RockhuRst univeRsity 2012–2014 catalog

Course DescriptionsPA 2000. Legal Theory and Practice (3)This class provides students with an introductionto the American legal system, the procedures usedto solve legal disputes in the court systems andthe steps in planning for a career in law. Studentshave an opportunity to survey a variety of substantiveareas of law (i.e. property, employment, torts,contracts, criminal law, and alternative disputeresolution). Legal method and reasoning are demonstratedthrough student writing assignments incase analysis and opinion briefs.PA 3100. Business Organization (3)The structure and organization of legal businessentities with emphasis on the role of the lawyerand legal assistant in the formation of various businessorganizations. Prerequisite or concurrent: PA2000.PA 3200. Real Estate Law (3)Laws relating to real property and the commontypes of real estate transactions and conveyances.Prerequisite or concurrent: PA 2000.PA 3300. Estate Planning and ProbateAdministration (3)Prepares the student to assist practicing attorneyswith problems associated with planning for efficientuse of financial resources during working life,retirement, and after death of the principal incomeproducer. Prerequisite or concurrent: PA 2000.PA 3400. Ethics and Professionalism (3)Overview of rules and laws governing ethical legalobligations oriented to paralegals and a surveyof professional paralegal practices. Ethics topicswill include confidentiality, conflicts of interests,attorney-client and work product privileges, andthe authorized practice of law as well as selectedadditional issues. Professional topics will include,but are not limited to, interviewing of clients andwitnesses, factual investigation, records collection,documentation and communication skills. Prerequisiteor concurrent: PA 2000.PA 3510. Women and the Law (1)A survey and analysis of case opinions affecting theeconomic, political and social lives of women. Thecourse focuses on issues related to gender-baseddiscrimination, constitutional, and statutory provisionsconcerning women and employment, reproductiverights, and educational opportunities.PA 3520. Contract Law (1)An overview of the law of enforceable promises.Lectures and small group exercises focus on the elementsof contract formation, performance, breachand calculation of damages.PA 3550. Labor and Employment Law (1)An overview of labor law and legal issues in theworkplace concerning employers, employees andunions. The historical context of unions and therole they have played in the legal regulation of theworkplace is discussed. Federal laws and regulationsand the roles and structures of administrativeagencies is emphasized. Additional topics includeworkplace discrimination, organizing, negotiationof collective bargaining agreements, grievance andarbitration, employment-at-will, wage and hourlaws, and safety laws.PA 3570. Evidence Law (1)This course covers the Federal Rules of Evidenceand correlated Kansas rules of evidence, andMissouri evidence law, with special emphasis onpreparation of documentary evidence, includingdepositions, for use at trial. In addition to lecture,students participate in a variety of small-groupactivities designed to explore the issues of relevance,impeachment of testimony, hearsay, andissues related to the introduction of exhibits intoevidence at trial.PA 3580. Elder Law (1)The course focuses on issues confronted by seniorcitizens and reviews possible legal remedies.Through lecture and small group participation, theclass covers the areas of Social Security; Medicare;health care decision-making; wills; guardianship;housing; consumer fraud; and abuse and neglectof the elderly. The perspective taken is that of aparalegal advocate.PA 3590. Alternative Dispute Resolution (1)The course focuses on mediation, arbitration,and other forms of alternative dispute resolution(ADR) and how such procedures can be appliedin tort, business, employment, and other types ofcivil disputes. Also examined will be the growinguse of pre-dispute ADR clauses in contracts involvingemployment, financial, and other businesscontexts. The perspective taken will be that of boththe advocate and the neutral person in ADR.PA 3600. Litigation and Trial Practice (3)Analysis of state and federal court systems, types oflitigation, preparation of pleadings and discoverydocuments, trial procedures, post-trial remedies,and appeals. Prerequisite or concurrent: PA 2000.PA 3700. Introduction to the CriminalJustice System (3)Develops a familiarity with the criminal justicesystem in the United States. Prerequisite or concurrent:PA 2000.PA 3750. Tort Law (3)Tort Law, as defined in Black’s Law Dictionary,is “a private or civil wrong or injury, other thanbreach of contract, for which the court will providea remedy in the form of an action for damages.”This course provides a general understanding ofthe basic concepts and fundamental elements oftort law, including intentional torts, elementsof negligence, strict liability, and discussion ofcommon personal injury cases. Prerequisite or concurrent:PA 2000.208