Site Visit Report (Re-Approval) LEGAL STUDIES INSTITUTE Long Island University - Brooklyn Campus Brooklyn, New York June 24 and 25, 2008 Laura Barnard, Esq. ABA Approval Commission Site Team Chair Director of Paralegal Studies Lakeland Community College 7700 Clocktower Drive Kirtland, OH 44094 Page 1 of 19
Long Island University Brooklyn Campus ( LIU-Brooklyn ) has applied to the American Bar Association for reapproval of its Legal Studies Institute. The site visit was conducted on June 24 and 25, 2008 by Laura C. Barnard, Esq., ABA Approval Commission Member and Director of the Paralegal Program at Lakeland Community College. The second member of the site visit team, Renee Davis, was unable to participate due to a family emergency. The program director agreed that the site visit should proceed with only one site team member. The Legal Studies Institute ( Institute ) consists of a Paralegal Studies Program and a Legal Nurse Consultant Program. The Paralegal Studies Program began in 1976, and the Legal Nurse Consultant Program began in 1997. The program received initial approval in August 1980 and has been reapproved periodically, with the most recent reapproval effective August 2000. The site visit consisted of the following activities: Tour of the campus led by Nick Macdonald, Assistant Dean; Meeting with Keisha King, Program Manager; Meeting with Don Bostic, Dean of the School of Continuing Studies; Meeting with Gail Stevens Haynes, Provost; Tour of the library and meeting with Jerry Greenberg, Legal Studies Faculty Member, and Julie Semkow, Reference Librarian; Meeting with nine members of the Advisory Committee; Meeting with three currently enrolled students; Meeting with Robin Goldstein and Andre Fontenelle of the Office of Career Services; Meeting with six faculty members and an individual meeting with Kenneth Husserl, faculty member; Meeting with four graduates; Observation of Litigation and Trial Preparation, and Legal Research and Writing in session; Examination of student records, student exams, faculty evaluations, graduate and employer surveys; An Exit Meeting with Don Bostic, Dean of the School of Continuing Studies, and Keisha King, Program Manager. Page 2 of 19
SECTION I General Information G-101 107 LIU-Brooklyn is a privately run university serving the greater Brooklyn, New York area. Financial support for the Legal Studies Institute comes from student tuition and fees. In 2007-2008, enrollment in the Paralegal Program was 47 students, and enrollment in the Legal Nurse Consultant Program was 3 students. Students attend the program day or evening on a full time basis. From the fall of 2001 through summer 2007, there were 231 graduates of the Paralegal Program. During this same period of time, there were 64 Legal Nurse Consultant graduates. LIU-Brooklyn is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Accreditation was most recently reaffirmed in 2003. LIU-Brooklyn offers a Paralegal Studies Certificate and a Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate. Both Certificates are offered through the School of Continuing Studies. Paralegal Studies classes are held day and evening, and Legal Nurse Consulting classes are held on either Friday or Saturday from 9-5. SECTION II Organization and Administration G-201 The Paralegal Studies Program began in 1976, and the Legal Nurse Consultant Program began in 1997. The goals and objectives of the Programs are set forth in the print and electronic material describing the Programs. They are to produce highly effective paralegals who are well versed in the various skills needed for the profession, aid students in a thorough employment search in order to provide the legal community with highly qualified individuals, and teach the individual courses in the Program, covering the total curriculum. Discussions with faculty, students and graduates indicated that the curriculum blends legal theory with practical application, but LIU-Brooklyn produced no samples of practical assignments. The responsibility of overseeing the operations of the Programs rests with the Program Manager, Keisha King, and Don Bostic, the Dean of the School of Continuing Studies. Keisha King reports to Don Bostic. They work well together. Page 3 of 19
A reallocation of space moved the Institute administrative offices (including the office of the Program Manager) to a building several blocks from the buildings where the classes and library are housed. The Program Manager makes it a priority to spend time in the classroom building once a week, but the faculty noted that communication was better prior to the move. A large part-time faculty office is located in the classroom building for use by Institute faculty. The Institute should consider allocating a portion of the part-time faculty office to the Program Manager to facilitate communication and coordination among the Program Manager, faculty members and students. G-201D. The last full strategic planning study was for the period 1996-1999. Since that time, enrollment in the Legal Nurse Consultant Program has dropped significantly. The Institute should continue to work on short term and long term plans for the Programs including an examination of the viability of the Legal Nurse Consultant Program. G-201F G-202 The Institute is most comparable to the Surgical Technology Program. This includes comparability in terms of responsibilities, treatment, and status of the faculty and Program Manager. Technical and supporting services are also administered comparably. G-203 The Program has an advisory committee consisting of 14 members, including practicing lawyers, public and private sector paralegals, a legal nurse consultant, a