The titles below are the electronic versions of print textbooks that are already in use for some paralegal studies courses. The individual titles are listed below with their associated direct link.
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Introduction to Paralegal Studies by
Introduction to Paralegal Studies: A Critical Thinking Approach frames concepts and practice within the authors' trademark design for learning that fosters critical thinking and analysis. This comprehensive, intelligent text offers an introduction to law and legal concepts combined with practical information about what paralegals actually do in the legal system. A critical thinking approach is used to introduce students to the study of law, encouraging them to interact with the materials through hypotheticals, examples, and discussion questions. New to the Seventh Edition: Several organizational changes make the book even easier to use: Criminal Law and Procedure was split into two chapter. This change made the chapters more manageable for students to read and understand. The authors made it easier to compare and contrast Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure with Civil Litigation and Torts by grouping these chapters together. This also provides a more natural flow to the topics that follow in the chapter on Specialized Practice Areas. Thorough updates throughout with new and expanded topics and discussions of recent court decisions. Includes changes that have occurred in the legal profession due to COVID-19. New Legal Reasoning exercises, Discussion Questions, Review Questions, and updated the Web Exercises. Enhanced section on executive power Updated to cover the 21st edition of The Bluebook (published July, 2020.) Professors and student will benefit from: Comprehensive coverage of all the key topics typically included in the introductory course, in four parts: Part I: Paralegals and the American Legal System; Part II: Substance of the Law; Part III: Legal Analysis and Research; Part IV: Paralegals and the Work World. Critical thinking approach teaches students not only the facts about the law, but also how to apply it. Pedagogy includes ethics alerts, marginal definitions, reasoning exercises, hypotheticals, and examples. Coverage of specialized practice areas such as business, employment, immigration, real estate, and family law. Paralegal profiles provide context and real-world perspective. Well-written, teachable book with comprehensive coverage and thoughtful pedagogy. Text is readable without talking down to students. Structure of chapters ensures that students understand and learn the material. Author team brings a wealth of experience to the book. Strong ancillary materials enhance the book's carefully crafted content.
Basic Legal Writing for Paralegals by
Basic Legal Writing for Paralegals, Sixth Edition, teaches students the skills they need to effectively work with cases, legal authorities, documents, and professional correspondence. Samborn and Yelin guide students through the writing process, using the objective memo as a teaching tool. At every stage of a well-defined writing process, the authors provide lucid explanations, visual aids, and plenty of examples. With practice exercises throughout the book, students can develop the skills that will become indispensable to their careers as paralegals. New to the Sixth Edition: New and refreshed exercises Streamlined presentation, making the material even more accessible and teachable Updated website resources Revised and updated chapter on Case Briefing and Analysis Expanded coverage of email and e-memos Professors and students will benefit from: Thorough and readable coverage of case briefs, legal memoranda, correspondence, and persuasive writing A practical approach that emphasizes the role of the paralegal, and how different types of legal writing are used in practice Step-by-step instruction that guides students through every stage of the writing process, from pre-writing planning to drafting and revising An overview of the legal system that shows how different forms of legal writing are used in different contexts Synthesizing and presenting legal authorities How to use the IRAC method of legal analysis Examples, exhibits, writing tips, exercises, ethics alerts, practice pointers, and web resources Additional student resources in its appendices on citation rules and writing strategies
Personal Injury and the Law of Torts for Paralegals by
Personal Injury and the Law of Torts for Paralegals, Fifth Edition, balances complete coverage of substantive torts topics with essential paralegal skills. Emily Lynch Morissette provides consistently clear writing and realistic examples that convey a working understanding of the role of the paralegal in tort cases. Teaching basic torts and skill development, the text features a logical organization, introducing substantive topics with an overview of the concepts then moving through each element of negligence, followed by medical malpractice as a type of negligence, intentional torts, and workers' compensation. New to the Fifth Edition: New examples throughout the text Additional exercises in every chapter New section in introductory chapter on how torts relates to other areas of the law Expanded coverage of emerging topics, such as Role of insurance companies in medical damages Caps on punitive damages Kim v. Toyota Motor Corp. (2018) and its effect on the risk-benefit test Professors and students will benefit from: A wealth of clear and accessible examples Fact-based exercises that use real-life scenarios Integrated treatment of ethics Practice-based topics on medical record discovery, tort discovery, and litigation A consistent emphasis on medical information related to personal injury, such as how to obtain and understand medical records, including an introduction to medicine in the appendix. Helpful pedagogy, including chapter objectives, marginal definitions, visual aids, case summaries, chapter summaries, and review questions
