While you wait, please begin filling out the forms below. They can be found inside your Orientation folder, and will be collected before you leave. Employment Release Form Employment Information Form Academic Honesty Policy Registrations and payments, if applicable Remember, a $100 late fee will be applied to any outstanding balance that is not paid by the last day of registration. See Academic Calendar in website for exact date of your particular program
Legal Studies Institute Paralegal Program Orientation Summer 2014
Important Information Please be sure to keep this information on hand: Office Location: College of Law Building Office RDB 1003 Office Hours: 9:00 am 5:00 pm Telephone: (305) 348-2491 Fax: (305) 348-2030 E-mail: legal@fiu.edu Website: lsi.fiu.edu
What is a Paralegal? A legal assistant or paralegal 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 who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. ABA Definition, Adopted by NALA in 2001
The Paralegal Program is a Non-Credit Certificate Program: Affiliate of the College of Law as of July 1, 2011 Founded in 1982 Stepping stone to law school Other Legal Certificate Programs offered: Legal Assistant Law Office Management Immigration for Paralegals
A Paralegal Is A Professional FIU Certificate of Completion Maintain Prestige of University and our Program Exit Seminar (Recommended)
Welcome letter Orientation Folder: Student Conduct & Academic Policy Handbook Program Catalog Important Telephone Numbers Academic Honesty Policy Form Financial Aid Information Employment & Educational Institution Verification Release Form Employment Information Form Modesto Maidique Campus (MMC) Map
Program Schedules University Park (Modesto Maidique Campus) Weekdays (Mon Thurs) 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. AND 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. One-Year Program Structure full time (Not more than two years allowed to complete)
Program Structure CORE COURSES: Intro to Paralegalism The Legal System Civil Procedures Legal Writing Legal Research SPECIALTY COURSES: * Trial Techniques * Criminal Procedures * Advanced Civil Litigation * Estates & Trusts * Contracts * Family Law * Torts * Real Estate * Constitutional Law * Business Organizations or Employment Law STUDENTS MAY NOT TAKE SPECIALTY COURSES UNTIL THEY COMPLETE THE CORE COURSES. COURSES IN RED ARE REQUIRED AND CAN T BE SUBSTITUTED FOR ELECTIVES.
Seminars are lectures provided to students. Take advantage of our expert lecturers by taking notes & asking questions. 15 must be completed to graduate. Students are entitled to 1 free seminar per registered course. Payments are not accepted at the door. $10 late fee for late payments. 11 must be in person before one can see DVD s. Students must sign in to receive credit. Classes are not held the days we have seminars. Do not wait until the end to do seminars. If you are not in the Program, you must pay $65 to attend the seminar. Seminars are open to the public.
Seminars, cont. PUNCTUALITY = PROFESSIONALISM Seminars begin at 10:00am on Saturdays. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. If you arrive 15 minutes late you will not be given credit for the seminar. For weekday seminars, the sessions begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. and registration begins at 6:30 p.m. If you arrive 15 minutes late, you will not be given credit for the seminar. TARDINESS POLICY In the classes, three tardiness are the equivalent of one unexcused absence. No more than 3 unexcused absences are allowed. Each student should read the attendance policy in each syllabus.
Program Details EVALUATION FORMS for classes and seminars will be administered via SurveyMonkey. Please complete them as soon as you receive them. Final grades are not posted until these are completed. They are anonymous. Please take your time to fill out evaluations. Your honest responses will remain anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of making improvements to our Paralegal program. Your feedback is very important to us.
Program Details, cont. BOOKS should be bought before or on the first day of class. Book list is posted on website. Do not miss class if you do not have the books. All books can be found in the university bookstore. You can also search for books online at Amazon or Textbooks.com, dealoz.com, among others, using the ISBN numbers. DON T WAIT FOR FINANCIAL AID DISBURSEMENT TO PURCHASE BOOKS.
Program Details, cont. CLASS SCHEDULE is available on our website 1 month prior to the beginning of the semester. You can download it from our web site: lsi.fiu.edu. REGISTRATIONS need to be filled out every semester. They can be found in our website under the forms tab. WESTLAW PASSWORD All Legal Research students are required to purchase a Westlaw password. Your password will be valid for one year from date of purchase. If you do not complete the program in one year you must purchase another password.