paralegal manager, faculty members, and school administrators. There is no longer a representative of the general public on the committee as the individual who was in this role is now a consultant for LIU-Brooklyn. Terms of service are one year with a possibility of reappointment. The Institute should review the membership of its advisory committee to ensure it consistently maintains the proper composition. G-203 The Committee has not been meeting twice a year, and was actually disbanded between May of 2004 and fall of 2006. At the meeting with the site team member, only three individuals with no connection to LIU-Brooklyn were present. At the fall, 2007 meeting, only one individual with no connection to LIU-Brooklyn was present. Compliance Issue #1: It was observed that the facts demonstrate a lack of compliance with G-203. The Advisory Committee must meet regularly (at least twice annually), and must increase the members external to the University who are knowledgeable about trends, developments and issues in the profession and who are able to fulfill the duties of an advisory committee member. Page 4 of 19
G-204 LIU-Brooklyn prohibits discrimination with respect to students, employees and applicants for employment. It also takes affirmative action to assist those with disabilities. The site team member observed great diversity in the student population and in the faculty. The university facilities are designed to accommodate disabled students and employees. G-205 LIU-Brooklyn is a private university that receives no outside funding from the state or local community. Tuition revenue and fees provide financial support. The Program Manager and the Dean of the School of Continuing Studies work together to determine the budget. The Program has been provided with resources to meet its goals and objectives, but little, if any, funding is provided for faculty to engage in professional development. G-206 LIU-Brooklyn is a private institution. SECTION III Educational Programs G-301 LIU-Brooklyn offers a Paralegal Studies Certificate and a Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate. Students must complete 328 hours to earn the Paralegal Studies Certificate and 319 hours to earn the Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate. Discussions with faculty, students and graduates indicated that the curriculum blends legal theory with practical application, but LIU-Brooklyn produced no samples of practical assignments. Student files containing coursework contained graded exams but not practical assignments. The Institute should review course content to ensure that all faculty members are including and assessing practical assignments that emphasize practical paralegal skills and develop paralegal job competencies. G-301B Students and graduates found the faculty knowledgeable, caring, and willing to answer questions. Outside of class, students communicated easily with faculty via email. The graduates said the Program Manager and faculty were definitely there to help them reach their goals. Page 5 of 19
The site team member had the opportunity to visit Litigation and Trial Preparation. The class was studying jurisdiction and service of process. Students listened to the professor lecture, took notes, and asked and answered questions. In the Legal Research and Writing class observed, students were engaged in a case briefing exercise with the instructor. Students enter with at least 60 college credits, and because the Institute is non-credit, there are no articulation agreements in place. Mr. Husserl, a part time faculty member, is responsible for coordinating the educational program. There was some confusion concerning the fulfillment of the function of coordinating the educational program, because Mr. Husserl was unaware that he was responsible for oversight of courses other than those taught by him. Consequently, there has not been continual review and evaluation of the curriculum and instructional methods. Compliance Issue #2: It was observed that the facts demonstrate a lack of compliance with G-301D. There must be continual review and evaluation of the curriculum and responsiveness to changing needs in the legal community. Students are surveyed at the conclusion of each course concerning the instructor, course and facility. Graduates are surveyed each year but the latest survey (2007-2008) yielded only one response. The last employer survey was in 2004-2005, and there have not been any recent surveys of paralegal utilization in the community. Any completed survey information is reviewed and kept by the Program Manager. Compliance Issue #3: It was observed that the facts demonstrate a lack of compliance with G-301E and F. An assessment plan must be developed which includes assessment of satisfaction of employers and managers of paralegals with the education provided and information about utilization of paralegal services in the community. G-302 LIU-Brooklyn is a post-secondary program accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Students must have completed 60 college credits prior to entering the Institute. Students must complete 321 legal specialty hours to earn the Paralegal Studies Certificate and 307 legal specialty hours to earn the Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate. Transcripts of incoming students have not been reviewed to ensure that students entering the Institute have the appropriate amount of general education coursework. Compliance Issue #4: It was observed that the facts demonstrate a lack of compliance with G-302F. Transcripts of incoming students must be reviewed to make sure those without a Bachelor s Degree or Associate of Arts or Science Degree have completed the required general education coursework (including writing proficiency and oral communication competency). Page 6 of 19
