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. credit hours: 3

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 GLSP 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. credit hours: 3

Building upon the knowledge and skills developed in GLSP 3050 - Litigation I, students examine the U.S. state and federal court systems in greater depth, using the theory-of-the-case approach to assess 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, post-trial rules and procedures. Lectures are supplemented with practical exercises in the drafting of effective pleadings, motions, memoranda, and discovery documents. credit hours: 3

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.

Through lectures and practical exercises, students examine the laws governing various business organizations and relationships, including sole proprietorships, agencies, partnerships, corporations; assess the responsibilities of businesses toward their consumers; evaluate the requirements, rights, and obligations that contracts create; evaluate the consequences of willful and negligent acts; and identify the role of the paralegal in successful corporate and business transactions. Cross-listed with BSLS 3400 – Legal Aspects of Business (online) Credit hours: 3

Through lectures and practical exercises, students explore Louisiana’s substantive law of successions and donations and the role of the paralegal within a successions practice; master the drafting of simple wills and the pleadings necessary to probate wills, appoint executors, pay estate debts, sell or lease estate property, and transfer possession of inheritance to heirs; identify and perform the actions necessary to estate administration, including collection, legal description, appraisal of assets, and preparation of documents to transfer estate assets; and preparation and filing of Louisiana Inheritance Tax and Federal Estate Tax Returns.

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. credit hours: 3

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. credit hours: 3 Note: Satisfies one Social Science requirement for School of Professional Advancement majors.

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. credit hours: 3 Notes: Satisfies one Social Science requirement for School of Professional Advancement majors.

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. credit hours: 3

Through lectures and practical exercises, students examine the U.S. governmental agencies that promulgate and enforce the rules through which state and federal statutes have practical application; identify and analyze applicable rules; investigate facts, draft responses, and inquiries; submit requests under the Freedom of Information Act; review agency files, and perform other paralegal functions. credit hours: 3

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. credit hours: 3

Through lectures, case law readings, and practical exercises, students examine the substantive laws governing maritime matters, as applied through federal and state regulations; identify issues arising from marine insurance, personal injury rights and liabilities, salvage, ship mortgages, and domestic and foreign towage regulations; and draft bills of lading, limitations of liability, and other documents. credit hours: 3

Through lectures and practical exercises, students analyze the state and federal laws governing the fossil fuel industry and other forms of regulated energy, addressing drilling, storage, transportation, and environmental and societal impacts, with a focus upon the role of the paralegal in the litigation, transactional, and regulatory matters that arise under energy laws.

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. credit hours: 3

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. credit hours: 3

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. credit hours: 3

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 GLSP 3020 – Legal Research and GLSP 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

In this asynchronous online course, students examine the state and federal laws governing the insurance industry and the legal actions arising under insurance contracts in Louisiana and other states. Through practical exercises and online discussions, students develop the skills to perform the tasks typically assigned to paralegals in the claims handling process, litigation defense, and case management; and identify the issues of ethics and professionalism that arise in insurance matters. credit hours: 3

Through lectures, on-site interviews, and practical exercises, students identify and evaluate the governmental and private agencies that provide free or low-cost legal services to lower-income persons and develop the skills required for the tasks typically assigned to paralegals in pro bono practice.

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 race as an issue in the context of the American legal system; analyze the constitutional and statutory issues resulting from state and/or private interference with the rights of persons; compare the civil rights statutes that allow citizens to sue for violations of civil rights; Identify the competing visions of racial equality reflected in civil rights legislation, case law, and the concept of discrimination; evaluate the laws forbidding discrimination in education, voting, employment, and housing; investigate methods by which power and social reform may be exercised through the law; and evaluate the conflicts between the protections afforded to citizens and the doctrines protecting police officers in performance of their official 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. credit hours: 3

Through lectures and hands-on exercises, students master the skills and substantive knowledge necessary to obtain, review, summarize, and prepare medical records for use as evidence in litigation.

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). credit hours: 3

Through lectures and practical exercises, students investigate the relationships action among insurance, physicians and their patients; evaluate the laws and principles governing medical records, bioethics, privacy and security; and medical ethics, and the healthcare industry as a whole; compare the state and federal laws creating Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs; and assess the role of the paralegal in law firms, governmental agencies, healthcare corporations, and other businesses in the healthcare industry.

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. credit hours: 3

Through lectures and practical exercises, students examine U.S. Social Security disability laws and legal actions, including the claims evaluation process, the claimant’s right to representation, disability benefits for children, SSI benefits during the application process, proof of disability, and the duties and responsibilities of Administrative Law Judges (ALJs); and define the paralegal’s role in preparing applications and assisting clients throughout the disability claims process.

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 and practical assignments, students analyze the history and structure of Workers Compensation Law; examine the hearings and appeals system, the nature and types of litigation arising from Workers Compensation claims, and define the role of the paralegal in assisting clients in submitting applications for Workers Compensation benefits and participating in other aspects of the claims process.

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. credit hours: 3

This online course is tailored for students who are considering applying or have been admitted to law school after completing their undergraduate degrees. Addressing essential skills, such as case briefing, legal analysis, issue spotting, effective study methods, and time management, the course will provide students with practical knowledge to prepare for the law school environment and equip them with the tools necessary to navigate the challenges of legal education successfully. Building upon essential skills, such as case briefing, legal analysis, issue spotting, effective study methods, and time management, GLSP 4400 – Pre-Law Bootcamp will employ simulations to allow students to participate in the Socratic method of instruction and other aspects of the law school experience.

These upper-level General Legal Studies courses introduce new legal specialty courses to the curriculum. Topics are chosen based upon levels of legal activity, interest in practice areas, and new and evolving trends in law practice. credit hours: 3

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. credit hours: 3