Legal Analysis Paralegals must be able to understand and explain legal rules and standards as well as apply the law to particular facts. All courses in the paralegal curriculum focus on this skill of legal analysis. In PLGL 101 Introduction to Law for the Paralegal you start learning techniques for analyzing statutory language and court opinions These skills are emphasized in PLGL 200 Techniques of Legal Research , PLGL 400 Advanced Legal Research , PLGL 201 Legal Writing , and PLGL 401 Advanced Legal Writing . In all of the other courses you will practice and refine your skill at identifying, evaluating, and arguing legal issues. Legal Research Paralegals must know how to use various resources to find, document, and update the law.
Students receive hands-on experience completing assignments in a law library.
All other courses have a research component that provides you with a continuous opportunity to refine your skills. You will be asked to locate statutory, administrative, and case law related to topics or legal issues. Legal Writing Accurate and effective written communication is vitally important to success as a paralegal. Whether your task is to inform, explain, or convince, you must be able to clearly, concisely, and effectively communicate in writing and speech. The paralegal studies curriculum provides opportunities to reinforce and refine these skills.