The Program curriculum is as follows: Paralegal Studies (R= Required; LS=Legal Specialty) Orientation 1 hour R Introduction to Law 5 hours R-LS Litigation & Trial Preparation 52 hours R-LS Legal Research and Writing 45 hours R-LS Computers in the Law 36 hours R-LS Probate, Trusts & Estates 36 hours R-LS Business Organizations 30 hours R-LS Real Estate 30 hours R-LS Contracts 15 hours R-LS Criminal Law 15 hours R-LS Matrimonial Law 15 hours R-LS Torts 12 hours R-LS Alternative Dispute Resolution 15 hours R-LS Ethics 6 hours R-LS Litigation Practicum 9 hours R-LS Employment Resources 6 hours R Legal Nurse Consultant (R=Required; LS=Legal Specialty) Introduction to Law 6 hours R-LS Torts 14 hours R-LS Criminal Law 7 hours R-LS Contracts 14 hours R-LS Litigation 112 hours R-LS Legal Research and Writing 48 hours R-LS Computers in the Law 36 hours R-LS Ethics 7 hours R-LS Malpractice and the Legal and Ethical Issues for Nursing 63 hours R-LS Employment Resources 6 hours R Marketplace for Legal Nurse Consultants 6 hours R Computers in the Law provides training in technology. The training is focused on conducting legal research via the Internet. The graduates noted that additional training in relevant software programs would be useful to them in the workplace. Page 7 of 19
The Institute should review strategies for ensuring students have appropriate technology skills and consider revising the content of Computers in the Law to meet the growing need for paralegals with current technology skills. G-302G There are no prerequisites to any of the legal specialty courses. The majority of students do, however, begin the programs with the Introduction to Law course. The Institute should consider making Introduction to Law a prerequisite for other courses as it provides an overview of the profession and the basic legal concepts and terminology which give students the foundation to succeed in other legal specialty courses. G-302I.2 The Program Manager or the Dean of the School of Continuing Studies can grant credit for particular courses with similar content which have been completed in another ABA-approved program. Such requests are carefully evaluated, and credit is accepted only if the course is substantially the same, or superior to, the equivalent legal specialty course at LIU-Brooklyn. In addition to the stipulations above, a student will only receive transfer credit if he/she can pass the required exam(s) for the course in question. Under no circumstances will more than a total of 45 hours of legal specialty coursework be transferable. An internship is not part of the Institute, although upon request, the Program Manager will work with students to find an internship experience. The graduates and Advisory Committee indicated that an internship would be a valuable part of the curriculum and help students secure jobs. The Institute should consider revising the curriculum to provide students with the opportunity to have an internship experience as part of the Programs. G-302I.1.d Legal ethics is taught as an independent course and is included in all legal specialty courses as appropriate to the topic. Additionally, in the Legal Nurse Consultant Program there is an additional course that focuses specifically on ethics called Malpractice and the Legal and Ethical Issues for Nursing. Instruction in legal research takes place in Legal Research and Writing. Instruction in computerized legal research, including Lexis and Westlaw, takes place in Computers in the Law. Students are given individual Lexis and Westlaw passwords. No legal specialty courses are offered in alternative formats. G-401 SECTION IV Faculty Keisha King is the Program Manager, and has held that position since November of 2007. She is a graduate of the LIU-Brooklyn Paralegal Program. Students and graduates spoke Page 8 of 19
highly of her, and said they found her friendly, caring, and interested in their success. All of the faculty members are part-time and are either attorneys with experience working with paralegals or paralegals. Students and graduates expressed satisfaction with the faculty. They described the instructors as knowledgeable about their areas of law, good at providing practical information, and accessible for questions. The Program Manager and many of the faculty members have not participated in continuing education activities designed to increase their knowledge of paralegal education. Funding has not been provided. All faculty members expressed interest in participating in professional development, despite the varying levels of participation. Compliance Issue #5: It was observed that the facts demonstrate a lack of compliance with G-401B. The Program Manager must participate in professional development opportunities in order to be knowledgeable about developments in paralegal education. Compliance Issue #6: It was observed that the facts demonstrate a lack of compliance with G-401F-G and G-205B.2. The Program Manager and faculty members must participate in professional development related to teaching and professional development opportunities (including funding) must be provided for the Program Manager and the faculty. Faculty meetings have not been held regularly. There were no meetings in 2005 and only one meeting in 2007. Additionally, attendance has been poor. Compliance Issue #7: It was observed that the facts demonstrate a lack of compliance with G-401H. The program must hold regular meetings (at least twice annually) of the paralegal faculty. G-402 The Program Manager, Keisha King, is