LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS PARALEGAL STUDIES PROGRAM |

Syllabus
Using the Essential Skills for Paralegals manuals and the Study Support Website, study in the following order:

Essential Skills for Paralegals

As you progress through this online course, we recommend the following:

1. As you read the material in the textbooks, it will generally be helpful to have access to a
computer with an Internet connection
2. Read the material a section at a time, referring to the commentary and support online as you
progress.

For instance, after you read Volume 1, Chapter 1.1, you should:

a. Go to the Essential Skills Support link on your ParalegalSpace dashboard

b. Click on the Essential Skills Support link at the top of the page
c. Click on Segment A (or the appropriate Segment)
d. Click on 1.1
e. Scroll down to review all support materials provided (such as Lecture Notes,
Commonly Asked Questions, Paralegal Perspectives, Exercises, etc.) prior to moving
on to the next section

Substantive Courses (Tort Law; Contract Law)

The substantive course support is structured slightly differently. After reading each chapter, it is
recommended that students use Substantive Study Support to:

1. Review online Lecture Notes (sometimes called Class Comments)

2. Review online Application
3. Review online Chapter Review
4. Take the Quiz for that Chapter

Contact your instructor if you have any other questions. Work hard, and good-luck!
Segment A (Volume I, Chapters 1 - 6)
Week 1
Chapter 1: The Client
§ 1.1 THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS
§ 1.2 YOUR VERY OWN CLIENT
§ 1.3 THE CLIENT FILE
§ 1.4 TRACKING BILLABLE HOURS
§ 1.5 SOCIAL MEDIA
§ 1.6 WORKING REMOTELY
§ 1.7 A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PARALEGAL + AI

Chapter 2: Defining the Profession

§ 2.1 WHAT IS A PARALEGAL?
§ 2.2 DISCUSSION POINTS ABOUT THE PROFESSION
§ 2.3 PARALEGAL EDUCATION AND REGULATION
§ 2.4 CAREER OPTIONS
§ 2.5 PARALEGALS + AI
§ 2.6 YOUR FIRST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE APP: CHATGPT

Chapter 3: Entering the Field

§ 3.1 to § 3.4 – JOB HUNTING
§ 3.5 RÉSUMÉ PREPARATION
§ 3.6 THE COVER LETTER
§ 3.7 THE JOB INTERVIEW
§ 3.8 THE FOLLOW-UP LETTER
§ 3.9 SOCIAL MEDIA

Week 2
Chapter 4: Legal Terminology
§ 4.1 LEGALESE: A NEW LANGUAGE
§ 4.2 LEGAL TERMINOLOGY: CIVIL PROCESS
§ 4.3 LEGAL TERMINOLOGY: CRIMINAL PROCESS
§ 4.4 LEGAL TERMINOLOGY: ADDITIONAL TERMS
§ 4.5 LEGAL TERMINOLOGY: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
§ 4.6 SOCIAL MEDIA

Week 3
Chapter 5: Federal and State Court Structure
§ 5.1 STRUCTURE OF THE COURTS
§ 5.2 COURT TITLES FOR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
§ 5.3 COURT FLOW CHART
§ 5.4 REMOTE WORKING

Chapter 6: Law Office Ethics & Etiquette

§ 6.1 WHAT ARE LEGAL ETHICS AND COURT SANCTIONS?
§ 6.2 DO ABA RULES APPLY TO PARALEGALS?
§ 6.3 ABA RULES OF ETHICS (Paraphrased)
§ 6.4 LEGAL ADVICE AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION
§ 6.5 ETHICAL QUESTIONS. AI ANSWERS
§ 6.6 THE ETHICS OF AI
§ 6.7 LAW OFFICE ETIQUETTE
§ 6.8 SOCIAL MEDIA
§ 6.9 REMOTE WORKING

SEGMENT A EXAM
Segment B (Volume II, Chapters 1 - 3)
Week 4
Chapter 1: The Foundations of Authority
§ 1.1 WHAT IS AUTHORITY?
§ 1.2 PRIMARY AUTHORITY
§ 1.3 FINDING AUTHORITY
§ 1.4 LOCATING A CASE WITH A CITATION
§ 1.5 HOW TO READ A CASE
§ 1.6 LOCATING A STATUTE WITH A CITATION
§ 1.7 HOW TO READ A STATUTE
§ 1.8 SOCIAL MEDIA
§ 1.9 REMOTE WORKING

