Model Rules of Professional Conduct


Book Description

The Model Rules of Professional Conduct provides an up-to-date resource for information on legal ethics. Federal, state and local courts in all jurisdictions look to the Rules for guidance in solving lawyer malpractice cases, disciplinary actions, disqualification issues, sanctions questions and much more. In this volume, black-letter Rules of Professional Conduct are followed by numbered Comments that explain each Rule's purpose and provide suggestions for its practical application. The Rules will help you identify proper conduct in a variety of given situations, review those instances where discretionary action is possible, and define the nature of the relationship between you and your clients, colleagues and the courts.




Expert Legal Writing


Book Description

For many years, Terri LeClercq's "Legal Writing" column in the Texas Bar Journal helped polish the prose of lawyers and law students, judges and clerks, paralegals, writing instructors, and legal secretaries. This book collects all the advice she has given in her columns into one authoritative guide for expert legal writing. LeClercq covers everything a legal writer needs to know, from the mechanics of grammar and punctuation to the finer points of style, organization, and clarity of meaning. With her practical, readable, and often humorous advice, those who prepare legal documents can rid their prose of mind-numbing "legalese" and write with the clarity and precision that characterize the very best legal writing.







Introduction to Law for Paralegals


Book Description

A thoughtful new edition of the leading Introduction to Law for Paralegals text Introduction to Law for Paralegals: A Critical Thinking Approach explores high-interest topics and cases within the framework of the authors' acclaimed critical thinking approach. Hypotheticals, examples, and incisive questions shed light on both the principle and application of the law. In a thoroughly updated new edition, this leading text in the field continues to provide innovation and excellence. New to the Eighth Edition: Updated with changes in the law, new NetNotes, and additional Discussion Questions and Legal Reasoning Exercises. Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure are now directly after the chapter on Torts so that instructors can better compare and contrast civil litigation and criminal law. Streamlined chapter introducing the Study of Law and the Paralegal Profession. Professors and students will benefit from: Comprehensive coverage of key legal concepts. Hypotheticals, questions, and exercises that engage students in critical thinking. A logical three-part organization: Part I, Paralegals and the American Legal System; Part II, Finding and Analyzing the Law and Part III, Legal Ethics and Substantive Law. Student-friendly skill development for basic statutory and case analysis. Text is readable without talking down to students. Structure of chapters ensures that students understand and learn the material. Ethics Alerts, marginal definitions, Internet references, and legal reasoning exercises. Appendices on writing style and citation, the U.S. Constitution, Ethical Codes, and additional Net Notes.




California Style Manual


Book Description




Dynamic Statutory Interpretation


Book Description

Contrary to traditional theories of statutory interpretation, which ground statutes in the original legislative text or intent, legal scholar William Eskridge argues that statutory interpretation changes in response to new political alignments, new interpreters, and new ideologies. It does so, first of all, because it involves richer authoritative texts than does either common law or constitutional interpretation: statutes are often complex and have a detailed legislative history. Second, Congress can, and often does, rewrite statutes when it disagrees with their interpretations; and agencies and courts attend to current as well as historical congressional preferences when they interpret statutes. Third, since statutory interpretation is as much agency-centered as judgecentered and since agency executives see their creativity as more legitimate than judges see theirs, statutory interpretation in the modern regulatory state is particularly dynamic. Eskridge also considers how different normative theories of jurisprudence--liberal, legal process, and antiliberal--inform debates about statutory interpretation. He explores what theory of statutory interpretation--if any--is required by the rule of law or by democratic theory. Finally, he provides an analytical and jurisprudential history of important debates on statutory interpretation.




