Law Office Administration - Certificate
A law office administrator is a person qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity and who is responsible for law office management, communications process, law office billing and law library management. Law office administrators are not authorized to practice law. The Law Office Administration Certificate does not prepare students to work as paralegals and is not an ABA-approved Paralegal education program. Students wishing to be employed as Paralegals must complete the Legal Studies/Paralegal Associate Degree 101101 or Legal Studies/Paralegal Post-Baccalaureate Technical Diploma 311101.
Delivery
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Program Costs & Financial Aid
Tuition: $2,641, Books: $734, Supplies: $0
Contact an NWTC support representative to find ways to pay for this program.
Estimates based on in-state residency. Please visit the following URL to learn more about tuition and fees for this program. https://www.nwtc.edu/admissions-and-aid/paying-for-college/tuition-and-fees?ProgramCode=611101
Curriculum
Students following the study plan below will complete the Law Office Administration Pathway Certificate in the number of semesters shown.
First Semester
8 Week 1
8 Week 2
Second Semester
8 Week 1
8 Week 2
- Curriculum Note: A grade of "C" or better must be achieved in 10-110-101 Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics in order to enroll in any 10-110-xxx course for which 10-110-101 is designated as a prerequisite.
Course Descriptions
Introduction to and exploration of the paralegal profession and paralegal roles; legal ethics, state and federal court systems; civil and criminal procedure; overview of substantive areas of law; locating and interpreting statutes and cases; drafting legal correspondence.
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringExploration of law office infrastructure including organization systems and file management; the legal marketplace and roles of lawyers, paralegals and other members of the legal team; personnel relations, leadership styles and employment laws; docketing and calendaring; law office financial concerns including timekeeping, legal fees, costs, billing and client trust accounts; ethical considerations in law office management. (Corequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringThis course provides the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the accounting cycle, recording business transactions, preparations of the financial statements, financial statement analysis, accrual accounting, accounting for cash and internal controls, and payroll.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringExploration of technology used in a law office including hardware, and general applications software, MS Office, and legal applications software for calendaring, docketing, timekeeping and billing, case/matter management; Wisconsin e-filing and electronic courtrooms; ethical issues and the paralegal's role with respect to technology in a law office. Students completing the course will earn a certificate from the National Society for Legal Technology. (Corequisite 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringExplore contract formation, breach of contract, defenses to contract, parol evidence rule, statue of frauds, and warranties. Examine insurance law including insurable interests, insurer's duty to defend, subrogation, and bad faith claims. (Prerequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics with a "C" or better)
Course Typically Offered: Fall Spring