What You Didn't Learn In Paralegal School--Law Office Practice Skill Sets - Paperback

by Barb Teachblade Reynolds (Author)

This book is a Paralegal's Companion-Expert teaching of textbook law in law office skills context. If you haven't read what you're looking for, you've come to the right place. This Book teaches you how to read and interpret all Codes, Statutes and Rules of Law. You Must know how to interpret the rules of law. After all, the rules of law govern the fight, before you ever have to read a case. The rules of law determine the rights and obligations of the parties toward one another. The rules of law are the predicate upon which the court referees the fight between the parties. In addition, this Book provides a road map in how Lawyers think through the procedural phases of a case toward settlement and resolution. Understanding the nuts and bolts of how the Lawyer processes each case phase goes a long way in your helping move cases. The Thinking Process involves an analysis of 1 or more of the following steps: Linear Reasoning (an analysis of Time Lines in the office client's case of events or non-events occurring over an extended period of time; and/or Analogical Reasoning (an analysis of a base case and the facts of your office client's case for similarities, dissimilarities and interpretation; and/or Deductive Reasoning, (an analysis of the elements of a common-law cause of action, a statute or other rule of law in civil law and criminal law, ) that you can learn to help move the case to the next phase. Paralegals want Lawyers to give them more responsibility, which presupposes they're prepared to assist more. The Measurable results? Ability to locate and analyze both civil and criminal statutes and separate each into their individual elements, analyze the literal interpretation of each element and compare the elements of the rule to the office client's case facts, make a preliminary determination of whether or not all the elements of the rule of law are satisfied by the client's fact pattern and what causes of action are actionable. Fact patterns are in subsequent chapters of the Book that reinforce ongoing analysis of how Linear, Analogical and Deductive Reasoning are applied to case facts. Ability to know the distinction between the conjunctive "and" and the disjunctive "or" in analyzing a crime. Ability to assist in the initial client intake session to gather information concerning an automobile case; a criminal defense case or prosecution. After performing a client interview in a P.I. case, a Paralegal should have obtained answers to pertinent questions about damages, enabling the Lawyer to make an informed decision about representation.

Author Biography

Teachblade, has been a Litigation Paralegal 44 years while teaching Paralegals, in tandem, for 27 years. Paralegal Practice in Major law firms, include Manatt-Phelps; Borton-Petrini; Adams-Duque, merged with Thelen, Reid & Priest; and Lillick, McHose, Wheat, Adams & Charles. Teachblade worked with 6 L.A. Superior Court Judges before taking the Bench, Judge Earl Broady; Judge Charles Scarlett; Judge Robert Roberson; Judge James Reese; Judge Terry Green and Judge Donna Fields. Pam L. Rymer, Esq. became U.S. Presiding Magistrate for the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Legal Giants with whom Teachblade worked: Rhodes Scholar/International Corporate Attorney, J. Stanley Sanders, Esq., and Attorney Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. Teachblade was Law Office Manager at the Century City, LA, Law Firm of Manning, Reynolds & Roberts. Teachblade's working in law offices allowed her to seamlessly deploy The Legal Process for 27 years in the ABA-Approved Program at West Los Angeles College; the national InterCoast College System, and the national Charter College System. Teachblade was one of the Founding Teachers of West LA College's Paralegal Studies Program; and the Evidence Instructor, observed teaching by the ABA-Approval Visiting Team at West LA College and 3 months later the College was ABA-Approved. Teachblade received Best Paralegal Instructor Award in 2003 at InterCoast College, Orange County. Teachblade was also the only Paralegal Instructor for the start-up Lancaster Campus of Charter College. During the next 4 years, the Program evolved from only a morning program, into 3 daily programs within 4 years. Teachblade was educated at USC, UCLA (BA Political Science), Univ. West LA Law School JD Program, and Coldwell Banker Real Estate School. Teachblade married Criminal Trial Attorney, Harry Reynolds, (a DUI, Search & Seizure and Evidence Specialist for 35 years). Teachblade's Son is a 2012 University Business Major Candidate, Case Manager and a California Licensed Insurance Agent. Teachblade is also the cousin of D.C. Congresswoman, Attorney, Georgetown University Law Professor, Eleanor Holmes-Norton. Some of Teachblade's former student graduates are currently Paralegals with the Law Firms of Sheppard-Mullin; Manatt-Phelps; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher; Mayer-Brown; Hulsey & Hulsey; Malek & Malek; Deloitte & Touche; Olaf Landsgaard, Esq.; Keller Williams Real Estate; the Colorado State Attorney General's Office and Hawaii State Attorney General's Office.