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Credit Value: 3.0
Credit Value Notes: N/A
Effective: Fall 2012
Prerequisites:
N/A
Corequisites:
N/A
Equivalents:
N/A
Pre/Co/Equiv Notes: N/A |
Course
Name (short): Intro Comp Skills / Paralegals
School: Business
Program(s):
Paralegal
Program Coordinator(s):
Netta Romano
Course Leader or Contact: Patricia Knight
Originator: Cheryl-Anne Shirley
Designate: Cheryl-Anne Shirley
Version: 12.01
Status: Approved - Under Rev (AREV)
Calendar Description
This course introduces students to legal databases, legal resources
on the Internet and legal software applications. Students learn the
principles of legal drafting, and apply them to draft legal
documents. Students use Word, Excel and PowerPoint to produce legal
correspondence, charts, spreadsheets and presentations.
Typical Instructional Format
Lab
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42.0 |
| Total hours: |
42.0 |
Courses may be offered in other formats.
Section I Notes:
This is a Semester One course (fall and winter terms).
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Detailed Description
Students use legal precedents to produce legal correspondence.
Students assess a fact situation to develop a theory of the client's
case. They adapt precedents and apply the principles of legal
drafting to draft pleadings. They use legal websites and databases
to find and update case law and legislation, and conduct searches of
legal issues. Students produce charts and spreadsheets using Word
and Excel. They research and report on a legal issue, using
PowerPoint as the presentation tool.
Program Context
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| Paralegal |
Program Coordinator: Netta Romano |
This required course in
Paralegal. Students develop
skills which are applied in
trial advocacy courses and
the legal research course.
This course is a
prerequisite
to the software applications
course.
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Course Critical Performance and Learning Outcomes
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Critical Performance
By the end of this course, students will have demonstrated the
ability to search for legal information online, and produce legal
documents, spreadsheets, charts and presentations to a professional
standard.
Learning Outcomes
To achieve the critical performance, students will have demonstrated
the ability to:
1. Produce work (including legal documents) that accurately
follows instructions.
2. Develop a theory of the case.
3. Adapt precedent legal documents to produce other legal
documents.
4. Draft legal documents, including correspondence and pleadings.
5. Distinguish between primary and secondary sources of law.
6. Use appropriate searches to find case law, legislation and
other legal resources online.
7. Update case law and legislation.
8. Produce spreadsheets and charts.
9. Develop a strategy for researching a legal issue.
10. Evaluate research results.
11. Develop a presentation of a legal issue.
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Evaluation Plan
Students demonstrate their learning in the following ways:
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Students demonstrate their learning in the following ways:
Assignment #1 Legal websites 15%
Assignment #2 Pleadings 25%
Assignment #3 Online legal resources 20%
Assignment #4 Excel and charts 15%
Assignment #5 PowerPoint 25%
_____
Total 100%
See Topical Outline for due dates.
Prior learning assessment note: Students seeking a credit will be
required to be interviewed and to submit a portfolio demonstrating
their proficiency in the subject areas covered in this course.
Academic Procedure
The following practices are agreed to by the professors and will
apply to all courses in the Paralegal program.
1. For assignments and projects, the professor will specify in
writing due dates and special instructions at the beginning of the
semester.
2. Students must complete every assignment as an individual effort
unless the professor specifies otherwise.
3. Students must write all tests at the scheduled time. A make-up
test may be provided for students who provide an acceptable
explanation of their absence and/or acceptable documentation
explaining their absence (i.e. medical certificate).
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Provincial Context
The course meets the following Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities requirements:
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Essential Employability
Skills
Essential Employability Skills emphasized in the course:
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X
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Communication
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X
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Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
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X
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Interpersonal
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Numeracy |
X
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Information
Management |
X
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Personal
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Notes: N/A
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
PLAR Contact: Patricia Knight
Students may apply to receive credit by demonstrating achievement
of the course learning outcomes through previous life and work experiences.
This course is eligible for challenge through the following
method(s):
| Challenge Exam |
Portfolio |
Interview |
Other |
Not Eligible for PLAR |
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X |
X |
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Notes: N/A
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Some details of this outline may change as a result of circumstances such as weather cancellations, College and student activities, and class timetabling.
Effective term: Fall 2012
Professor: Patricia Knight
Textbook(s): Instructor handouts
Knight, Small Claims Court Procedure and Practice 2nd edition (Edmond
Montgomery, 2010)
Applicable student group(s): Paralegal Students
Course Details:Week One
Targeted learning outcomes: 1
Introduction
Paralegal program expectations
Exploring Sheridan's website
Finding and printing course outlines
AccessSheridan
Webmail
Getting (and staying) organized
Mobile issues: Configuring laptops, installing software
Week Two
Targeted learning outcomes: 1, 5, 6
Legal websites
Week Three
Targeted learning outcomes: 1, 5, 6
Legal websites
Hand out Assignment #1 (15%) Legal websites (DUE in class)
Week Four
Targeted learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4
Structure of a Small Claims Court action (PowerPoint)
Using legal precedents
Drafting correspondence and pleadings
Using Small Claims Court software
Hand out Assignment #2 (25%) DUE in Week 7
Drafting correspondence and pleadings
Week Five
Targeted learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4
Drafting correspondence and pleadings
Week Six
Drafting correspondence and pleadings
Week Seven
Targeted learning outcomes: 1, 5, 6, 7
Assignment #2 DUE
Using Quicklaw
In-class exercise
Hand out Assignment #3 (20%) Online legal resources
Week Eight
Targeted learning outcomes: 1, 8
Assignment #3 DUE
Excel and charts
Week Nine
Targeted learning outcomes: 1, 8
Excel and charts
Hand out Assignment #4 (15%) Excel and charts DUE at end of class
Week Ten
Targeted learning outcomes: 1, 9, 10, 11
Designed a Powerpoint presentation
Hand out Assignment #5 (25%) Powerpoint presentation
Week Eleven
Targeted learning outcomes: 1, 9, 10, 11
Designed a Powerpoint presentation
Week Twelve
Powerpoint presentation
Week Thirteen
PowerPoint presentations
Week Fourteen
Debriefing
POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS: The Powerpoint presentations are scheduled
over two weeks. If you are not scheduled to present in a particular
week, you are not required to attend. If you ARE scheduled to
present, you are required to be present at the beginning of class
and, as a courtesy to fellow students, you are required to remain
until all presentations have been completed. If you are not
scheduled to present in a particular week, you are not required to
attend class that week.
Academic Honesty
The principle of academic honesty requires that all work submitted for evaluation and course credit be the original,
unassisted work of the student. Cheating or plagiarism including borrowing, copying, purchasing or collaborating on
work, except for group projects arranged and approved by the faculty member, or otherwise submitting work that is not
the student's own violates this principle and will not be tolerated. Instances of academic dishonesty, including
assisting another student to cheat, will be penalized as detailed in the Student Handbook.
Students who have any questions regarding whether or not specific circumstances involve a breach of academic
honesty are advised to discuss them with the faculty member prior to submitting the assignment in question.
Discrimination and Harassment
Sheridan is committed to provide a learning environment that respects the dignity, self esteem and fair treatment
of every person engaged in the learning process. Behaviour which is inconsistent with this principle will
not be tolerated. Details of Sheridan's policy on Harassment and Discrimination are available in the Student Handbook.
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