Standard

R State Standard £ Developed College: n/a

BUS 2220 – Legal Administrative Procedures

Course Description

Emphasizes essential skills required for the legal office. Topics include: legal terminology, preparation of legal documents and correspondence, ethics, and legal office tasks.

Competency Areas	Hours
Legal Terminology	Class	2
Preparation of Legal Documents and Correspondence	D. Lab	6
Ethics	P. Lab/O.B.I.	0
Legal Office Tasks	Credit	5

Prerequisite: BUS 1230

Corequisite: BUS 1130

Course Guide

Competency	After completing this section, the student will be able to:	Hours
		Class	D.Lab	P.Lab/ O.B.I.
LEGAL TERMINOLOGY		4	0	0
The court system	Describe the functions of the courts at the local, state, and federal levels.
	List the names of the courts at the local, state, and federal levels.
	Describe the origins and define common, civil, and criminal law.
The law library	Categorize sources of primary and secondary authority.
	Explain how the law library is kept current through the use of pocket parts, supplements, advance sheets, and loose-leaf services.
	Describe the use of computerized legal research systems.
Case captions	Define and understand jurisdiction.
	Define and understand venue.
PREPARATION OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND CORRESPONDENCE		6	30	0
The court system	Compose and key letters to court clerks regarding filing of legal correspondence.
Legal correspondence	Compose and key letters to clients and court personnel regarding case information.
Legal documents	Create and format legal documents for litigation matters in various areas of the law.
ETHICS
ABA’s governance	Distinguish canons from ethical considerations and disciplinary rules governing the legal profession.
Canons	Describe the intent of each of the nine Canons of Professional Ethics.
The assistant’s role	Explain the assistant’s responsibility to abide by a Code of Ethics.
	Describe how the legal assistant should apply work ethics to given day-to-day simulated situations.
LEGAL OFFICE TASKS		8	30	0
Telephone	Demonstrate the ability to properly place and receive calls and take messages.
Mail	Given a set of facts related to mailing documents or correspondence, choose the most appropriate service for mailing.
	Complete various forms used for special mailing services.
	Process incoming and outgoing mail.
Scheduling	Explain the importance of appointments and individual and office calendars in a law firm.
	Compose and key letters to clients related to scheduled appointments.
	Maintain an office calendar system in a simulated situation.
Filing	Demonstrate knowledge of filing rules by correctly processing legal documents and correspondence for filing.
	Demonstrate knowledge of filing rules by correctly indexing names and arranging the names in proper filing sequence.

Suggested Resources
	Media Print Audio/Visual (AV) Web Other
	Print	Garner, Bryan A., Black’s Law Dictionary, Eight Edition, West-Thompson Learning.
		Long, Judy. Office Procedures for the Legal Professional. (2004), West Legal Studies.
		Morton, Joyce. Legal Office Procedures, (7^th ed.), (2006). Prentice Hall.

Posted: 10/29/08