Introduction to Paralegal Studies


Book Description

Introduction to Paralegal Studies: A Critical Thinking Approach frames concepts and practice within the authors’ trademark design for learning that fosters critical thinking and analysis. This comprehensive, intelligent text offers an introduction to law and legal concepts combined with practical information about what paralegals actually do in the legal system. A critical thinking approach is used to introduce students to the study of law, encouraging them to interact with the materials through hypotheticals, examples, and discussion questions. New to the Seventh Edition: Several organizational changes make the book even easier to use: Criminal Law and Procedure was split into two chapter. This change made the chapters more manageable for students to read and understand. The authors made it easier to compare and contrast Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure with Civil Litigation and Torts by grouping these chapters together. This also provides a more natural flow to the topics that follow in the chapter on Specialized Practice Areas. Thorough updates throughout with new and expanded topics and discussions of recent court decisions. Includes changes that have occurred in the legal profession due to COVID-19. New Legal Reasoning exercises, Discussion Questions, Review Questions, and updated the Web Exercises. Enhanced section on executive power Updated to cover the 21st edition of The Bluebook (published July, 2020.) Professors and student will benefit from: Comprehensive coverage of all the key topics typically included in the introductory course, in four parts: Part I: Paralegals and the American Legal System; Part II: Substance of the Law; Part III: Legal Analysis and Research; Part IV: Paralegals and the Work World. Critical thinking approach teaches students not only the facts about the law, but also how to apply it. Pedagogy includes ethics alerts, marginal definitions, reasoning exercises, hypotheticals, and examples. Coverage of specialized practice areas such as business, employment, immigration, real estate, and family law. Paralegal profiles provide context and real-world perspective. Well-written, teachable book with comprehensive coverage and thoughtful pedagogy. Text is readable without talking down to students. Structure of chapters ensures that students understand and learn the material. Author team brings a wealth of experience to the book. Strong ancillary materials enhance the book’s carefully crafted content.




A Practical Introduction To Paralegal Studies


Book Description

Bridging the gap between the classroom and the real world, A Practical Introduction to Paralegal Studies offers a thorough exploration of the entire paralegal profession. In a logical three-part organization, experienced author Deborah Bouchoux covers the fundamentals of the paralegal profession and the American legal system, along with the paralegal skills essential for success in the workplace. This engaging and well-written text provides the pragmatic and realistic information students need to hit the ground running. New to the Third Edition: All new Case Illustrations, Discussion Questions, and Internet Closing Arguments. New forms provided throughout the text. Up-to-date information on trends in regulation of the paralegal profession, including overview of innovative limited licensing programs in Washington and Utah as well as other proposals to close the access-to-justice gap. Updated coverage of ethics, including new trends such as alternative business structures, and cutting-edge developments such as nonlawyer ownership of law firms, litigation financing, use of social media, and whether internet-accessible advice and forms constitute the unauthorized practice of law. New developments in computer-assisted legal research, including the use of artificial intelligence and using free tools such as Google Scholar, GovInfo, Congress.gov, and CourtListener to access American law are discussed in Chapter 5. Significantly expanded section on e-discovery in Chapter 8, including a sample privilege log. New section in Chapter 11 on current disruptions to legal services, including alternative legal service providers and other trends. New tips and approaches to getting a job, setting “SMART” goals, handling tricky interview questions, and future-proofing your career, as well as an expanded discussion of soft skills needed to succeed on the job in Chapters 10 and 12. Professors and students will benefit from: Topical coverage that closely adheres to the nature of paralegal work Pedagogical devices that enhance learning, such as chapter overviews, key terms, marginal definitions, website references, case illustrations, practice tips, and chapter summaries Research exercises and Internet-based exercises in each chapter that mirror those performed by the working paralegal Charts, graphs, sample forms, and other aids to enhance learning




Modern Legal Drafting


Book Description

This book provides a comprehensive guide to drafting legal documents in plain English with a dual practical and academic approach.




Modern Legal Drafting


Book Description

In the second edition of this highly regarded text, the authors show how and why traditional legal language has developed the peculiar characteristics that make legal documents inaccessible to the end users. Incorporating recent research and case law, the book provides a critical examination of case law and the rules of interpretation. Detailed case studies illustrate how obtuse or outdated words, phrases and concepts can be rewritten, reworked or removed altogether. Particularly useful is the step-by-step guide to drafting in the modern style, using examples from four types of common legal documents: leases, company constitutions, wills and conveyances. Readers will gain an appreciation of the historical influences on drafting practice and the use of legal terminology. They will learn about the current moves to reform legal language, and receive clear instruction on how to make their writing clearer and their legal documents more useful.