Chapter 2: The Foundations of Legal Research

§ 2.1 THE THEORY OF LEGAL RESEARCH
§ 2.2 LAW LIBRARY OR ONLINE?
§ 2.3 CARTWHEELING: WORD ASSOCIATION
§ 2.4 ACCESSING LAW BOOKS: THE INDEX
§ 2.5 ACCESSING LAW ONLINE: THE QUERY
§ 2.6 THE PROMPT: STARTING THE CONVERSATION
§ 2.7 PUBLISHERS: A GAME OF MUSICAL CHAIRS
§ 2.8 LAYOUTS: GOING ON A SCAVENGER HUNT
§ 2.9 INTERACTIVE STUDY: AMERICAN JURISPRUDENCE, 2d
§ 2.10 INTERACTIVE STUDY: CORPUS JURIS SECUNDUM
§ 2.11 INTERACTIVE STUDY: AMERICAN LAW REPORTS
§ 2.12 SOCIAL MEDIA
§ 2.13 REMOTE WORKING

Week 5
Chapter 3: The Foundations of Legal Writing
§ 3.1 THE UNIFIED THEORY OF WRITING
§ 3.2 GROUND RULES: AI IN LEGAL WRITING
§ 3.3 FORMS OF LEGAL WRITING
§ 3.4 CORRESPONDENCE
§ 3.5 DIGITAL COMMUNICATION
§ 3.6 INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM FORM
§ 3.7 INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL ANALYSIS
§ 3.8 LEVERAGING AN LLM TO ENHANCE LEGAL WRITING
§ 3.9 SOCIAL MEDIA

Week 6
ASSIGNMENT: DEMAND LETTER- § 3.4
ASSIGNMENT: CORRESPONDENCE- § 3.4
ASSIGNMENT: INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM- § 3.6
ASSIGNMENT: LEGAL RESEARCH- §§ 2.8 to 2.11 (Not turned in, but completed)
SEGMENT B EXAM
Segment C (Volume 1, Chapters 7-10)
Week 7
Chapter 7: Foundations of Evidence and Procedure
§ 7.1 THE FACTS AND THE LAW
§ 7.2 INTRODUCTION TO EVIDENCE
§ 7.3 EVIDENCE AND PROCEDURE
§ 7.4 COURT RULES
§ 7.5 COPILOT
§ 7.6 HEARSAY
§ 7.7 PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS
§ 7.8 SOCIAL MEDIA
§ 7.9 REMOTE WORKING

Chapter 8: Law Office Investigation

§ 8.1 JUST THE FACTS
§ 8.2 THE PARALEGAL AS FACT FINDER
§ 8.3 DUTIES OF THE PARALEGAL INVESTIGATOR
§ 8.4 SKIP-TRACING
§ 8.5 LAW LIBRARY TOOLS FOR INVESTIGATION
§ 8.6 SOCIAL MEDIA
§ 8.7 REMOTE WORKING

Chapter 9: Conducting Interviews

§ 9.1 INTERVIEWING IN THE LAW OFFICE
§ 9.2 PROMPT ENGINEERING
§ 9.3 PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW
§ 9.4 DRAFTING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
§ 9.5 EXAMPLE OF A LEGAL INTERVIEW
§ 9.6 SOCIAL MEDIA
§ 9.7 REMOTE WORKING

Week 8
Chapter 10: Introduction to Citation Form
§ 10.1 CITATION: A LEGAL ADDRESS
§ 10.2 STATE CASES: LONG FORM
§ 10.3 STATE CASES: SHORT FORM
§ 10.4 FEDERAL CASES
§ 10.5 STATE STATUTES
§ 10.6 FEDERAL STATUTES
§ 10.7 CITATIONS-AT-A-GLANCE QUICK REFERENCE

Chapter 11: Trial Preparation

§ 11.1 LITIGATION: ADVOCACY IN COURT
§ 11.2 THE THREE STAGES OF LITIGATION
§ 11.3 PREPARING THE TRIAL NOTEBOOK
§ 11.4 PREPARING EXHIBITS FOR TRIAL
§ 11.5 ARBITRATION: ALTERNATIVE TO TRIAL
§ 11.6 EXAMPLES OF PARALEGALS AS ADVOCATES
§ 11.6 SOCIAL MEDIA
§ 11.6 REMOTE WORKING

Week 9
Chapter 12: The Digital Court
§ 12.1 TECHNOLOGY AND THE COURTS
§ 12.2 INTEGRATED COURT DATABASES
§ 12.3 THE TECH-FRIENDLY COURTROOM
§ 12.4 E-FILING
§ 12.5 REMOTE WORKING

ASSIGNMENT: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS- § 9.4 and SEGMENT C EXAM

Segment D (Volume II, Chapters 4 - 6)

