Transfer Credit Coursework.

Through lectures and practical exercises, students to examine the American legal system, including both civil and common law, focusing upon the role of the paralegal; master skills in vocabulary, interviewing and investigation, law office administration, legal document drafting, and litigation support; and recognize and apply principles of legal and professional ethics. Note: Satisfies one Social Science requirement for School of Professional Advancement majors.

Through lectures and hands-on exercises, students master efficient, effective legal research strategies for use in the law school library and on Westlaw and other online and print resources; and then analyze and compile research results in legal memoranda.

Building upon the research and analytical skills developed in PARA 3020 - Legal Research, students complete written assignments and practical exercises, drafting motions, pleadings, correspondence, and other legal documents.

Through lectures and practical exercises, students explore litigation in the U.S. federal and state courts, including both the civil and common law systems; recognize and apply terminology; analyze jurisdiction and venue; perform client interviews and investigations; draft initial pleadings, motions, memoranda, and discovery documents; evaluate and plan for motion practice; and develop skills in calendaring, file management, document production, depositions, and other aspects of discovery.

Building upon the knowledge and skills developed in PARA 3050 - Litigation I, students examine the U.S. state and federal court systems in greater depth, assessing the procedural, evidentiary, and substantive rules governing civil litigation; and develop skills in legal analysis, critical thinking, formal and informal advocacy, legal writing, rules of evidence, investigative techniques, and post-trial rules and procedures. Lectures are supplemented with practical exercises in the drafting of effective pleadings, motions, memoranda, and discovery documents.

Through hands-on exercises and tutorials created by the National Society for Legal Technology (NSLT)®, and Relativity®, students develop skills and knowledge in the use of the software applications and methods that law offices use to support litigation and transactional practices, perform discovery and e-discovery, due diligence, case management, time-keeping, billing, and other vital law office functions. Students also have the option of pursuing NSLT Certification.

This course offers an in-depth exploration of Louisiana's civil law system governing successions, interdictions, and trusts, with a particular focus on recent developments, legislative trends, and high-profile cases that have shaped the legal landscape. Students will examine the unique procedural and substantive aspects of Louisiana law, including forced heirship, usufruct rights, the role of notarial testaments, and judicial recognition of heirs. A core component of the course will analyze recent headline-grabbing Louisiana succession disputes and interdiction proceedings, such as: • The interdiction battle involving Britney Spears' Louisiana-based family, raising ethical and procedural questions about personal liberty and the role of court-appointed curators. • The succession litigation of New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, examining testamentary capacity, undue influence, and multi-generational wealth planning. • The contested estate of musician and New Orleans cultural icon Dr. John (Mac Rebennack), highlighting the tension between forced heirship and testamentary freedom • Ongoing trust litigation involving complex oil-and-gas estate planning across Louisiana parishes, highlighting conflicts between fiduciary duty and beneficiary rights. • Recent litigation over irrevocable trusts established to protect family-owned land from developers, implicating public policy and environmental considerations. The course will also examine practical issues in trust formation, administration, and breach, with an emphasis on trustee litigation and enforcement mechanisms under the Louisiana Trust Code. Topics will include revocable vs. irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, and the strategic use of inter vivos vs. mortis causa trusts in estate planning. This course is ideal for future estate planners, elder law attorneys, litigators, and judges, or anyone seeking mastery of Louisiana’s distinctive legal system as it applies to families, property, and fiduciary obligations.

Through lectures and practical exercises, students examine the laws governing real property and the tenets of real estate practice, including the role of the paralegal in real estate transactions; retrieving and compiling property information; performing title searches; preparing preliminary abstracts and opinions of title, mortgages and transfer of ownership; requisitioning deeds and leases; and other functions associated with real estate negotiations and closings. Cross-listed with BSLS 2500 – Principles & Practices of Real Estate.

Through lectures and practical exercises, students in this online class analyze current and projected issues in family law; evaluate the role of the paralegal in disputes arising from marriage, children, and property; identify and apply the components of effective client interviews; analyze child support obligations; prepare pleadings for dissolution, support, and division of property; prepare cases for trial; supervise case progress; draft property settlements; trace assets; and perform other related functions.

Through lectures, case law, exercises in the use of legal technology, and practical case studies, students will identify the types of electronically stored information that are subject to discovery; draft and assess the effective use of preservation notices; draft effective discovery requests to obtain information; distinguish between document management and spoliation; analyze key cases illustrating recent developments in evidentiary laws; draft pre-trial motions, including motions in limine; evaluate cases involving late disclosure of evidence; and examine the ethical issues surrounding discovery and admissibility of evidence in the 21st century. credit hours: 3

Through practical exercises and online discussions, students in this online course explore the development and enforcement of immigration law in the U.S., based upon the Constitution, federal laws, and social policies; identify the social institutions involved in immigration; and evaluate the administration of immigration benefits, including determination of citizenship, naturalization, and other types of immigration status.

Through lectures and practical exercises, students explore the practice of criminal law, including criminal procedure and court rules, prosecutorial functions, probation, juvenile courts, mental commitment procedures, bail, and sentencing; and develop the skills necessary to perform investigations, discovery, alternative dispositions, and trial preparation.

Through lectures and hands-on exercises, students define the paralegal’s role in the organization and efficient operation of law offices, examining key administrative functions, including accounting and billing procedures; hiring, scheduling, and managing non-attorney personnel; operating information storage and retrieval systems; maintaining office equipment; fostering client relations; and fulfilling other administrative needs.