California Family Law by
Focused squarely on the California Family Code, California Family Law integrates statutory law and judicial interpretation into a cohesive general discussion of all aspects of the state's family law. Its practical, straightforward approach is designed to teach the basics to students, and powerful pedagogy makes it stand apart from most books on California Law. Chapter Overviews and Summaries, exercises, Key Terms, and a glossary combine with examples of all the key Judicial Council forms used in the practice of family law in California. Comprehensive coverage explores all the key topics and developments in this constantly evolving area of the law. New to the Eighth Edition: The name change from California Family Law for Paralegals to California Family Law reflects the broad appeal this book has long had for law school courses and law offices as well as paralegal programs. Teachers and students at all levels appreciate the carefully constructed pedagogy, while all users value the integration of statutory law and judicial interpretation in a practical, comprehensive approach. Additionally, the Eighth Edition: Reflects changes in statutes Spousal support, domestic violence, child support factors, child abuse are but a few of the areas in which the law has recently changed Discusses important case law in-depth Each section discusses not just the statutory law, but controlling case precedent as well Entire case opinions are included as appropriate to give the reader an in-depth exposure to the court's reasoning Integrates updated forms The judicial council forms are mandated by the Legislature for use on almost every aspect of this practice. This text discusses in detail these forms and provides updated versions for ease of instruction Professors and student will benefit from: Focus on the California Family Code, including integrating statutory law and judicial interpretation, and providing a cohesive discussion of all aspects of family law. Powerful pedagogy that surpasses most books on California law, including chapter overviews and summaries, exercises, key terms, glossary and more. Thorough updates, including new case and statutes, and completely updated forms. Helpful features such as chapter overviews and summaries, exercises, key terms, and more. Key forms that students will encounter in practice.
Basic Wills, Trusts, and Estates for Paralegals by
This succinct, simple, and straightforward introduction to all of the basics of wills, trusts, and estates law was specifically designed for paralegal students. Continuing examples describing four different families provide an accessible structure and helpful point of reference for students learning the intricacies of estate planning. New to the Eighth Edition: New sections on specialized trusts Updated tax thresholds and rules Updated federal and state documents and forms New case studies in each chapter cover such issues as: Estates that cross state lines; late claims by creditors Privacy and security of a decedent's digital assets; power of appointment and drafting problems Adoptive partners and marriage; equitable adoption Changing the type of trust after the death of a testator Undue influence and dependent relative revocation Health care proxy vs. durable power of attorney Fee for guardian ad litem; unsupervised administration of court orders Finding by the state that federal law is in error; inclusion of gift taxes Professors and students will benefit from: Comprehensive coverage of the key topics includes a review of the sources of property law, trusts, and taxes, topics not thoroughly covered in other texts. Clearly written text and lively examples help students understand the law. A straightforward introduction that provides a student-friendly orientation to the subject Clear and concise coverage of key topics A review of the sources of property law, trusts, and taxes A helpful guide to drafting documents related to wills and trusts Step-by-step instructions for completing the entire federal estate tax return State-by-state analysis of trust and estate law Four families/clients threaded through the text exemplify the intricacies of estate planning Chapter overviews, key terms, review questions, sample clauses, edited cases, chapter summaries, and end-of-chapter exercises Sample forms in the appendix Examples and explanations pedagogy engages students with the material. Practical approach appeals to programs with shorter, less theoretical courses. Includes a comparison study of all the state statutes.
