Legal assistants with a focus on technology play one of the most important roles in the legal industry. Advances in technology are revolutionizing today's legal landscape at a faster pace than ever before. Along with it, the role of the legal professional continues to evolve. The automation of various legal processes has forced lawyers, paralegals, legal secretaries and other legal professionals to become proficient with a constantly growing array of word processing, database, telecommunications, spreadsheet, presentation and legal research software. For better or worse, new technology impacts every aspect of the legal field, making the law office more efficient, but also more complex from traditional law firms and corporate practices to courtroom operations and document management.

This program offers an in-depth view of the role of legal assistants play within the American legal system, specifically with respect to technology in the law office. Examining the myriad of skills legal assistants use everyday alongside the typical legal working environment, learners will explore technology that helps to advance the goals of large law firms and individual attorneys.

This program provides an introduction to computer hardware and software fundamentals necessary to the successful operation of a law office, including an overview of traditional legal software, specialty law office and case management software, and litigation support software. From electronic research to eDiscovery and electronic database discovery (EDD), official eFiling and case management software, learners will explore all of the different technological advances that have become standard in the legal industry. Learners will also explore various methods for learning and keeping current with software updates as well as the various ethical issues that arise with the use of technology in a legal capacity.

Program Objectives

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

• Produce a checklist of technology needs for a law office
• Prepare a plan for setting up technology systems for a new law firm
• Research legal issues using the Internet
• Describe security and ethical issues related to the use of the Internet in a law office
• Use word processing software to prepare documents for a law office
• Use electronic spreadsheet software to prepare documents for a law office
• Use a database to store, sort and present client and/or case information
• Create a basic office management system using law office management software
• Create a case notebook using case management software
• Prepare a response to a discovery request
• Create an electronic presentation to use at trial
• Investigate the advantages and disadvantages of a paperless office
• Analyze the impact of federal and court rules on electronic discovery
• Review court rules on the use of technology
• Use Microsoft Office®

Certification Opportunities

After completing this program, learners will have the opportunity to take the leading national/industry-recognized certification exam(s) essential to entry-level employment in this fast-growing field.

National Workforce Career Association (NWCA) Law Office Technology (L-TECH)

Optional Volunteer Externship Opportunity

Learners who complete this program are eligible to participate in an optional volunteer externship opportunity with a local company/agency/organization whose work aligns with this area of study in order to gain valuable hands-on experience.  As learners progress through their eLearning program, an Externship Coordinator will reach out to coordinate placement.

Note: Additional documentation including health records, immunizations, drug-screening, criminal background checks, etc. may be required by the externship facility.