Legal Technology, LAW 4704 Section 5778

Transcription

1 NEW YORK CITY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK LAW & PARALEGAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES PROFESSOR MARISSA J. MORAN OFFICE: N622 Office Number: (718) Class: Thursdays 2:30=5:00pm Office Hours: Thursdays 1:00-2:00 pm; Fridays 5:00 6:00 pm; & By Appointment Legal Technology, LAW 4704 Section 5778 PREREQUISITES: AAS in legal assistant studies or LAW 2403 and an additional 27 legal specialty course credits. Location: Computer Lab, Room N-622A Course Description: This course will provide a general introduction to the use of computers and legal specialty software in the modern law office. It includes hands-on computer exercises using professional software programs frequently used in the law office by paralegals. The importance, portability and utilization of this knowledge as it impacts and advances the legal profession are given special emphasis. 3 credits 3 class hours COURSE OBJECTIVES: In educating legal assistant studies students about law and technology, this course will attempt to help the City Tech graduate achieve the following objectives: Explain the use of technology in the law office. Discuss the impact of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) on electronic documents and the use of technology in law. Discuss the duty of competency in a technology age. Define the term legal ethics in terms of duties owed to the client and the legal system. Describe the different computer operating systems. Understand the issues in installing and using software. Describe the issues in downloading and installing software from the internet. Describe the use and need for encryption technology. Explain how to update legal research electronically. 1

2 Explain why the ability to adapt to changes in software is an important job skill. Discuss the security issues and solutions in saving word processing documents serves and the etiquette in using them. Use some of the special features of spread sheets, including creating graphics. Explain how data bases may be used by the legal team. Explain what is meant by the term the paperless office. Discuss the ethical considerations in the paperless environment. Explain the basic functions of office management software. Describe the use of software for managing documents in litigation. Explain the importance of timekeeping software. Explain the reasons for the use of software for managing litigation cases. Describe the advantage of time lines in litigation. Explain the purpose of discovery in litigation. Discuss the changes technology has had on the document discovery process. Describe issues in court-related electronic filing. Explain the issues in e-discovery as a result of the new FRCP that apply to electronic discovery. Describe the scope of the amendments to the FRCP that apply to electronic discovery. Discuss the ethical issues in protecting confidential or privileged information. Define spoliation. Explain what metadata is and how it impacts e-document disclosure. Explain how presentation graphics programs may be used in litigation. Create graphic exhibits using graphic software programs. COURSE REQUIREMENTS REQUIRED TEXT: Thomas Goldman, J.D., Technol ogy in the Law Office, Pearson/ Prentice Hall (third edition). Handouts also will be distributed in class, or posted on Blackboard, when necessary to supplement the text. Internet research access: LEXIS-NEXIS (one of the world s primary legal databases) is accessible through City Tech s Library online database. Click on Lexis-Nexis ; log on using your City Tech ID #. Use of Blackboard: We will be using a web-based software package called Blackboard in this course. I assume that most, if not all, of you have used it before. Log in with your City Tech ID/password. You will be able to download, for example, this class syllabus, hand-outs, etc., as well as check for announcements that 2

3 I might make. Blackboard is a communication tool for this course and you are responsible for any information that is posted there. I also frequently send announcements via . Therefore, please be sure your City Tech account is functioning. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS ATTENDANCE: Students are expected to attend class and attendance will be taken. The absence and lateness policy as found in the college catalog will be enforced. As per college policy a student may be absent during the semester without penalty for 10% of the class meeting sessions. For LAW 4704 this is 2 absences. Absences may be excused only in the case of documented serious illness, family emergency, religious observance or civic obligation. Recruiting activities are not acceptable reasons for class absence. In the event you must miss a class, you should contact me in advance of class by means of a brief message stating the reason for your absence. Also, if you do miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out from your classmates what materials were covered, what additional assignments were given and what items may have been distributed in class. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: NEW YORK CITY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY statement on academic integrity: Students and all others who work with information, ideas, texts, images, music, inventions, and other intellectual property owe their audience and sources accuracy and honesty in using, crediting, and citing sources. As a community of intellectual and professional workers, the College recognizes its responsibility for providing instruction in information literacy and academic integrity, offering models of good practice, and responding vigilantly and appropriately to infractions of academic integrity. Accordingly, academic dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and at New York City College of Technology and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things this statute requires that all students with documented disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodations of their disabilities. Students who may need special consideration because they have a disability should see me during office hours early in the semester. If you have a qualified disability and will require academic accommodation during this course, please contact Student Support Services Program A-237 3

