Legal Research & Legal Writing - A Paralegal Skills Course

This is a quick skills course that can serve as a supplement (study-aid) to a formal class, a good overview of the topic, or a refresher to sharpen existing skills. Topics covered include principles of legal research, legal writing, legal communication, and tips for being effective and successful on various tasks or assignments.

The course starts by providing a functional description of legal analysis, including the research, synthesis, and summary of relevant and applicable laws, as well as the factual analysis that courts and lawyers do to apply the law to the facts. Next, the course describes the objectives of individual and organizational clients when they seek legal help from a law office or law practice. Finally, the course covers fundamental aspects of the preliminary legal research and writing (drafting) that paralegals may be tasked with conducting for the supervising attorney. Notably, the course includes coverage of the practical tools as well as the informal resources that paralegals often have access to in a law office or department that can help them be efficient and provide closer to final drafts for their reviewing attorney. The course includes discussion of legal communication, including shorter internal and external writings such as emails.

The course includes illustrations, extensive infographics, and examples that walk the student through the thought process that can help tackle a new drafting or research assignment from their supervising attorney. The course includes extensive lecture and visual materials; however, it is not intended to substitute for post-secondary instruction in legal research and writing for paralegals. This course is also not intended to be continuing education and is not qualified for such credit in any jurisdiction. The course focuses on paralegals in the U.S. and is intended to be a highly practical skill building overview useful both to paralegals in training who want to supplement their formal studies or current paralegals, legal assistants, law clerks, or early-career lawyers who want to sharpen everyday skills to help them improve performance on the job.

The lessons focus on the United States (US) legal system and are taught primarily in English. The course may also be applicable to other common law legal systems (e.g., India, United Kingdom - UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia).