Legal & Law Programs

Law Office Technology Specialist Certification & Externship Program

Course Information

The Law Office Technology Specialist

Legal assistants with a focus on technology play one of the most important roles in the legal industry. Advances in technology are revolutionizing today’s legal landscape at a faster pace than ever before. Along with it, the role of the legal professional continues to evolve. The automation of various legal processes has forced lawyers, paralegals, legal secretaries and other legal professionals to become proficient with a constantly growing array of word processing, database, telecommunications, spreadsheet, presentation and legal research software. For better or worse, new technology impacts every aspect of the legal field, making the law office more efficient, but also more complex from traditional law firms and corporate practices to courtroom operations and document management.

The Law Office Technology Specialist

This program offers an in-depth view of the role of legal assistants play within the American legal system, specifically with respect to technology in the law office. Examining the myriad of skills legal assistants use everyday alongside the typical legal working environment, students will explore technology that helps to advance the goals of large law firms and individual attorneys.

This course provides an introduction to computer hardware and software fundamentals necessary to the successful operation of a law office, including an overview of traditional legal software, specialty law office and case management software, and litigation support software. From electronic research to eDiscovery and electronic database discovery (EDD), official eFiling and case management software, students will explore all of the different technological advances that have become standard in the legal industry.Students will also explore various methods for learning and keeping current with software updates as well as the various ethical issues that arise with the use of technology in a legal capacity.


Program Objectives

At the conclusion of this program, students will be able to:

  • Produce a checklist of technology needs for a law office
  • Prepare a plan for setting up technology systems for a new law firm
  • Research legal issues using the Internet
  • Describe security and ethical issues related to the use of the Internet in a law office
  • Use word processing software to prepare documents for a law office
  • Use electronic spreadsheet software to prepare documents for a law office
  • Use a database to store, sort and present client and/or case information
  • Create a basic office management system using law office management software
  • Create a case notebook using case management software
  • Prepare a response to a discovery request
  • Create an electronic presentation to use at trial
  • Investigate the advantages and disadvantages of a paperless office
  • Analyze the impact of federal and court rules on electronic discovery
  • Review court rules on the use of technology
  • Use Microsoft Office


Education and National Certifications

  • Students should have or be pursuing a high school diploma or GED.
  • There are no state approval and/or state requirements associated with this program.
  • There is a National Certification exam available to students who successfully complete this program:
    • Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification Exam.

National Certification

Upon successful completion of this  program, students would be eligible to sit for the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) exam. Although there are no state approval, state registration or other state requirements for this program, students who complete this program  will be prepared and are eligible to sit for this national certification exam. Students who complete this program are encouraged to complete the externship option with their program. Students who complete this program can and do sit for the MOS national certification exams and are qualified, eligible and prepared to do so.

Externship / Hands on Training / Practicum

Although not a requirement, once students complete the program, they have the ability to participate in an externship and/or hands on practicum so as to practice the skills necessary to perform the job requirements of a professional in this field. Students will be assisted with completing a resume and/or other requirements necessary to work in this field. All students who complete this program are eligible to participate in an externship and will be placed with a participating organization near their location.

Courses

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