Professional Ethics and Practice Skills

This culminating unit integrates professional responsibility, ethics, and practical skills paralegals must use daily, including confidentiality, conflicts of interest, courtroom and office conduct, technology use, research, and document drafting. Students build on prior units to apply ethical rules, legal research, and client-centered practices while preparing for entry-level paralegal responsibilities and community engagement.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze applicable ethical rules and professional responsibility standards for paralegals, including confidentiality, mandatory disclosures, conflicts of interest, limitations on practice, and supervisory duties of attorneys
• Apply legal research and drafting techniques to prepare fundamental legal documents, research memos, and cost bills while avoiding plagiarism and following proper citation and procedural requirements
• Demonstrate appropriate professional conduct in office and courtroom settings by correctly using technology, protecting client information, refraining from gossip or disparagement, and participating in pro bono and community service activities
• Evaluate technology tools, paralegal organizations, and advocacy strategies to support case management, judgment collection, access to justice efforts, and continuous ethical decision-making