Week 10
Chapter 4: Citing Authority
§ 4.1 MANDATORY AND PERSUASIVE AUTHORITY
§ 4.2 LLMS AND THE ECONCEPT OF AUTHORITY
§ 4.3 REAL WORLD CITATIONS
§ 4.4 PINPOINT CITATIONS
§ 4.5 STAR PAGINATION
§ 4.6 AUTHORITY AND CITATIONS
§ 4.7 REMOTE WORKING

Chapter 5: Law Library Litigation Support

§ 5.1 THE PARADOX OF LITIGATION SKILLS
§ 5.2 INTERACTIVE STUDY | FORM BOOKS
§ 5.3 HAS AI MADE FORM BOOKS OBSOLETE
§ 5.4 CREATE YOUR OWN DATA FORM BANK

Chapter 6: Litigation Documents

§ 6.1 LEGAL WRITING: LITIGATION DOCUMENTS
§ 6.2 CLAUDE
§ 6.3 THE SUMMONS
§ 6.4 THE COMPLAINT
§ 6.5 GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
§ 6.6 CLAIMS FOR RELIEF – CAUSES OF ACTION
§ 6.7 ESTABLISHING EACH CAUSE OF ACTION
§ 6.8 THE ANSWER
§ 6.9 USING AI TO HELP DRAFT PLEADINGS
§ 6.10 DISCOVERY
§ 6.11 USING AI TO HELP DRAFT DISCOVERY
§ 6.12 DEPOSITIONS
§ 6.13 E-DISCOVERY
§ 6.14 AI AND EDISCOVERY
§ 6.15 SOCIAL MEDIA
§ 6.16 REMOTE WORKING

Week 11
ASSIGNMENT: SUMMONS & COMPLAINT- §§ 6.3 AND 6.4
ASSIGNMENT: INTERROGATORIES, REQUESTS FOR ADMISSIONS, REQUESTS FOR PRODUCTION- §
6.10
The above are based on your assigned client’s case
ASSIGNMENT: DEPOSITION SUMMARY- § 6.12
ASSIGNMENT: LEGAL RESEARCH- § 5.2 (Not turned in, but must be completed)
SEGMENT D EXAM
Segment E (Volume II, Chapters 7 - 9)
Week 12
Chapter 7: The Law Books
§ 7.1 THE FUNCTIONS OF LAW BOOKS
§ 7.2 BOOKS: SECONDARY AND NON-AUTHORITY
§ 7.3 BOOKS: PRIMARY AUTHORITY

Chapter 8: Research Sources for Primary Authority

§ 8.1 THE PATH OF LEGAL RESEARCH
§ 8.2 USING FILTERS WHEN RESEARCHING ONLINE
§ 8.3 INTERACTIVE STUDY | RESEARCHING CASE LAW
§ 8.4 INTERACTIVE STUDY | RESEARCHING STATUTES
§ 8.5 INTERACTIVE STUDY | VALIDATING AUTHORITY
§ 8.6 WHY AI MAKES VALIDATION EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
§ 8.7 SOCIAL MEDIA

Week 13
Chapter 9: Notices, Motions and Briefs
§ 9.1 MOTIONS
§ 9.2 NOTICES
§ 9.3 BRIEFS
§ 9.4 THE COMBINED MOTION, NOTICE, AND BRIEF EXAMPLE
§ 9.5 THE SEPARATE MOTION EXAMPLE
§ 9.6 THE SEPARATE BRIEF EXAMPLE
§ 9.7 THE SEPARATE NOTICE EXAMPLE
§ 9.8 TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
§ 9.9 POINTS AND AUTHORITIES EXAMPLE
§ 9.10 USING AI FOR DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
§ 9.11 SOCIAL MEDIA
§ 9.12 REMOTE WORKING

Week 14
ASSIGNMENT: MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN YOUR CLIENT'S CASE- § 9.9
ASSIGNMENT: TRIAL BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF ABOVE MOTION IN YOUR CLIENT'S CASE - § 9.9
ASSIGNMENT: NOTICE OF MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT- § 9.9
(The above Assignments are due prior to taking the Comprehensive Final Exam)
ASSIGNMENT: LEGAL RESEARCH- §§ 8.3 to 8.5 (Not turned in, but must be completed)
SEGMENT E EXAM

** Notice, Motion and Brief may also be submitted in Segment F.

Segment F (Volume II, Chapters 10 - 12)

Chapter 10: Authority: Non-Traditional Research

§ 10.1 AI ALTERNATIVES TO HIGH PRICED RESEARCH SERVICES
§ 10.2 GOOGLE AND GOOGLE SCHOLAR
§ 10.3 WIKIPEDIA? YOUTUBE? REALLY?