Through lectures and practical exercises, students evaluate the concepts, principles, and laws that govern business transactions; examine the role of the paralegal in the drafting, execution, and enforcement of contracts, mortgages, pledge assignments, and other security devices; explore the allocation of liability; identify legal procedures for enforcement and collection; and develop the professional skills and judgment necessary to function ethically and successfully in a commercial practice. Cross-listed with BSLS 3450 – Commercial Law.

Through lectures and practical exercises, students learn principles, methods, techniques for identifying, obtaining, documenting, and disseminating information in civil and criminal actions; and develop the interviewing skills necessary to communicate effectively while avoiding ethical pitfalls.

Through practical exercises and online discussions, students in this online course explore the U.S. Bankruptcy system, including the development of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, the Bankruptcy Court, and the U.S. Trustee system. Assignments focus upon the practical role of the paralegal in cases arising under Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, including the drafting of pleadings and use of the electronic filing system; and ethical issues, such as a debtor’s right to a fresh start versus a creditor’s right to a meaningful distribution.

Through practical exercises, lectures, discussions, and visual media, students examine the professional and ethical dilemmas legal professionals face and compare the ethical rules and professional standards developed by the American Bar Association, adopted by Louisiana, and presented as guidelines by the two major paralegal associations. Notes: Satisfies one Humanities course requirement for School of Professional Advancement majors.

This course builds upon skills acquired in PARA 3020 – Legal Research and PARA 3030 – Legal Writing I. Through lectures, practical legal research assignments, case studies, and hands-on exercises, students will compare and evaluate primary and secondary sources, legislative history research, administrative law research, practice materials, and specialized topical resources research sources; distinguish and apply legal citation forms; and synthesize the steps for researching specific legal issues to formulate arguments. Students will draft and revise a variety of legal documents, including law office memoranda, briefs, and reports, and complete a project and oral presentation. credit hours: 3

Through lectures and practical exercises, students examine the state and federal laws governing intellectual property, including trade secrets, patents, copyrights, and trademarks; evaluate the respective roles of lawyers and paralegals in researching, monitoring, enforcing, and otherwise maintaining intellectual property protection; and analyze intellectual property issues in the context of the mass media and entertainment industries. credit hours: 3

Through lectures, case law, and drafting exercises, students will evaluate the historical development of the Civil Rights Act; analyze the constitutional and statutory issues relating to the rights of persons in the U.S.; compare the statutes that allow U.S. citizens to sue to protect of their civil rights; and evaluate the contrasts between the protections afforded to citizens and the laws relating to other official government functions. Notes: Satisfies one Race and Inclusion course requirement for School of Professional Advancement majors.

Through practical exercises and online discussions, this online course addresses the prosecution and defense of personal injury and medical malpractice actions under tort and insurance laws, the Louisiana Medical Malpractice Act, and other applicable laws. Practical exercises develop the skills necessary for assisting in personal injury law practice, including organizing and maintaining files, drafting pleadings, obtaining, and summarizing medical records, performing factual investigations and other necessary functions.

Through lectures and practical drafting exercises, students evaluate the laws governing Notary Publics in Louisiana, focusing upon duties and powers and the specific documents notaries may draft or authenticate in adoptions, emancipations, tutorships, interdictions, successions, wills, real estate transactions, mortgages, security interests, and other legal actions.

Through lectures and in-class discussions, students identify and investigate the state and federal laws governing employment in the U.S., focusing upon the disputes that may arise in the workplace. Practical exercises guide students in identifying and applying best practices for establishing, maintaining, and terminating the employment relationship; evaluating employment claims; and adhering to ethical practices. Cross-listed with BSLS 3390 – Employment & Labor Law (online).

Through lectures, reading assignments, and practical exercises, students break down applicable state and federal laws; examine the nature, investigation, and prosecution of white-collar crimes; compare the types of corporate, governmental, environmental, and economic crimes that arise; and assess their economic and sociological impacts. Practical exercises define the inter-related roles of prosecutors, defense attorneys, and paralegals in the investigation and prosecution of white-collar crimes.

Through practical exercises and online discussions, students in this online course examine the three branches of U.S. Government; assess the interplay between America's legal system and social structure; and analyze the impact of the legal system upon social, economic, and political relationships. Via interactive assignments, students analyze the functions of the federal and state courts and the availability of justice to citizens of varying socioeconomic means. Notes: Satisfies one Social Science and/or American Government course requirement for School of Professional Advancement majors.

Through lectures, practical exercises, and media, students examine the Federal Rules of Evidence and related common law rules and identify and analyze the underlying constitutional provisions and evolving caselaw governing the procurement, development, and admissibility of evidence in civil and criminal matters.

These upper-level Paralegal Studies courses introduce new legal specialty courses to the curriculum. Courses are chosen based upon the levels of legal activity, interest in the practice areas, and new and evolving trends in law practice.

General Legal Studies majors in or nearing their final semester of GLSP study may seek Director approval to register for the Practicum. This course includes both performance of a supervised 100-hour internship in a legal services office and a classroom component. Written assignments and lectures focus upon applying technical skills in the workplace, identifying, and resolving ethical and professional issues, enhancing career development, and other aspects of law office practice and employment.