Program Details, cont. PROCLASS User ID and Password will be sent by email Students can register online, view their finances and grades Access class information (course description, textbook, instructor s bio) NON-CREDIT GRADES ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON MY.FIU.EDU
Program Details, cont. NOTIFY THE OFFICE of any absences, incidents, problems, etc., that you may encounter as soon as you are aware of them. We will notify the instructors. WITHDRAWALS - If you need to withdraw from a class notify our office in writing as soon as you realize you have to withdraw. This will mean receiving a W at the end of the semester instead of a FAIL. GRADES Passing is 2.0 or C. Anything less is not a passing grade. No grades can be given out by fax, e-mail or by phone, NO EXCEPTIONS. You do not need to receive your grades to enroll for the next semester. DO NOT ASK INSTRUCTORS FOR GRADES. ABSOLUTELY NO CHILDREN ARE ALLOWED IN CLASSES OR SEMINARS.
Program Details, cont. TRANSCRIPTS When you complete the Program, we provide you with one transcript, upon request, free of charge. There will be a $10.00 fee for each additional transcript. These take 5-7 business days to process. GRADUATION Every year around May or June Students will receive notification by e-mail. Graduates with Honors: GPA 3.67 + Paralegal of the Year Award. Upon completion of any of our certificate programs you will need to fill out the Application for Certificate form found in the forms tab of the paralegal program in order to request your certificate. Please fax or e-mail the form to us.
OPTIONAL INTERNSHIP: Internship positions are available for our students. The positions require a commitment of 150 hrs per semester. Preference is given to students in their last semester. MONETARY CREDITS / REFUNDS: Classes: You must notify us in writing to get a refund or credit. 100 % full refund via written request to LSI Registrar at legal@fiu.edu provided it s before the DROP/ADD Deadline. No refunds after the DROP/ADD deadline. See Academic Calendar in website for exact date of your particular program. Application Fee of $25.00 is non-refundable. Seminars: You may attend one seminar per paid course. Registration for each course includes one seminar. If you do not take your seminars with your courses you will need to pay $65 per seminar. The University is a State Institution NO NSF checks. 1 NSF check = only money orders in the future. (student is responsible for paying LSI bank fee of returned check)
FINANCIAL AID FINANCIAL AID (FA) offers a Stafford Loan Entire application package must be filled out at Registration time. Complete FAFSA application online: www.fafsa.ed.gov. Make sure you fill out the correct FAFSA for the academic year. Process takes 6-8 weeks. Students are responsible for knowing their panther ID and checking PantherSoft regularly for FA messages about missing documents. You can check your status at https://my.fiu.edu/ Students can register for class with an award letter. Students who haven t received their award letter should pay for classes pending distribution of FA. For questions, call FA at 305-348-7272
FINANCIAL AID PROCESS Admissions list to FA APPLY EARLY! Wait for reports from FA AFTER Drop/Add enrollment list is sent Manual disbursement process 1 month after classes begin Master promissory note/ Entrance Counseling
FINANCIAL AID POLICY Students will qualify for Financial Aid as long as: A C average is maintained Pass a minimum of 2 courses per semester Max. of 2 years or 6 semesters Graduates cannot continue borrowing FA for refresher courses.
PARKING DECAL Students must buy a parking decal for each semester at the Parking Garage 5 Market Station, located at the FIU entrance on 109 th Avenue and 8 th Street. You will be asked to show proof of enrollment: * Acceptance Letter * Copy of your Registration Paralegal students must purchase a 90 day parking pass permit. Contact Parking and Transportation at (305) 348-3615 for more information or visit their website at: http://parking.fiu.edu/index.htm
JOIN: NALA National Association of Legal Assistants SFPA South Florida Paralegal Association CLA/CP (Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal) Examination: Our program has 40 semester hours. In order to comply with NALA requirements you need to have an additional 20 college credits in general education. Florida Registered Paralegal ABA Approval
JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE High demand for paralegal professionals. Job offers received weekly. Positions are posted in our office. Call to register with the FIU Career Services Office (305) 348-2423 Students need not have graduated in order to start working. Importance of getting your foot in the door.
Other important items Answers to 99% of your questions found at www.lsi.fiu.edu. Make our website one of your favorites!! Announcements Classroom # found in our website and Facebook. Check your e-mails also. (Provide us with correct e-mail address). LSI has a Facebook page access it through our website and ESCORT SERVICE Public Safety (305) 348-2626 Emergencies: (305) 348-2911
During your time with us, please remember: All matters related to the Legal Studies Institute programs should be addressed to our office ONLY and not to any other Department. Other departments that you may have to contact at FIU are Financial Aid to learn your status or the Registrar s Office for a name change. You can find this presentation at http://lsi.fiu.edu
Remember to turn in the following: Employment Release Form Employment Information Form Academic Honesty Policy Registrations and payments, if applicable Remember, a $100 late fee will be applied to any outstanding balance that is not paid by the last day of registration. See Academic Calendar in website for exact date of your particular program
Congratulations on your decision to be part of a selected group of future legal professionals! Welcome to our Paralegal Program!