3/31/2025 5:31:43 AM	PLS 65 Course Outline as of Fall 2025	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  PLS 65	Title:  LAW OFFICE TECHNOLOGY
Full Title:  Law Office Technology
Last Reviewed:2/24/2025

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

This course acquaints students with the various types of legal technology used in a modern-day law office, including software and applications for word processing, spreadsheet and database creation, case management, billing and time-keeping, and trial preparation.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Course completion or current enrollment in PLS 50 and PLS 51

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

This course acquaints students with the various types of legal technology used in a modern-day law office, including software and applications for word processing, spreadsheet and database creation, case management, billing and time-keeping, and trial preparation.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:Course completion or current enrollment in PLS 50 and PLS 51
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Spring 2012	Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Major Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Recognize major types of legal technology applications in use in the modern law office.

2. Employ one or more of the applications covered to prepare legal documents, conduct legal research, and  manage case information and litigation files.

3. Discuss relevant topics important to technology in the legal field, conduct research, and analyze applications for specific uses.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Identify and describe basic computer terminology frequently used in legal organizations.

2. Critically analyze efficacy of new and emerging technologies influencing the practice of law.

3. Demonstrate understanding of, and ability to use, various technologies common in the law office environment.

4. Recognize significant issues for paralegals in e-discovery and/or the electronic storage of information (ESI).

5. Incorporate electronic legal research and e-discovery into a litigation plan.

Topics and Scope

I. Technology Used in Law Offices

    A. Introduction to types of legal technology

    B. Introduction to terminology used with legal technology

    C. Future trends in legal technology, including virtual law offices and cloud computing

II. Ethical Issues in Using Legal Technology

    A. Confidentiality and privilege

    B. Work product

    C. Conflicts of interest

    D. Competency issues

    E. Other legal duties

    F. Recent developments, rules and future trends affecting paralegals

III. Specific Applications of Technology in Law Offices

    A. Computers and other technological devices

    B. Operating systems

IV. Networks and Cyber-Security Issues

    A. Different types of networks

    B. Definition of cyber-crime

    C. Viruses, malware, spyware and more

    D. Backing up duties

    E. Special issues and concerns for paralegals

V. The Internet

    A. Fundamentals

    B. Email

    C. Definition of metadata

    D. Online sharing services, social networking and social media

    E. Special issues and concerns for paralegals

VI. Document Assembly and Processing

    A. Types of programs and software

    B. Manual and electronic systems

    C. The paralegal's responsibility in document management

VII. Spreadsheets and Database Software

    A. Types of programs and software

    B. Law office applications

    C. Best practices for paralegals

VIII. Office and Case Management Software

    A. Office management software systems

    B. Case management software systems

IX. Law Practice Management

    A. Electronic calendaring

    B. Time-keeping and billing

    C. Paralegal responsibility and ethics

X. Litigation Support Software

    A. Types of programs and software

    B. Practical applications and analysis

    C. What to expect as a paralegal

XI. Trial Preparation and Presentation Software

    A. Types of programs and software

    B. Practical applications and analysis

    C. Paralegal's responsibilities and role

XII. Fundamentals of Online Legal Research

    A. Legal research

    B. Factual research

    C. Methods of conducting online research

    D. Westlaw and Lexis Nexis

    E. Search engines and how they work

    F. Updating and validating online research

    G. Special issues and concerns for paralegals

XIII. The Paperless Office

    A. Electronic filing, storage, and retrieval of documents (ESI)

    B. Virtual law offices and cloud computing applications

         1. What is a virtual law office

         2. What does it mean to compute in the cloud

    C. Special issues and concerns for virtual paralegals

XIV. Fundamentals of Electronic Discovery

    A. Purpose of discovery

    B. Conducting discovery in a technological age

    C. Amendments to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

    D. Storage and retention issues, including spoiliation of evidence

    E. Court intervention and sanctions

    F. Role of the paralegal in e-discovery as fact-gatherer and document reviewer

XV. The Electronic Courtroom

    A. Types of technology used

    B. Procedures

    C. Role of the paralegal in assisting attorney to present an electronic case

Assignments:

1. Reading

2. Group work, discussion and projects examining the types of legal technology

3. Homework problems and case studies utilizating technology

4. Legal research on the Internet

5. Final project, presentation

6. Midterm, quizzes

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 10 - 20%
Homework problems and case studies
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 20 - 30%
Homework assignments and group work; research
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 30 - 40%
Group work, presentations and projects
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 20%
Midterm, quizzes
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 5 - 10%
Attendance and participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Using Computers in the Law Office. 8th ed. Cornick, Matthew. Cengage. 2019. (classic)

Navigating Legal Research & Technology: Quick Reference Guide to the 1,500 Most Common Legal Questions About Traditional and Online Legal Research. Fishman, Joel and Dittakavi, Rao. Bridge Publishing Group 2010. (classic).

Instructor prepared materials

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