NALA Manual for Paralegals and Legal Assistants , Fifth Edition

Front Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
Contents......Page 7
Acknowledgments......Page 18
Foreword......Page 19
What Is the NALA?......Page 20
What Is a Paralegal?......Page 21
Professional Standards: Education and Experience......Page 22
What Does a Paralegal Do?......Page 23
Utilization and Billing......Page 24
Compensation......Page 25
Professional Certification and Activities......Page 26
Summary......Page 27
1 INTRODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN LEGAL SYSTEM......Page 28
1.001 History, Theory, and Philosophy......Page 29
1.01 Sources of American Law......Page 30
1.014 Constitutional Law......Page 31
1.022 Federal Court System......Page 32
1.023 State Court Systems......Page 35
1.024 Jurisdiction......Page 36
1.025 Legislative Systems......Page 37
1.026 Administrative Systems......Page 38
1.032 Public and Private Law......Page 40
1.051 Historical Perspective......Page 41
1.053 Arbitration......Page 42
1.055 Other ADR Forms: Minitrial, Summary Jury Trial, and Moderated Settlement Conference......Page 43
1.057 Role of the Paralegal......Page 44
Endnotes......Page 45
2 LEGAL RESEARCH......Page 46
2.00 Introduction......Page 47
2.01 Principles of Legal Research......Page 48
2.011 Case Law and Statutory Law......Page 49
2.022 Step Two: Identifying the Law......Page 51
2.024 Step Four: Updating the Search......Page 52
2.025 Step Five: Reporting the Research and Commenting on the Opposing Party's Position......Page 53
2.031 Retention of Legal Research......Page 54
2.034 Save Time and Steps......Page 55
2.04 Sources of the Law in Research......Page 56
2.051 The Subject or Text Approach......Page 57
2.052 The West Topic and Key Number System......Page 69
2.053 The Statutory Approach to Law......Page 76
2.054 Case Approach to the Law......Page 84
2.06 Use of Shepard's Citations or "Shepardizing"......Page 87
2.062 State Shepard's Citations......Page 88
2.065 Court Rules......Page 92
2.069 Supplements......Page 93
2.07 Review of the Basic Research Process......Page 94
2.072 Facts — Example No. 1......Page 95
2.074 Research Memorandum—Example No. 1......Page 96
2.075 Memorandum and Draft Letter— Example No. 2......Page 97
2.08 Modern Technology and Legal Research......Page 99
2.081 Computer-Based Systems......Page 100
2.082 Computer-Assisted Research Methods......Page 101
2.083 Benefits of Computer-Based Media......Page 104
2.09 Research Delegation Considerations......Page 105
2.11 Summary......Page 106
Bibliography......Page 107
3.00 Introduction......Page 108
3.01 Duties a Paralegal May Perform under the Supervision of an Attorney......Page 110
3.02 Ethical Considerations in the Work Environment......Page 111
3.021 The Paralegal in the Client-Lawyer Relationship......Page 112
3.023 The Paralegal and the Law Firm......Page 117
3.03 The Paralegal and the Unauthorized Practice of Law......Page 119
3.04 Adequate Supervision by the Attorney......Page 121
3.05 Summary......Page 123
3.061 National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc. Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility (Copyright 2007; Adopted 1975; Revised 1979, 1988, 1995, 2007)......Page 124
3.062 National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc. Model Standards and Guidelines for Utilization of Legal Assistants (Annotated) (Copyright 2007; Adopted 1984; Revised 1991, 1997, 2005, 2007)......Page 125
Endnotes......Page 135
4 JUDGMENT AND ANALYTICAL ABILITY......Page 136
4.01 How to Develop Good Judgment......Page 137
4.012 Understand the Scope, Instructions, and Authority Delegated......Page 138
4.014 Honor Time Commitments......Page 140
4.015 Recognize Exceptional Situations......Page 141
4.016 Accept Guidance, Directions, and Comments Constructively......Page 142
4.02 Analytical Ability......Page 143
4.021 Basic Rules......Page 145
4.022 Analytical Techniques......Page 149
4.03 Summary......Page 155
4.04 Discussion Problems, Commentaries, and Answers to Sample Questions......Page 156
Bibliography......Page 157
Endnotes......Page 158
5 COMMUNICATIONS......Page 159
5.01 Ultimate Skill......Page 160
5.031 Public Speaking and Oral Presentations......Page 161
5.033 Special Problems......Page 162
5.042 Hands and Gestures......Page 163
5.043 Eye Contact and Body Position......Page 164
5.052 Listen and Note......Page 165
5.056 Ethnic Language and "Street Talk"......Page 166
5.06 Telephone Techniques......Page 167
5.062 Identification and Notation......Page 168
5.064 Phonetics......Page 169
5.07 Dictating Equipment......Page 170
5.072 The Outline......Page 171
5.081 Effective Use of Computers......Page 172
5.082 Effective Use of E-mail......Page 173
5.09 Written Communication......Page 174
5.091 Internal Correspondence......Page 175
5.092 Correspondence—Out-of-Office......Page 178
5.093 Grammar, Vocabulary, and Spelling......Page 180
Endnotes......Page 182
6 INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES......Page 183
6.00 Introduction......Page 184
6.011 Obtaining Statements......Page 185
6.012 Written Statements......Page 186
6.022 The Client......Page 187
6.023 Witnesses......Page 188
6.031 Language......Page 189
6.032 Listening......Page 190
6.034 The Motivation to Speak......Page 191
6.041 Question Construction......Page 193
6.042 Refining Judgment Statements......Page 194
6.051 Scheduling Considerations......Page 195
