Course Descriptions

PLS 250 - Paralegal Communication Skills
This course provides basic communications skills needed by paralegals as perceived by both paralegals and the lawyers and other professionals with whom they work. These skills include listening, writing, speaking, conflict resolution, assertiveness, and nonverbal communications. Listening activities include: exercises which develop active listening strategies and notetaking. Writing activities include exercises to construct clear sentences, compose letters which obtain and transmit information, and summarize facts. Speaking activities include exercises to fully, clearly and effectively obtain and relay information. Nonverbal activities include strategies and tactics for effective law office communications. Students learn to identify their own communication styles and methods for improving their communication effectiveness. 1 Credit.

Prerequisite(s): PLS 260 or permission of program director.

PLS 255 - Law Office Technology
Provides students with an understanding of current trends in technology for use in various legal environments and commonly used software and applications. Students will learn about and evaluate different case management systems with functionality for timekeeping, accounting, administration, docketing, and litigation management and support. Additional topics covered include: ethical issues related to technology, cybersecurity, e-discovery, artificial intelligence and legal analytics. Students will gain hands-on experience with a number of tools that are available to assist with law office organization and case management. 3 Credits.

Prerequisite(s): Pre-requisite or co-requisite PLS 260, or permission of instructor.

PLS 260 - Introduction to Paralegal Studies
Introduces the student to the paralegal profession and the common core of legal knowledge and skills that all paralegals should possess. Areas covered include: what paralegals do, a history of the profession, the significance of paralegal professional associations, personal attributes of the professional paralegal, employment of paralegals, paralegal specialized practice areas, paralegal compensation, the organizational structure of law firms, the regulation of legal professionals, unauthorized practice of law, and contemporary issues. Aspects of these topics are also included in subsequent courses. This course also introduces students to sources of American law, the court system, and alternative dispute resolution. Emphasis is on the paralegal's participation on the legal team. Students also employ legal writing skills to summarize a legal journal article. 2 Credits.

Prerequisite(s): ENG 101 or ENG 200 taken concurrently or previously completed with a C or higher.

PLS 264 - Administrative Law
This course introduces students to a rapidly expanding area of law. Students will learn how and why administrative agencies are created, how they establish rules, and how they investigate and enforce those rules. Students will also learn how to assist clients to obtain benefits under some administrative agencies, how to fill out administrative agencies' forms, and how to challenge administrative agencies' decisions. Some administrative agencies, including the Social Security Administration, permit non-attorney representatives, including paralegals, to represent clients. Federal and New York administrative agencies are covered. 1 Credit.

Prerquisite/Corequisite(s): Successful completion of, or concurrent enrollment in, PLS 260- Introduction to Paralegal Studies and PLS 266- Legal Research and Writing; or permission from the program director.

PLS 265 - Fact-Finding Research
Provides students with strategies for fact-finding and investigation. Included in the courses are interviewing techniques for gathering information from clients, witnesses and agencies. Also included are investigative techniques for determining what information is needed and finding, organizing, verifying and documenting the information. Fact-finding research is an important aspect of paralegal responsibility. Students will learn to develop critical thinking skills, communicate effectively while in pursuit of information, and apply good judgement and common sense when encountering ethical problems. 1 Credit.

PLS 268 - Personal Injury Law
Students learn the basic principles of personal injury law, the application of the Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR) to personal injury cases, New York automobile insurance law, worker's compensation, and procedures for suing municipalities and the State of New York. Students learn to manage document production and organization, including investigating, researching, and drafting the most commonly used forms in personal injury resulting from negligence, vehicular negligence, medical malpractice, strict liability, and product liability. 2 Credits.

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of PLS 266, or permission of program director.

PLS 269 - Domestic Relations and Family Law
Introduces students to the paralegal responsibilities in family law practice including New York Domestic Relations Law and the Family Court Act as they govern family situations. Students will draft a complaint and answer for a contested matrimonial action, and other documents related to contemporary family matters. 2 Credits.

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of PLS 266 and 267, or permission of program director.

PLS 276 - Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility
Builds upon ethical situations and professional responsibilities. Students are provided with additional frameworks with which to undertake ethical analysis. Students will study paralegals as an emerging professional and efforts directed toward paralegal credentialing and regulation. Included are discussions concerning conclusions reached in the final report of the NYS Bar Association on Non-Lawyer Practice, and recommendations contained in the final report of the American Bar Association Non-Lawyer Activity in Law-Related Situations. Other areas covered include employment discrimination, substance abuse and continuing education requirements. 1 Credit.

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of PLS 260, or permission of program director.

PLS 290 - Independent Study
See the Department Chairperson. Variable Credit.

PLS 299 - Paralegal Internship
Designed to give students the opportunity to apply their formal education to actual work situations. The student intern will work either under the direct supervision of a practicing attorney, or under the direct supervision of a practicing paralegal, or under the direct supervision of a comparable level of court personnel while under the overall supervision of a practicing attorney. Students must work a minimum of eighty (80) hours in a law office or other legal environment and eight (8) of these hours must be for a not-for-profit legal entity. Additionally the students must complete other assignments related to their internship experience as assigned by the internship faculty member to receive three semester credit hours. Student interns must adhere to highest standards of ethics, maintaining confidentiality, being meticulous and reliability. 3 Credits.

Prerequisite(s): PLS 260 and PLS 255, PLS 266, and PLS 267, or permission of the program director