Advanced Paralegal: Advanced Legal Research

About this course

What you’ll learn

You’ll learn how to master advanced legal research techniques using modern tools like WESTLAW, understand how court systems are organized and how legal authorities are applied, develop practical skills for organizing and conducting effective legal investigations, and expand your legal expertise with specialized training that goes beyond basic paralegal knowledge. Offered in partnership with CLS by BARBRI, this course will give you a competitive edge in the legal market, helping to boost your marketability and earning potential.

Learning objectives

1. Analyze the hierarchy and structure of court systems and the different types of legal authority (e.g., primary vs. secondary, mandatory vs. persuasive), evaluating their importance and application in legal research.
2. Differentiate between core legal concepts such as common law and civil law systems, jurisdiction and venue, and the doctrine of stare decisis, explaining their fundamental roles in the legal landscape.
3. Formulate effective legal research strategies by defining and narrowing research issues, demonstrating the ability to initiate and organize a research project.
4. Utilize various research tools and methodologies, including searching by key number and topic, to locate relevant legal information and interpret the purpose of elements like headnotes and annotations.
5. Critique the necessity for federal preemption in specific legal contexts, demonstrating an advanced understanding of the interplay between federal and state legal authority.

Continuing Education Information

You will be expected to spend approximately 7 to 8 hours per lesson reading and completing writing assignments. Please note that extensions will not be granted for this online course. 70% is the minimum passing score on all tests and assignments for this course. Students may consider working ahead in the curriculum if they have the time.