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LGLA 1317—LAW OFFICE TECHNOLOGY
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Credit Hrs.: 3 |
Lec: 3 |
Lab: 1 |
Description | Prerequisites | Textbook/Materials | Methods | Grade | Content | Competencies | Scans Competencies | Attendance | Academic Dishonesty | ADA | College Policies |OEOE Policies/Procedures | ACT Home | ACT Syllabi
I. CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Law Office Technology includes computer technology and software applications within the law office. Selection and use of appropriate legal software to manage electronic files, and create accurate billing, documents, calendaring, and case management is emphasized.
II. REQUIRED BACKGROUND
Prerequisite: High-level keyboarding skills; ITSC 1309, or equivalent software skills Recommended: POFL 2301
III. TEXTS AND OTHER REFERENCE MATERIALS
Using Computers in the Law Office , 5 th ed. , Brent D. Roper, Delmar Thompson Learning, 2008. ISBN # 978-1-4180-3312-5.
1 gig USB drive
IV. METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
- Demonstration
- One-on-one explanation and problem solving
- Student independent practice
V. COURSE CONTENT
LGLA 1317, Law Office Technology, focuses on practical computer applications used in legal organizations. It will demonstrate how computers can be used to make a legal assistant more productive and make his/her job easier.
- Computers in the Law Office
- Legal Timekeeping and Billing Software
- Case Management and Docket Control Software
- Electronic Discovery
- Litigation Support Software
- The Internet and Electronic Mail
- Computer-Assisted Legal Research and CD-ROM Legal Databases
- The Electronic Courthouse, Automated Courtroom, and Presentation Graphics
- Specialized Legal Software
VI. LEARNING OUTCOMES AND PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
- Identify how computers are being used in legal organizations.
- Explain or describe software, information system, electronic discovery, docket control and case management software, legal research applications, and the automated courtroom.
- Explain timekeeping and billing, the computerized timekeeping and billing process, types of legal fee agreements, management reports, and factors in determining if a fee is reasonable.
- Demonstrate accurate use of timekeeping and billing software.
- Explain docket system, a computerized case management system, the computerized docket cycle, the importance and ethics in docket control and case management.
- Demonstrate accurate use of case management and docket control software.
- Explain why electronic discovery is an important aspect of litigation, the purpose of the “meet and confer” pretrial conference, what native and image formats are.
- Identify the name that the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure gives to all electronic data.
- Demonstrate effective use of electronic discovery.
- Explain litigation support, why it is more effective than manual methods, and litigation support service providers.
- Identify the three major types of litigation support systems.
- Describe the litigation support process and demonstrate effective use of litigation support software.
- Explain the different types of services the Internet offers and listserv.
- Discuss problems using the Internet for research and the pros and cons of using electronic mail in a legal organization.
- Describe the difference between a subject-oriented search engine and a metasearch engine.
- Demonstrate effective use of legal search engines, and conducting factual research on the Internet,
- Explain why manual research and computerized research compliment one another, and what is involved in planning a search query.
- Formulate simple search queries for WESTLAW or LexisNexis.
- Identify the advantages and disadvantages of CD-ROM legal databases.
- Demonstrate effective use of WESTLAW including find by, natural language search, editing searches, changing databases, and using term, doc, and best, terms and connectors searching, keycite,
keysearch, headnotes, keynumbers, public records, forms, company records, and docket searches.
- Explain what the ‘Electronic Courthouse” is and how an automated courtroom works, and how presentation graphics software can be used in t he legal environment.
- Demonstrate effective use of Microsoft PowerPoint and SmartDraw in a legal environment.
- Identify sources of legal technology information available from the American Bar Association, and what the Legal Tehcnology Resource Center (LTRC) is.
- Explain why legal-specific software might be helpful to legal organizations and what issues should be considered when purchasing legal-specific software.
- Demonstrate effective use of LexisNexis including get by, terms and connectors search, and Shepard's citaions.
- Students will demonstrate understanding of legal software and definitions in various legal proceedings by scoring at least 70% on objective chapter tests.
- Students will demonstrate understanding of legal software by scoring at least 70% on performance projects.