Chapter 11: The Desperate Researcher

§ 11.1 ‘I CAN’T FIND ANYTHING!’
§ 11.2 INTERACTIVE STUDY | LEGAL TREATISES
§ 11.3 INTERACTIVE STUDY | LEGAL PERIODICALS
§ 11.4 REGULATORY RESEARCH
§ 11.5 SOCIAL MEDIA

Chapter 12: Nontraditional Writing Techniques

§ 12.1 SYNTHESIZING AUTHORITY
§ 12.2 CITING DISSENTING AUTHORITY
§ 12.3 DOCUMENT REVIEW USING LLMS
§ 12.4 SOCIAL MEDIA

Week 16
ASSIGNMENT: LEGAL RESEARCH- §§ 11.2 and 11.3
SEGMENT F EXAM

COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM

*** You must obtain a CUMULATIVE 70% or higher in BOTH Essential Skills Exams AND Essential Skills
Assignments in order to pass the course.
Substantive Courses

TORT LAW:
Reading Material: Personal Injury and the Law of Torts for Paralegals, 6th Edition
by Emily Lynch Morissette

Week 17
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO TORTS AND NEGLIGENCE
CHAPTER 2: THE FIRST ELEMENT OF NEGLIGENCE: DUTY
CHAPTER 3: THE SECOND ELEMENT OF NEGLIGENCE: BREACH OF DUTY
CHAPTER 4: THE THIRD ELEMENT OF NEGLIGENCE: CAUSATION OF INJURY
CHAPTER 5: THE FOURTH ELEMENT OF NEGLIGENCE: DAMAGES
CHAPTER 6: SPECIAL ISSUES RELATED TO NEGLIGENCE

Week 18
CHAPTER 7: THE DEFENSES TO NEGLIGENCE
CHAPTER 8: MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
CHAPTER 9: INTENTIONAL TORTS TO PERSONS
CHAPTER 10: INTENTIONAL TORTS TO PROPERTY
CHAPTER 11: THE DEFENSES TO INTENTIONAL TORTS AND IMMUNITIES
CHAPTER 12: STRICT LIABILITY AND PRODUCTS LIABILITY

Week 19
CHAPTER 13: NUISANCE
CHAPTER 14: WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
CHAPTER 15: DISCOVERY AND REVIEW OF MEDICAL RECORDS
CHAPTER 16: THE TORT LITIGATION PROCESS BEFORE TRIAL
CHAPTER 17: THE TORT LITIGATION PROCESS DURING TRIAL

TORT LAW ASSIGNMENTS 1 AND 2

TORT LAW EXAM

CONTRACT LAW:
Reading Material: Basic Contract Law for Paralegals, 10th Edition
by Jeffrey A. Helewitz

Week 20
CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF CONTRACTS
CHAPTER 2: OFFER
CHAPTER 3: ACCEPTANCE
CHAPTER 4: CONSIDERATION
CHAPTER 5: LEGALITY OF SUBJECT MATTER AND CONTRACTUAL CAPACITY
CHAPTER 6: CONTRACTUAL INTENT

Week 21
CHAPTER 7: CONTRACT PROVISIONS
CHAPTER 8: THE UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE
CHAPTER 9: THIRD PARTY CONTRACTS
CHAPTER 10: DISCHARGE OF OBLIGATIONS
CHAPTER 11: REMEDIES
CHAPTER 12: DRAFTING SIMPLE CONTRACTS AND PROVING THEIR TERMS IN COURT

APPENDIX A: SAMPLE CONTRACTS

APPENDIX B: SUPPLEMENTAL CASES
APPENDIX C: ANSWERS TO THE QUICK QUIZZES
Week 22
CONTRACT LAW ASSIGNMENTS 1 AND 2
CONTRACT LAW EXAM

LOUISIANA PROCEDURES
Please see separate posted syllabus

Week 23
I. JURISDICTION
II. VENUE
III. ACTIONS
IV. MODES OF PROCEDURE
V. PLEADINGS AND CERTIFICATION
VI. PETITION
VII. CITATION
VIII. SERVICE

Week 24
IX. DEFAULT JUDGMENT
X. EXCEPTIONS
XI. DISCOVERY
XII. TRIALS
XIII. POST-TRIAL MOTIONS
XIV. APPEALS
XV. EXECUTION OF JUDGMENTS

LOUISIANA PROCEDURES ASSSIGNMENTS 1 AND 2

LOUISIANA PROCEDURES EXAM

** You must obtain a CUMULATIVE 70% or higher in each Substantive Course in order to pass.