may require more outside time.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
Academic Problems
Students who are experiencing academic problems either with a grade or other conditions of the course should first discuss the matter with the professor. It is the professor's responsibility to explain fully all grades and requirements of the course. If the problem is not resolved, the student or professor should consult the Director of the Paralegal Program. Should further action be required, the matter should be reported to the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies. The grade may be appealed on the basis of a question concerning: (1) clerical or numerical error, (2) personal bias or arbitrary grading. The formal appeal must be made within the first eight weeks of the term immediately following the grading period in which the grade is received. If the grievance can be equitably settled, the matter will be closed. If an agreement acceptable to the teacher and the student cannot be reached, the case will be referred to the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studiesl.
Discrimination
Anyone at Meredith who experiences discrimination on the basis of race, creed, disability, sexual orientation or national and ethnic origin should discuss the matter with the Director of the Paralegal Program of the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment encompasses any sexual attention that is unwanted. Anyone who experiences sexual advances by another member of the Meredith community which she/he considers inappropriate should discuss the matter with the Director of the Paralegal Program of the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies. After careful consideration, appropriate action will be taken.
COURSE SEQUENCE AND SCHEDULES
Two-Semester Evening Schedule
Students entering the program may complete the requirements for the certificate in two semesters of evening classes that meet three evenings per week from 6–9 p.m. in Fall semester and three evenings per week from 6–9:30 p.m. in Spring semester.Internships are scheduled for the Spring semester. Internship schedules are arranged to suit the convenience of the student and the employer. Generally, students go to their internships either two mornings or two afternoons a week.
Please note: Make-up classes and special events may be scheduled on some Thursday evenings in the fall and on some Wednesday evenings in the spring.
COURSE SCHEDULE: FALL 2008
LEG 010A/400A |
Mondays |
Monday, August 25–Monday, December 8 |
LEG 010B/400B |
Tuesdays |
Tuesday, August 26–Tuesday, December 2 |
LEG 010C/400C |
Wednesdays |
Wednesday, August 20–Wednesday, December 3 |
LEG 011A/401A |
Mondays |
Monday, August 25–Monday, December 8 |
LEG 011B/401B |
Tuesdays |
Tuesday, August 26–Tuesday, December 2 |
LEG 011C/401C |
Wednesdays |
Wednesday, August 20–Wednesday, December 3 |
LEG 012A |
Mondays |
Monday, August 25–Monday, December 8 |
LEG 012B |
Tuesdays |
Tuesday, August 26–Tuesday, December 2 |
LEG 012C |
Wednesdays |
Wednesday, August 20–Wednesday, December 3 |