4 ( or call ) and provide me with a letter from them verifying your registration and outlining the recommended accommodations. PROFESSIONALISM and FURTHER ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS As a courtesy to your classmates and to me, you are expected to arrive to class on time and stay to the end of the class period. Chronically arriving late or leaving class early will have a negative impact on a student s grade. Students may enter class late only if given permission by me and can do so without disrupting the class. I will be prepared for every class and expect that you will do the same. You should carefully read all of the assigned materials (such as textbook chapters, handouts, etc.) prior to the class session in which they will be discussed. Be prepared to discuss any assigned material if called upon during class. Since I frequently call on students whose hands are not raised, you should let me know before the start of class if some emergency has made it impossible for you to adequately prepare for that class. Given the importance of class participation, I will seek to learn your names as quickly as possible and I want you to learn each other s names as well. As stated above, this course requires classroom participation. I am interested in the quality, not quantity, of your contribution to class discussions. You do not need to speak frequently or in every class meeting. In fact, a student who participates only occasionally during the semester but contributes high quality comments to the discussion can receive full class participation credit whereas a student who talks a lot but contributes little of substance will lose class participation credit. I am aware that some of you may be shy about speaking out in the classroom. I respect this but strongly encourage you to participate nevertheless. Please make me aware of any reason why you find it difficult to speak in the classroom. Ms. LaShana Barbour-Marshall is the department s secretary/administrative assistant who assists the department with administrative tasks. She sits at the front desk of the department office, N622. Ms. Barbour-Marshall can be reached at (718) or [email protected]. I have listed my address on the first page. If I fail to respond to an message in a timely fashion, you should assume that your message got lost in cyberspace. If that happens, please leave me a voic message and contact Ms. Barbour. See paragraph above. 4

5 Please do not use to send me written assignments: always submit a hard copy. However, you must retain an electronic copy of your work until your final grades are submitted. If so requested, you must supply an electronic copy to me. Not submitting a copy of your work upon request will result in automatic failure in the assignment and possible failure in the class. As indicated on the first page, my office hours will be held on Thursdays from 1:00pm 2:00 pm and on Fridays from 5:00pm 6:00pm in office, N 622. Laptops, cell phones, smartphones and other electronic devices are a disturbance to both your classmates and me. All electronic devices must be turned off prior to the start of class. COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADES The purpose of grading in this course, as in all courses, is twofold. One purpose is to evaluate your performance for purposes of the academic system. The other (and more important) purpose is to provide feedback to you and me on your ability to develop, utilize and share ideas concerning the covered topics and situations. The final grade for this course will be based, on the components set forth below. I present these percentages just to give you some sense of the relative importance of each assignment. All course requirements must be completed to pass this course. GRADING: Weekly Case Study Scenarios and Class Participation 10% Computer Exercises & Written Assignments 60% Presentation graphic term project 30% Total 100% Grade Numerical Grade Ranges Quality Points = A = A = B = B = B = C = C = D Below 59.9 = F The final letter grades are assigned according to the above referenced standard as published in the College s Student Handbook. 5

6 Course Schedule: The Course schedule, which follows, is subject to change as the need arises. All changes will be announced in class or via . 6

7 Legal Technology Course Outline Week Date TOPIC Assignment 1 Jan. 31st Introduction to Technology in the Law Office and use of Companion Website Handouts 2 Feb. 7th 3 Feb 21 st 4 Feb. 28th 5 March 7th 6 March 14 th 7 March 21st Companion Website/Videos Technology in the Law Office Legal Ethics in a Technology Age The Electronic Courthouse and Virtual Law Office and Word Processing The Changing Face of Discovery and Electronic Discovery(eDiscovery) Evolving issues in Electronic Discovery (ediscovery) Electronic Discovery (ediscovery) The Process Handouts Chapters 1 & 2 Chapters 5 & 6 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 8 Presentation and Trial Graphics Chapter 16 April 4 th 9 April 11th Electronic Trial Presentation Chapter April 18 th 11 April 25 th 12 May 2 13 May 9 14 May 16 Presentation and Trial Graphics and Electronic Trial Presentation Graphic Project- student presentations Graphic Project - student presentations Computer Hardware and Software and The Internet, the Cloud and Communication Office Management Software and Case Organization/Management Software Chapters 16 & 17 Chapters 3 & 4 Chapters 9 & May 23 espreadsheets and edatabases Chapters 7 & 8 7

8 8