6.054 Planning the Interview Site......Page 196
6.055 Notetaking......Page 198
6.056 Electronic Recording Decisions......Page 199
6.061 Introductions......Page 200
6.063 The Meeting and the Establishment of Rapport......Page 201
6.065 The Body of the Interview......Page 202
6.072 Elements of Proof......Page 203
General References for Further Study......Page 204
7 INVESTIGATION......Page 205
7.00 Role of the Investigator......Page 206
7.001 Basic Elements of Investigation......Page 207
7.002 Judgment Ethics, and Investigation......Page 208
7.01 The Investigation Plan......Page 209
7.011 The Investigation Plan......Page 210
7.012 Inhibitors of Investigation......Page 211
7.013 Formal and Informal Discovery and Privilege......Page 213
7.02 Establishing and Maintaining Professional Contacts......Page 215
7.031 Technology and Investigation......Page 216
7.034 Correspondence......Page 217
7.036 Court Records......Page 218
7.041 Locating Lay (Fact) Witnesses......Page 222
7.043 Consultants and Expert Witnesses......Page 225
7.044 Opinion Testimony by Expert Witnesses......Page 228
7.05 Time Lines and Chronologies......Page 229
7.06 Evidentiary Considerations......Page 230
7.062 Identification......Page 231
7.063 Physical Evidence......Page 232
7.064 Documentary Evidence......Page 233
7.065 Control and Retrieval......Page 234
7.067 Testing and Examination......Page 235
7.07 Surveillance and Activity Checks......Page 236
7.08 Demonstrative Evidence......Page 237
7.082 Photography......Page 238
7.09 Preserving Digital, Electronic, and Photographic Documents and Objects......Page 240
7.10 Discovery through Investigation......Page 241
7.11 Websites......Page 242
Bibliography......Page 245
8 PRETRIAL LITIGATION SKILLS......Page 246
8.01 The Advocacy System and the Paralegal......Page 248
8.03 Preliminary Considerations in Litigation......Page 249
8.042 Pleadings......Page 251
8.044 Using Computer......Page 254
8.05 Discovery and Pretrial Preparation......Page 256
8.06 Interrogatories......Page 257
8.061 Interrogatories as Part of the Discovery Plan......Page 258
8.062 Objectives and Purpose......Page 259
8.063 Drafting Interrogatories......Page 264
8.064 Answering Interrogatories......Page 269
8.065 Opposing Party Answers to Interrogatories......Page 276
8.07 Depositions......Page 278
8.072 Formal Notice for the Deposition......Page 279
8.074 Preparing the Deposition Outline......Page 280
8.076 Attending Depositions......Page 281
8.078 Summarizing Depositions......Page 282
8.08 Requests for Admission......Page 286
8.083 Collation of Denials and Costs of Proof......Page 287
8.09 Requests for Production of Documents......Page 288
8.092 Form......Page 289
8.093 Requesting Documents from Nonparties......Page 290
8.10 Motions to Compel Discovery......Page 291
8.110 Discovery and Exhibit Control Systems......Page 292
8.111 Damage Calculations......Page 294
8.112 Personal Injury Settlement Offers and Associated Events......Page 297
Bibliography......Page 300
9 THE PARALEGAL AND DOCUMENT DISCOVERY CASES......Page 301
9.001 The Discovery Plan......Page 303
9.011 Locate......Page 308
9.012 Control......Page 311
9.013 Identify and Review......Page 314
9.014 Retrieve and Produce......Page 319
9.015 Return and Destroy......Page 326
9.021 Control and Organization......Page 327
9.022 Review and Analyzing......Page 328
9.023 Working with the Document Indices......Page 329
9.03 Customizing Database Forms......Page 330
9.032 Individual and Entity Database......Page 331
9.04 Computer Document Management......Page 333
9.043 File Handling Costs......Page 335
9.045 Additional Staff Time......Page 336
9.047 Evaluation Factors in Implementing Computer Document Management......Page 337
9.05 E-Discovery—Discovery of Electronically Stored Information (ESI)......Page 340
9.053 Plan Early and Plan Well!......Page 341
9.054 Rule 26(f) Meet and Confer and Rule 16 Scheduling Conference......Page 342
9.056 Collection......Page 343
9.058 Rules Changes Discussed......Page 345
9.059 Summary......Page 347
Bibliography......Page 348
10.00 Introduction......Page 349
10.02 Trial Notebooks......Page 350
10.021 Trial Plan/To Do List......Page 351
10.024 Exhibits......Page 352
10.025 Jury Panel......Page 353
10.026 The Paralegal and the Trial Notebook......Page 354
10.03 The Paralegal at the Trial......Page 355
10.031 Witnesses, Control, and Liaison......Page 357
10.033 Exhibit/Evidence Log......Page 358
10.034 Daily Trial Review and Planning Meeting......Page 359
10.035 Trial Notes......Page 360
Comment......Page 361
Bibliography......Page 363
Glossary of Terms......Page 364
Appellate Brief of the National Association of Legal Assistants Submitted to the United States Supreme Court, 1988......Page 384
Amicus Curiae Brief of the National Association of Legal Assistants, Oklahoma Paralegal Association, Central Oklahoma Association of Legal Assistants, and Tulsa Association of Legal Assistants......Page 405
Supreme Court of the United States, Richlin Security Service Co., v. Chertoff , Secretary of Homeland Security......Page 417
Brief Amici Curiae of National Association of Legal Assistants, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives in Support of Petitioner, Richlin Security Service Co., v. Michael Chertoff , Secretary of Homeland Security......Page 438
Summary of Definitions of Terms: Legal Assistant and Paralegal......Page 462
INDEX......Page 474