Required of all students. Further instruction in legal research skills, focusing on locating, analyzing and updating statutory and administrative law. Practice in researching statutory and administrative law in hard copy and online. Drafting routine legal correspondence.

This writing intensive course will provide extensive practice analyzing factual scenarios, summarizing and applying legal authority and developing written legal arguments. Drafts and rewrites are required.

Required of all students. Ethical considerations in the practice of law that paralegals are likely to encounter, especially the unauthorized practice of law, client confidentiality and conflicts of interest. Review of ethical codes for attorneys and paralegals.

Required for the Litigation Practice Certificate. An introduction to the basic principles of agency law, contract law, and the forms of business organizations: sole proprietorships, partnerships (general, registered limited liability and limited), limited liability companies, and corporations.

Required for Corporate Practice Certificate (Water Tower Campus and Cuneo Cohort). This course focuses on the formation and operation of sole proprietorships, partnerships (general, limited, and limited liability), limited liability companies, and corporations. Preparation of standard forms and agreements will be emphasized. Due diligence procedures for mergers and acquisitions and other transactions will be covered.

Required for Corporate Practice Certificate (Water Tower Campus and Cuneo Cohort). This course focuses on both common-law and Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Article 2 contracts. The elements of a valid contract will be studied, as well as standard contractual provisions and basic principles of contract interpretation. Students will work with several sample contracts: a confidentiality/nondisclosure agreement, a licensing agreement, and a general trade agreement.

This course provides an overview of laws relating to business operations, including secured transactions (Uniform Commercial Code Article 9), federal bankruptcy law, and employment law. Compliance with various regulatory requirements will also be covered.

Required for Corporate Practice Certificate (Water Tower Campus and Cuneo Cohort). This course introduces the civil litigation process in state (Illinois) and federal courts, from the initial phases of pre-litigation investigations and pleadings through the discovery, trial, and post-trial phases. Technological innovations affecting civil litigation, such as electronic court filing and e-discovery procedures, will be given special emphasis.

This course will require students to explore a contemporary issue in the paralegal field or the practice of law generally. Students will be expected to participate in a minimum of two class meetings and several online activities, concluding with a presentation of their research.

Consent of Director and completion of 14-16 semester hours of study. Limited to student's last or second-last term of study. Practical experience (120 hours on site) for advanced students in applying paralegal skills within selected law firms, corporate law departments and governmental agencies. One mandatory class meeting, online journal, online discussions, and final paper. All internships are unpaid; only one internship may be completed for credit toward certificate.

Consent of Director and completion of 14-16 semester hours of study. Limited to student's last or second-last term of study. Practical experience (160 hours on site) for advanced students in applying paralegal skills within selected law firms, corporate law departments and governmental agencies. One mandatory class meeting, online journal, online discussions, and final paper. All internships are unpaid; only one internship may be completed for credit toward certificate.