a 25 hour per week employee of LIU-Brooklyn. One hundred percent of her time is spent on program-related duties, and she is responsible for the majority of the administrative duties. Don Bostic, Dean of the School of Continuing Studies and a full-time member of the administration, and Kenneth Husserl, a part-time faculty member, share program administration duties with Ms. King. Dean Bostic is responsible for defining major program objectives, representing the Institute throughout the administrative and academic structure of the institution, assuring the proper organization and operation of the advisory committee, and evaluating the overall program including regular assessment of the legal community, students, graduates and employers. Mr. Husserl is responsible for maintaining liaison with the legal, paralegal, and paralegal education communities, and coordinating the educational program. There was some confusion concerning the fulfillment of the function of coordinating the educational program, because Mr. Husserl was unaware that he was responsible for oversight of courses other than those taught by him. The LIU- Brooklyn Office of Career Services assists with placement. Page 9 of 19
Compliance Issue #8: It was observed that the facts demonstrate a lack of compliance with G-402A. The division of functions needed to direct the Programs must be reviewed to ensure that all functions are being fulfilled, especially coordination of the educational programs. G-403 The faculty members have experience in the fields in which they teach. There is adequate clerical support through the Program Manager. Faculty have easy access to computers and copy services. SECTION V Admissions and Student Services G-501 Applicants must provide proof of completion of at least 60 college credits. The following are also required: two letters of recommendation, a résumé, a one-page personal statement explaining why the applicant wants to enroll in the Paralegal Program or Legal Nurse Consultant Program, and a $30 application fee. An interview with the prospective student is conducted by the Dean, Assistant Dean, or Program Manager. An applicant for admission to the Legal Nurse Consultant Program must also be a registered nurse with a least one year of clinical nursing experience. The applicant must also provide a copy of his/her registered nurse license and a letter of recommendation from an employer describing his/her nursing experience in place of the two letters of recommendation required for admission to the Paralegal Program. Students may be admitted with advanced standing. The Program Manager or the Dean of the School of Continuing Studies can grant transfer credit for particular courses with similar content which have been completed in another ABA-approved program. Such requests are carefully evaluated, and credit is accepted only if the course is substantially the same, or superior to, the equivalent legal specialty course at LIU-Brooklyn. In addition to the stipulations above, a student will only receive transfer credit if he/she can pass the required exam(s) for the course in question. Under no circumstances will more than a total of 45 hours of legal specialty coursework be transferable. Recruiting is done through Internet advertising, print advertising, direct mail, and attendance at Career Fairs. Enrollment has been declining despite the belief of the Advisory Committee that there is a need for paralegals which is not being met. Page 10 of 19
The Institute should expand marketing efforts to increase enrollments to meet the needs of the legal community for paralegals. G-501 Some, but not all, program materials state that paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law. Compliance Issue #9: It was observed that the facts demonstrate a lack of compliance with G-501A.3. Promotional literature must be revised to include a clear statement that paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law. G-502 The Program Manager and Dean of the School of Continuing Studies ensure that students register for the appropriate courses. Orientation to the paralegal profession takes place in an orientation session and in the Introduction to Law class. Less than an hour and a half is devoted to the orientation. Many of the courses use paralegal focused materials prepared as handouts; however, many of the courses do not have paralegal specific textbooks which would also provide an orientation to what paralegals do on the job. LIU-Brooklyn pays for a membership for each student in the New York City Paralegal Association. The Institute should consider adding a paralegal textbook to each course to provide a more in-depth orientation to the paralegal profession. G-502A Faculty members make themselves available to students needing help outside of class hours. LIU-Brooklyn also has an Academic Reinforcement Center and Writing Center which students can access if needed. The Program Manager works with the Office of Career Services to assist graduates with job placement. At the time of the site visit, a personnel change was underway in the Office of Career Services, and there was some confusion by a new Career Counselor assigned to work with the Institute about the role of a paralegal. The Institute should work closely with the Office of Career Services to make sure students/graduates receive the information needed to enter the profession. G-502C Paralegal and Legal Nurse Consultant students take an Employment Resources course which helps them with resume writing, interviewing and job search skills. Legal Nurse Consultant students also take a course, Marketplace for Legal Nurse Consultants, which is specifically geared to the skills needed to establish a consulting business. The Program Manager keeps the placement records which are substantially complete and updated within six months of graduation. Page 11 of 19
Students have an opportunity to express their views and make suggestions through the use of student evaluation forms. The Institute does not offer continuing education classes. G-503 Only paralegal and legal nurse consulting students may enroll in the classes. SECTION VI Library G-601 LIU-Brooklyn s library has a section that is devoted to the educational needs of students in the Institute. The site team member confirmed that legal instruction inside the library is encouraged and law materials are easily accessible. Students can use Lexis and Westlaw passwords on computers in the library or elsewhere. Instruction in Lexis and Westlaw is provided through the Computers in the Law class. The librarians are available to assist students when the course instructor is not present in the library. The library has day, evening and weekend hours. The librarian in charge of the legal collection expressed interest in working closely with the Program Manager to assess the adequacy of the collection. There has been no regular assessment by the Program Manager and/or Advisory Committee in a number of years. Compliance Issue #10: It was observed that the facts demonstrate a lack of compliance with G-601B. The Program Manager and Advisory Committee must evaluate the adequacy of the library collection. The Collection contained some, but not all, of the material required by the Guidelines. There were no texts or periodicals about the paralegal profession, and there were no texts in the areas of legal specialty instruction. Compliance Issue #11: It was observed that the facts demonstrate a lack of compliance with G-601G. Texts in all areas of instruction, resources about the paralegal profession, and periodicals devoted to the paralegal profession must be added to the library collection. Additionally, some of the materials were outdated and/or not updated with current pocket parts. Page 12 of 19
The Institute should continue to monitor the legal collection and remove outdated materials where appropriate and clearly mark outdated books (which remain in the collection) as no longer current. G-601 SECTION VII Physical Plant G-701 Classes are held in modern classrooms furnished with desks and chairs. Any technology not installed in the classroom can be brought in on a cart. Computers in the Law class is held in a computer lab. Students can study and gather in the library or in student lounges throughout the campus. There is also a central dining facility with seating for eating or small group work. G-702 Computer labs are readily available to students and faculty, and there is modern technology installed in the classroom or available to be brought into the classroom. Technology support services are available if needed. There are vending machines and a central dining facility located on campus. G-703 The Program Manager has an individual office. The faculty members have shared office space. Private meetings between instructors and students can take place in the office if no other individuals are present, or in an empty classroom nearby. The Program Manager and Dean of the School of Continuing Studies also will share use of their offices for faculty members to meet with students on an individual basis. RESPONSE TO THE 2001 SITE TEAM RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The advisory committee should be reconstituted to include more members of the legal community who are not affiliated with the Program. A paralegal association officer or board member, another paralegal manager, and another public-sector paralegal would be useful additions. Page 13 of 19
A number of new members have been appointed to the Advisory Board, however, the Board has not been meeting regularly, and the number of participants outside the Institute has been small. 2. The Program is encouraged to continue its proactive efforts to develop a diverse faculty. These efforts continue, and the Institute continues to develop a diverse faculty. 3. The Program should reassess the current curriculum to determine whether it remains appropriate for the workplace. An opportunity to specialize, especially in the corporate area, would be useful, and a choice of a few electives would allow students to obtain instruction in such popular areas as intellectual property and immigration. There has not been continual review and evaluation of the curriculum and instructional methods. Additionally, information from employers and the legal community has not been sought on a regular basis. 4. The Program should include more formal instruction in ethical considerations. This is especially important in regard to regulation of paralegals. Legal ethics is taught as an independent course and is included in all legal specialty courses as appropriate to the topic. Additionally, in the Legal Nurse Consultant Program there is an additional course that focuses specifically on ethics called Malpractice and the Legal and Ethical Issues for Nursing. 5. The Program must develop and maintain a schedule for regular assessment of both the generalist and legal nurse consultant programs. There is room for improvement in the survey instruments, and efforts should be made to increase the response rate. Information from employers and the legal community has not been sought on a regular basis. The response rate from the graduate survey is low, with last year s survey yielding only one response. 6. The Program should provide more coursework in computer skills, especially in software applications used in law offices. An introduction to WESTLAW would be useful. Also, the Program brochures should no longer include the reference to Microsoft courses. All paralegal and legal nurse consultant students now have full access to Westlaw and the references to Microsoft courses have been deleted. More work should still be done in this area. See G-302 and the Conclusions and Recommendations. Page 14 of 19
