About this Course

Like any sports team, legal teams rely on position players to help secure a win. Even for entry-level roles, law offices look to hire team members who can anticipate next steps and provide competent support to attorneys and legal departments in many areas, such as consultations, negotiations, mediation, litigation, arbitration and more.

In this course, you’ll get acquainted with the basics of the U.S. legal system and what it’s like to work in a law office. We’ll guide you through how to read and prepare legal documents, and you’ll learn about e-discovery and legal technologies. Plus, you’ll gain insights from working legal professionals about ethical standards, legal specialties, and how to align your career goals with pathways into the legal industry. You’ll take away knowledge that can help you become a stronger candidate to work in a modern legal setting.

DESIGNED FOR

Anyone who wants to prepare for entry-level work in a law office or who is looking to explore career options in the legal field. This course may help students gain foundational skills for the Certificate in Paralegal Studies.

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WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• History of the American legal system and differences in civil and criminal law
• Typical duties, responsibilities and tasks of support staff for law offices, legal departments, government agencies and nonprofits
• Essential legal terms and written communication strategies
• Basic legal technologies, including common word processing features and computer applications
• Types of ethics and privacy issues that can arise in a support role