EDiscovery for the Legal Professional by
Designed for today's student, eDiscovery for the Legal Professional introduces the basics of electronic discovery. In the current, fast-paced legal environment, legal professionals need to understand how technology influences the practice of law, how to communicate this information to their clients, and the most cost-effective discovery tools available. This text offers comprehensive and timely coverage, including historical development of the eDiscovery field, substantive legal precedent and case studies, procedural changes based on recent revisions to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, practical application of eDiscovery tools and resources, discussion of changing technology definitions, usage and trends, and ethical considerations for the legal professional when managing electronic discovery and data. Professors and students will benefit from: Accessible text that explains technical eDiscovery concepts in layman terms. Up-to-date discussion of current Federal Rules of Civil Procedure covering eDiscovery. Effective pedagogy with Examples and Exercises in every chapter, excerpts from cases and the Federal Rules, helpful lists and summaries, and Key Points that highlight essential concepts and practical applications. Key topics covered include: Impact of Electronically Stored Information (ESI) on discovery, Data Management, Case Management, Spoliation, and Ethical Considerations such as competence, confidentiality, and informed consent. A comprehensive glossary that helps students with new and unfamiliar vocabulary
Legal Reasoning and Legal Writing by
Legal Reasoning and Legal Writing teaches students how to organize and incorporate a legal argument into strong and cogent writing for a variety of applications in legal practice. This clear and coherent text has been updated to address the new skills required for modern law practice. While the Ninth Edition still includes the fundamental tools that has made it one of the best-selling legal writing texts, it has been updated to incorporate current and more sophisticated material for students wishing to take their advocacy skills to the next level. Designed for utility in a wide range of legal writing courses, the book covers multiple types of legal writing, including office memos, appellate and motion briefs, client letters, and email correspondence, as well as all aspects of legal reasoning from rule-based analysis to strategies of persuasion. It also covers other key skills such as oral reports to supervisors, appellate and motion argument, tips about the realities of online law practice and modern changes in language and style. The Ninth Edition reflects the collective wisdom of three leaders in the legal writing discipline who together have over 90 years of experience teaching, writing and speaking about legal writing. New to the Ninth Edition: New chapters 23-33 (The Shift to Persuasion). The new chapters are thoroughly modernized and to incorporate the best ideas of the legal scholarship on persuasion in an accessible and clear fashion. The newly organized chapters reflect that legal writing courses might teach appellate briefs or motion briefs, or some combination, and make the assigning of chapters easier for all approaches. New content about theory of the case, motions, procedural posture and the client's story. Professors and student will benefit from: Clear coverage of the nuts and bolts of writing an office memo, a motion memo, and an appellate brief organized to make assigning chapters easier for all different course approaches. The authors' paradigm for Organizing a Proof of a Conclusion of Law, which provides the best explanation available of the reasoning underlying the proof of a conclusion of law. Immersive pedagogy where students learn both to think like lawyers and to think like writers. A thoughtful look at all aspects of legal reasoning, from rule-based analysis to the strategy of persuasion An accessible approach that focuses on the process of writing timely examples and exercises from legal practice A full complement of sample documents in the Appendices Teaching materials Include: Teacher's Manual Additional resources included with Connected Coursebook
Law Office Management for Paralegals by
Law Office Management for Paralegals, Fourth Edition is a comprehensive introduction to law office management, emphasizing ethics, law office culture, law office systems, and "soft skills," such as communications and critical thinking. Assignments are drawn from real-world law office management situations and supported by innovative visual aids and learning tools. Students get hands-on practice with timekeeping, conflicts-checking, file management, trust accounting, business planning, correspondence, and much more. They are exposed to law office software, such as Clio, and learn to perform vital functions using other software and even freeware. Career profiles emphasize the importance of involvement in professional organizations, advancement in the legal field without obtaining a law degree, and that the legal profession is populated by men and women of all ages and backgrounds. New to the Fourth Edition: New ethical discussions: the obligation to keep up with current technology, disaster planning, and dealing with clients using crowdfunding. New technology discussions: artificial intelligence in legal practice, online notarization, client portals, and apps to make the practice of law more efficient and mobile. New discussions of law as a business: features of property insurance, malpractice insurance, insurance for and on employees; trends in office space. New soft skills discussions: dealing with incivility in the legal profession, managing staff through technology changes. Professors and students will benefit from: Author Laurel A. Vietzen's outstanding reputation in the paralegal market. Drawing on her extensive background as a professor and practitioner, she clearly presents basic law office management and organization. Well-crafted assignments throughout the text help students hone practical skills such as critical thinking, organization, general communication, and computer proficiency. The text is particularly adaptable for an online or hybrid class.