7. The courses should be reviewed to confirm that students are learning the practical skills they will need in each area. Defined course objectives would help ensure that teachers of the same course are covering the same material. More required textbooks would also help in this regard. All instructors work from the same course outlines. Discussions with faculty, students and graduates indicated that the curriculum blends legal theory with practical application, but LIU-Brooklyn produced no samples of practical assignments. A textbook has been added to the Legal Nurse Consultant program, but many of the courses do not have a required text. More work should still be done in this area. See G-301 and G-502 and the Conclusions and Recommendations. 8. The Program should encourage internships, possibly as a for-credit option, to provide students with on-hands experience. An internship program can help raise the program s visibility in the legal community as well as improve the placement rate. Interested students can arrange an internship through the Institute, but no course credit is awarded. More work should still be done in this area. See G-302 and the Conclusions and Recommendations. 9. The students writing proficiency should be developed further, for example, with more written assignments and more essay questions on exams. Instructors are directed to include writing/drafting assignments as part of their course, and they are encouraged to include essay, short essay, and/or open-ended questions on all exams. 10. The faculty must meet regularly, at least once per year. In addition to better coordination of instruction, meetings would allow them an opportunity for faculty development activities specific to paralegal education. Faculty meetings have not been held regularly. There were no meetings in 2005 and only one meeting in 2007. Additionally, attendance has been poor. Many faculty members have not participated in professional development activities related to teaching. 11. The responsibilities of the Program Director should be reviewed to ensure that all the appropriate functions are adequately accomplished. As the entire faculty is adjunct, she is the key to the Program s success and her responsibilities should not be diluted. She has excellent contacts with the local legal community and should be allowed to take advantage of them to raise the program s visibility. This would likely improve the Program s placement rate, especially for the legal nurse consultants. Page 15 of 19
The responsibilities for the Director at the time of the last visit were adjusted so that she could concentrate on the Paralegal and Legal Nurse Consultant programs; she has since resigned from her position. Program direction responsibilities are now shared by the Program Manager, the Dean of the School of Continuing Studies and a part-time faculty member; however, there are issues involving who is responsible for which functions. 12. The Director and faculty must participate in professional development activities to improve their teaching skills. The Director should be funded to attend the conferences of paralegal educational associations. The Program is also encouraged to include paralegal faculty development activities in faculty meetings. Many faculty members have not participated in professional development activities related to teaching, and faculty meetings have not been held regularly. The Program Manager has not been funded to attended conferences of paralegal education associations, although the Dean of the School of Continuing Studies did attend a regional paralegal education conference. 13. The program literature, especially that on the legal nurse consultant program, should be reviewed to include specific language on the restrictions on the practice of law by non-lawyers. Some, but not all, program materials state that paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law. The Legal Nurse Consultant program brochure does contain the language required by the Guidelines. 14. The Program should provide more of an orientation to the legal assistant field at the beginning of the course sequence, not just in the employment-oriented sessions near the end. This can be accomplished in several ways, for example, by including more paralegals as team teachers or speakers and by encouraging student participation in local paralegal association activities. Orientation to the paralegal profession takes place in an orientation session and in the Introduction to Law class at the beginning of the Programs. LIU-Brooklyn also pays for a membership for each student in the New York City Paralegal Association. Two instructors in the Litigation and Computers in the Law courses worked extensively as paralegals in large firms. More work should still be done in this area. See G-502 and the Conclusions and Recommendations. 15. The Program is to be commended for its attention to the career guidance provided for the students. Employment opportunities for the legal nurse consultant graduate, however, need to be developed. Better placement records also need to be maintained. Contacts were made with government agencies, hospitals and personal injury law firms and several placements were made for Legal Nurse Consultant graduates. Work in this Page 16 of 19
