Legal Research and Writing for Paralegal Studies
Y221
Erin M. Engels, Adjunct Professor
emengels@tds.net
Phone:
(317) 403-7785
Campus Mailbox located in CA Room 313
Office Hours by Appointment
Fall - 2007
Monday 6:00 p.m. - 8:40 p.m.
Room ES 2102
Text:
Required -
Legal Research, Analysis and Writing, An Integrated Approach by Joanne Banker
Hames and Yvonne Ekern, 2nd Edition
Strongly Recommended - The Bluebook - A Uniform System of Citation, 17th Edition
Course Description:
Legal Research is the cornerstone of the legal profession. The law is constantly changing and
therefore those in the legal profession must be ever diligent in staying on top of these changes. This
course will focus on finding, reading, analyzing and applying the law. The course is comprised of
assigned readings, lectures, library and computer research time and your own independent research and
writing.
Course Guidelines:
Because legal research is an integral puzzle it is crucial that you do not miss class. I will allow you to
be absent from only three class periods during the semester. If you are absent more than three class
periods I will reduce your grade by 5% for each class period missed in excess of the allowed absences.
Please review the syllabus. I expect everyone to read the assigned readings as scheduled. The dates for
all course assignments are listed below. Please familiarize yourself with these dates and plan
accordingly. All assignments are due at the beginning of class. If you will be absent from class on the
night which an assignment is due please make other arrangements to turn in the assignment before the
class session begins. Late assignments will result in a 10% reduction in your grade for each day
the assignment is late.
I expect each student to complete the research and writing process independently. It is tempting in a
class such as this to break up the process to save time. However, the process of legal research and
writing must be accomplished on an individual basis. Discussion of ideas and theories or the general
research process is encouraged, however I will not tolerate the giving of answers to others or sharing of
assignments, outlines and written works. It is remarkably simple in a class of this nature to determine
group effort on the graded projects.
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I will not accept any form of plagiarism or attempts to use another’s efforts as one’s own work. Please
govern yourself accordingly. Additional information on the repercussions of plagiarism can be found
in your student handbook.
My Offer to You:
I firmly believe that we learn through our mistakes. Since I like to read good papers, I allow you the
opportunity to make mistakes before I grade your papers. I will review drafts of your Memo and your
Brief prior to the due date. I will not review library assignments or outlines. You may submit drafts
by email or in class. I will only review a draft two times for each paper and I will not review any draft
sent less than 36 hours before the due date. I encourage you to take me up on this offer - it is my
experience that students who have me review drafts typically raise their grades by as much as 20
points.
Grading Structure:
Your grade for the course will consist of the following:
Library Assignments - 5 @ 10 points each
Mid-Term Exam - 50 points
Research Notebook - 2 @ 10 points
Interoffice Memorandum - 50 points
Final Summary Judgment Brief - 100 points
My grading scale is as follows:
A+ =
100%
A = 99-95%
A- = 94-90%
B+ = 89-87%
B = 86-83%
B- = 82-80%
C+ = 79-77%
C = 76-73%
C- = 72-70%
D+ = 69-67%
D = 66-63%
D- = 63-60%
Requirements for All Assignments:
1.
All writing assignments must be typed, double spaced, with one inch margins
and 12 point type.
2.
Please include your name and the course number on each assignment.
3.
All pages must be numbered.
4.
Staple all pages together in the top left corner. Paper clipped assignments will
not be accepted.
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5.
Citations must conform to the Harvard Bluebook.
6.
Proper grammar is required.
7.
Any page length requirements must be strictly adhered.
Course Schedule and Assignments:
August 27 -
Introduction to course
Read Chapter 1
September 3 -
Labor Day - No Class
September 10 -
Analyzing Facts and Identifying Legal Issues:
Read Chapter 2 and Chapter 3
September 17 -
Finding Case Law, Case Briefing:
Read Chapter 4 and Chapter 5
Assignment 1 - Finding and Briefing Cases
September 24 -
1st Assignment Due
Constitutions, Statutes and Regulations; Analyzing Statutes:
Read Chapter 6 and Chapter 7
October 1 -
Secondary Sources, Digests and other Research Tools:
Read Chapter 8 and Chapter 9
Library Tour
Assignment 2- Navigating the Library
October 8 -
2nd Assignment Due
Shepardizing: Read Chapter 10
Citation: Familiarize yourself with the Blue Book
Assignment 3 - Citation
October 15 -
3rd Assignment Due
Legal Research Strategy: Read Chapter 12
Review for Midterm
October 22 -
Midterm Exam
Assignment 4 - Research Strategy/Outline
Interoffice Memo Fact Pattern
October 29 -
Legal Writing Tools: Read Chapter 13
November 5 -
4th Assignment Due
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Legal Writing Continued and Interoffice Memo Discussion:
Read Chapter 14
November 12 -
Legal Writing Tools Continued:
Read Chapter 15
November 19 -
Interoffice Memorandum and Research Notebook Due
Lexis Training in Classroom
Computer Assisted Legal Research,:
Read Chapter 11
Assignment 5 - Research Strategy/Outline
Summary Judgment Brief Fact Pattern
November 26 -
5th Assignment Due
Meet in Classroom for Attendance and final drafting tips.
December 3 -
Library Work
Meet in Classroom for Attendance and Discussion of Issues and Questions
December 10 - Final Summary Judgment Brief and Research Notebook Due
Last Day of Class - Evaluations
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