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 every day 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 discovery 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.Legal assistants with a focus on technology play one of the most important roles in the legal industry. Advances in technology are revolutionizing todays 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.
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
What are my payment options?
Click the Financing link at the top of this page for financing information.
What is difference between a certificate and a certification?
By successfully completing a course through one of our college or university partners the student is awarded a Certificate of Completion from the institution. If there is a state or national exam that the course is preparing a student for, the proper certifying body will be indicated and that association will proctor and award any type of certification. This is the student’s responsibility, although ECA is here to help guide our students in the right direction.
Does this course translate in to college credit?
Through our college and university partners, ECA offers non-credit certificate programs.
How long do access to my complete my course?
Access will begin on your start date and end on your end date unless otherwise specified. If you are falling behind in your course please contact an Education Consultant to talk about your options.
When are the course start dates?
The course start dates are determined by the student due to open-enrollment.
Is the Certification exam included in the course?
The certification exam is not included in the cost of the course unless otherwise specified in the course education and training plan.