Course Title

Advanced Legal Communications

Course Description

This course teaches the importance of effective communication in the workplace. It includes skills sets in areas such as Business English, Business Writing, Document Preparation, and other topics that enhance the students’ ability to effectively communicate verbally and non-verbally with coworkers at all levels and external customers.

Contact

Gina Hubbard
(405) 743-5117
ghubb@okcareertech.org

Knowledge and Skills

Legal Terminology:

• Correctly spell, pronounce, and define general legal terms

• Correctly spell, pronounce, and define legal terms related to the courts and legal system

Legal Document Composition:

• Demonstrate clarity and organization of writing when drafting legal documents
• Demonstrate conciseness of writing
• Demonstrate positive, tactful style and tone
• Demonstrate unity and coherence
• Properly punctuate and express numbers
• Demonstrate appropriate use of grammar, spelling, and vocabulary
• Demonstrate appropriate sentence structure including dangling construction, misplaced modifiers, and parallel structure
• Follow proper procedures for producing, preparing, assembling, and distributing legal documents
• Format legal documents appropriately including memos, short notes, and faxes
• Utilize proofreading skills to ensure content, spelling, punctuation, and format are correct

Communication Services:

• Explain and problem solve situations using different types of teleconferencing and related services including: Audio, Video, Telephone services, Custom calling services, Long-distance calls, Mobile (cellular) service, Operator-assisted calls, Overseas telephone service, Pagers, Voice mail, and Wide-Area Telecommunications Service (WATS)

Listening Skills:

• Actively listen
• Identify barriers and benefits to effective listening
• Develop listening skills and questioning techniques
• Understand passive listening

Verbal Communication and Language:

• Discuss barriers, problems, and limitations in verbal communication
• Accept criticism and praise through feedback
• Provide clear instructions
• Practice dialogue and promote effective dialogue
• Communicate effectively through presentations
• Exhibit high-level telephone etiquette

Non-Verbal Communication and Language:

• Be conscious of body language, expression, gestures, and appearance
• Respect time and space

Legal Transcription:

• Operate transcribing equipment (both desktop and digital) efficiently with intermittent listening and continuous keying
• Effectively use legal dictionaries and secretarial reference materials
• Produce mailable copy from the transcriber in a timely manner
• Revise documents from previously transcribed material according to instruction

Citators in Legal Research:

• Explain Shepardizing
• Become familiar with electronic citation services
• Explain the use of digests
• Define headnotes
• Discuss the topic and key number system
• Become familiar with American Law Reports

• Legal encyclopedias
• Legal texts and treatises
• Legal periodicals
• Restatements
• Uniform Laws Annotated
• Annotated statutes
• Martindale-Hubbell Law Dictionary
• Form and practice books

Legal Resources:

• Discuss Westlaw
• Explain LexisNexis
• Utilize the World Wide Web as a legal research tool.
• Use the Oklahoma State Courts Network (www.oscn.net) to conduct legal research.
• Become familiar with World Wide Web tools used to locate individuals

Brainbench:

http://www.brainbench.com

Career Cluster Resources for Business, Management and Administration:

Accountability Measures, Assessments, or Evaluation Procedures

Required Brainbench Certifications (or equivalent industry certifications):

• Business Communication
• Business Writing
• Recommended Brainbench Certifications (or equivalent industry certifications):

• Spelling
• Editing and Proofreading
• Listening Skills

 National Association of Legal Secretaries (NALS):

• ALS Certification
  

Brainbench:

http://www.okcareertech.org/certify

Industry Alignments

Brainbench

National Association of Legal Secreataries (NALS)

Curriculum Resources

West Publishing Co. - Basic Manual for the Lawyer’s Assistant - ISBN 0-314-2570309

Office XP Core – Hinkle, Cain, Marple, Stewart – A Professional Approach, Glencoe - ISBN#0-07-825299-7

            Microsoft Office XP – Pasewark – Course Technology

            New Perspectives on Microsoft Office XP – Course Technology

            Shelly Cashman Series, Course Technology, 2002:

            Microsoft Word 2002 Comprehensive Concepts and Techniques

Legal Office Projects - Thomson Learning  ISBN 0-538-72933-3

This Course Found In These Career Majors