area continues. The Program Manager is responsible for keeping the placement records and surveying the graduates twice a year as to placement. 16. The library should expand its collection on the Brooklyn campus to include more texts on the paralegal and legal nurse consultant career and the roles of both in various areas of the law. This is particularly important because paralegaloriented textbooks are not used in the program. Also, the library should maintain subscriptions to such paralegal periodicals as Legal Assistant Today, NFPA s Paralegal Reporter, NALA s Facts and Findings, and the newsletters of local paralegal associations. The library contained no texts or periodicals about the paralegal profession, and there were no texts in the areas of legal specialty instruction. There also were no subscriptions to such paralegal periodicals as Legal Assistant Today, NFPA s Paralegal Reporter, NALA s Facts and Findings, or the newsletters of local paralegal associations. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The Institute has a good history of providing a quality education to students. The Dean, Program Manager, and faculty are committed to the success of the Programs. However, the Institute has fallen out of compliance with the Guidelines in several areas. The site team member recommends deferral of reapproval of LIU-Brooklyn s Legal Studies Institute to give it time to address the following compliance issues: 1. The Advisory Committee must meet regularly (at least twice annually), and must increase the members external to the University who are knowledgeable about trends, developments and issues in the profession and who are able to fulfill the duties of an advisory committee member. G-203 2. There must be continual review and evaluation of the curriculum and responsiveness to changing needs in the legal community. G-301D 3. An assessment plan must be developed which includes assessment of satisfaction of employers and managers of paralegals with the education provided and information about utilization of paralegal services in the community. G-301E and F 4. Transcripts of incoming students must be reviewed to make sure those without a Bachelor s Degree or Associate of Arts or Science Degree have completed the required general education coursework (including writing proficiency and oral communication competency). G-302F 5. The Program Manager must participate in professional development opportunities in order to be knowledgeable about developments in paralegal education. G-401B Page 17 of 19
6. The Program Manager and faculty members must participate in professional development related to teaching and professional development opportunities (including funding) must be provided for the Program Manager and the faculty. G- 401F-G and G-205B.2 7. The program must hold regular meetings (at least twice annually) of the paralegal faculty. G-401H 8. The division of functions needed to direct the Programs must be reviewed to ensure that all functions are being fulfilled, especially coordination of the educational programs. G-402A 9. Promotional literature must be revised to include a clear statement that paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law. G-501A.3 10. The Program Manager and Advisory Committee must evaluate the adequacy of the library collection. G-601B 11. Texts in all areas of instruction, resources about the paralegal profession, and periodicals devoted to the paralegal profession must be added to the library collection. G-601G The site team member also makes the following recommendations: 1. The Institute should consider allocating a portion of the part-time faculty office to the Program Manager to facilitate communication and coordination among the Program Manager, faculty members and students. G-201D 2. The Institute should continue to work on short term and long term plans for the Programs including an examination of the viability of the Legal Nurse Consultant Program. G-201F 3. The Institute should review the membership of its advisory committee to ensure it consistently maintains the proper composition. G-203 4. The Institute should review course content to ensure that all faculty members are including and assessing practical assignments that emphasize practical paralegal skills and develop paralegal job competencies. G-301B 5. The Institute should review strategies for ensuring students have appropriate technology skills and consider revising the content of Computers in the Law to meet the growing need for paralegals with current technology skills. G-302G 6. The Institute should consider making Introduction to Law a prerequisite for other courses as it provides an overview of the profession and the basic legal concepts and Page 18 of 19
terminology which give students the foundation to succeed in other legal specialty courses. G-302I.2 7. The Institute should consider revising the curriculum to provide students with the opportunity to have an internship experience as part of the Programs. G-302I.1.d 8. The Institute should expand marketing efforts to increase enrollments to meet the needs of the legal community for paralegals. G-501 9. The Institute should consider adding a paralegal textbook to each course to provide a more in-depth orientation to the paralegal profession. G-502A 10. The Institute should work closely with the Office of Career Services to make sure students/graduates receive the information needed to enter the profession. G-502C 11. The Institute should continue to monitor the legal collection and remove outdated materials where appropriate and clearly mark outdated books (which remain in the collection) as no longer current. G-601 Page 19 of 19