Program Outcomes

Graduates of the ECC Law and Paralegal program will demonstrate entry-level competency for employment in the local legal community by being able to:

Technology

• Complete the Legal Technology Certificate from the National Society of Legal Technology.
• Use word processing software to format professional legal documents.
• Mark, incorporate, and uncover document changes using redlining or blacklining.
• Convert file formats, adjust file sizes, and prepare searchable PDF documents with bookmarking to comply with efiling requirements and judge preferences.
• eFile documents with courts and county records offices.
• Facilitate business video conferences.
• Manage workflow, communicate with team members, and update client matters using enterprise software.

Communication

• Use grammar rules and proofreading principles to meet attorney expectations in legal document preparation and written communication.
• Listen attentively to spoken information, without interrupting, and produce accurate, complete, and useful written summaries.
• Develop rapport with clients and peers through professional and friendly communication.
• Dress, speak, write, and act in a professional manner on the job, paying attention to details.
• Observe deadlines by calendaring due dates, setting advance reminders, and checking in with the legal team.
• Formulate questions for guidance on work-related projects and determine appropriate timing for asking those questions.

Research

• Locate and request medical, corporate, and other non-governmental records, using proper releases and forms.
• Evaluate records for relevancy to a particular fact pattern and accurately summarize record information.
• Plan and conduct interviews to develop case facts.
• Obtain reliable information through internet-based factual searches.
• Find primary sources of law and secondary legal materials that, when considered together, inform answers to specific legal issues.
• Correctly read, interpret, and cite primary sources of law and secondary legal materials.

Legal Ethics

• Avoid claims of unauthorized practice of law by working under the supervision of a licensed attorney and not giving legal advice.
• Protect confidential client information and preserve attorney-client privilege in all communications.
• Recognize and report a potential conflict of interest to a supervising attorney.
• Demonstrate integrity and candor in all interactions.
• Safeguard client property through proper client trust account procedures.