Aspen Treatise for International Law by
Elegant and authoritative, International Law, Eighth Edition provides a basic understanding of its subject, not only for law students and students in courses on international relations, but for lawyers, judges, officials, and journalists, indeed for anyone interested in learning about the nature of both public and private international law. This timely Eighth Edition reflects current policies in the United States and abroad, keeping pace with new developments in International Human Rights Law, International Environmental Law, International Organizations, the Law of the Sea, and International and Domestic Courts. New to the Eighth Edition: The changing policies of the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations Important changes in International Human Rights Law, International Environmental Law, and U.S. Constitutional Law The increasing workload of the International Court of Justice, the European Court of Human Rights, and the International Criminal Court Professors and students will benefit from: This engaging introduction to International Law which features: Wide-ranging coverage of Public International Law, U.S. Constitutional Law concerning International Law, and selected topics in International Business Law. A sensible approach organized to answer these key questions about International Law: What are the rules of international law and how are they made? What are the legal and political processes of international law? Why is international law effective? What role does international law play in international relations and domestic politics?
Legislative Research by
During the legislative process, many documents are prepared by Congress and its committees. Governmental and non-governmental entities track and record congressional activities, and many more entities chronicle and analyse the development of public policy. The wide availability of such information can be overwhelming to those involved in legislative research. The purpose of this book is to assist Members and congressional staff in identifying and accessing key resources used during legislative research.
Settling Disputes by
Within the past few years, innovative methods have been developed not only to settle disputes out of court but also to supplement or replace the means by which legislatures, businesses, communities, therapists, and schools handle conflicts that once could be resolved only by litigation or force. Settling Disputes serves as an essential guide to the new settlement alternatives. This updated edition, in response to the rapid changes of the past five years, includes substantial new material that describes recent transformations in the way that courts and public agencies respond to disputes. The book discusses alternative dispute resolution from the viewpoints of potential participants and offers advice to those who are involved in disputes to help them analyze their situations and goals. Finally, it provides suggestions for professionals involved in dispute resolution and for those whose jobs in law, business, or government are affected by the new options for settling disputes.The dispute resolution movement continues to offer the most hopeful, powerful alternative to the business and personal costs of litigation or, worse, of violence. It has tremendous implications for the professional lives of Americans, for their private lives'as parents, spouses, neighbors, and consumers'and for their role as citizens.The first edition of Settling Disputes was awarded the 1990 Center for Public Resources Book Prize.
Guthrie's Guide to Better Legal Writing, 2/e by
Lawyers like to think they are good writers. Their non-lawyer readers are more likely to describe their writing as turgid, pedantic, Latin-filled, jargon-ridden, misspelt, ungrammatical, and inelegant. Guthrie's Guide to Better Legal Writing won't solve all your problems, but it will help you make your prose clear, correct, and compelling. The focus is on communicating more effectively in email, letters, memos, blog posts, client updates, and social media, but there are some pointers on contractual drafting and written advocacy as well. A bit of strategy, some grammar and spelling, and a lot of style. The second edition of Guthrie's Guide incorporates significant new material based on reader queries and the author's on-going review of the legal writing that crosses his desk and screen.