The following SCANS Competencies are included in this course:
Basic Skills:
(C1) Allocation of time
(C5) Acquires and evaluates information
(C6) Organizes and maintains information
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Technology:
(C18) Uses computer to process information
(C19) Applies technology to task
(C20) Maintains and troubleshoots equipment |
The following SCANS Foundations are included in this course:
Thinking Skills:
(F1) Reading
(F3) Arithmetic
(F4) Mathematics
(F5) Listening
(F8) Decision making
(F9) Problem solving
(F12) Reasoning |
Personal Qualities:
(F13) Responsibility
(F15) Sociability
(F16) Self-management
(F17) Integrity/Honesty |
VII. COURSE GRADE
A. College Requirements:
A written, comprehensive final examination, not to exceed two and one-half hours in length, shall be given at the end of each semester for each course at the regularly scheduled time. Any exceptions to these requirements must be approved by the appropriate dean. Other examinations are given at the discretion of the instructor.
A student who must be absent from a final examination should petition that instructor for permission to postpone the examination. A student absent without permission from a final examination is graded “F.” Postponed examinations result in a grade of “I.” The final exam must be taken within 120 calendar days from the end of the semester or the grade automatically becomes an “F.” (San Antonio College Bulletin, Faculty Handbook - January 1995)
B. Departmental Requirements:
C. Instructor Requirements: Varies by course.
VIII. Policies and Procedures
A. College Policies
- San Antonio College does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability with respect to access, employment programs or services.
- Students are urged not to bring children to either a class or a lab. Minors under the age of twelve (12) must not be left unattended on campus. College Academic Council - April, 1998
- ADA Statement: “As per Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, if accommodation is needed contact the Office of DisABILITY Support Services, CAC 124C, Phone: (210) 486-0020.
- A Rapid Response Team exists for the purpose of responding to emergencies. If you have a disability that will require assistance in the event of a building evacuation, notify Disability Support Services, Chance Academic Center 124C, Phone: (210) 486-0020.
- Academic Dishonesty: Students may be subject to disciplinary proceedings resulting in an academic penalty or disciplinary penalty for academic dishonesty. Academic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism and collusion. For additional information refer to the “Student Code of Conduct” in the San Antonio College Bulletin.
- Students are required to silence all electronic devices (e.g., pagers, cellular phones, etc.) when in classrooms, laboratories and the library. College Academic Council, 01/ 2000.
- San Antonio College Attendance Policy: Regular and punctual attendance at all classes and laboratories, day and/or evening, is required. A student absent for any reason is responsible for all work missed. Both tardiness and early departure from class are forms of absenteeism. The instructor establishes the policy with regard to each.
Absences of each student are recorded without exception. The counting of absences begins on the first day of class. A student absent the equivalent of two weeks of instruction in a 16-week semester may be dropped by the instructor. If a student is dropped from a class for excessive absences, the instructor will record a grade of “W' (withdraw). It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the withdrawals have been submitted.
- San Antonio College is a smoke free campus.
- ACCD DPS Emergency Phone Numbers:
ACCD DPS Emergency Phone (210) 222-0911
ACCD DPS General Phone (210) 485-0099
ACCD DPS Weather Phone (210) 485-0189 (For information on college closures)
- Students must also abide by the policies, procedures, and rules set forth in the “Student Code of Conduct” and all other policies set forth in the San Antonio College Bulletin. http://www.alamo.edu/sac/sacmain/schedule/2006%20SAC%20Bulletin%20Online/2006-07_SAC_Bulletin.pdf
B. Open Entry/Open Exit Policies/Procedures (How to be Successful in a Self-Paced Class )
This course requires you to actually work in the classroom (NTC 207) 3 full hours consistently every week . Even if you are ahead of schedule, you must still put in the 3 hours consistently every week until you complete the course . In compliance with the college policy and the contract you signed, this policy will be enforced. You may put in extra time, work ahead, and complete the course early. That's the whole point of OE/OE.
***FOLLOW YOUR DUE DATES SCHEDULE**
***TURN IN COMPLETE ASSIGNMENTS ONLY!***
OE/OE HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday . . . . . . . 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Friday (NOTICE today's closing time). . . . . . . . . 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
No 1-hour test will be given after 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and after 2:30 p.m. Friday.
No 2-hour Final Exam will be given after 2 hours prior to closing time each day.
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