Immigration Law Specialist Certificate Online
Duration: Self-paced
Credits: 6 Credits (252 Clock Hours)
Description
The Immigration Specialist Paralegal Certificate Program is designed as a self-paced Paralegal Certification Program designed for persons who wish to own and operate their own paralegal immigration assistance office. Students must complete this program in 4-months or fewer. Students may also be interested in one of our accredited online paralegal programs to expand knowledge of the legal system.
Graduates of this program will have excellent knowledge in the area of immigration law practice and will be able to assist people in various phases of the immigration law process. This Certificate Program focuses on two essential areas of knowledge:
WOL-124: Law Office Management - Systems, Procedures & Ethics
Credits 3
This course is designed for persons who will work in a law office management position, either as an employee of a law firm or as an entrepreneur operating his or her own law/paralegal office. This course may be studied as a "stand-alone" course but is especially effective when studied in conjunction with a substantive area of the law. For instance, this course and the Immigration course comprise the Immigration Law Certificate Program, as the acquisition of knowledge of immigration law and law office management is a crucial first step for any paralegal hoping to earn a living helping immigration clients as an entrepreneurial immigration paralegal.
WOL-123: Immigration Law
Semester Credits 3
In this introductory-level course, you will gain both a theoretical and practical understanding of the basic elements of immigration law. We will begin with a review of immigration law and policy. Since most immigration law is policy-driven, the course will present an overview of the history and evolution of this area of Federal law. We will then delve into the sources of both the Federal government's and the States' authority to establish immigration statutes.
Regarding immigration law, students will gain both a theoretical and practical understanding of the basic elements of immigration law. This course examines immigration policies and undertakes a close review of the various categories of immigrants and non-immigrants. We review the basic statutes and visa categories and the priority with which the law treats their applications for entry. We take a detailed look at the various forms that are most commonly used in the immigration and visa application processes. Finally, we will explore the procedure required for admission into the United States, green card and citizenship status. We also review the procedures for deportation.
Regarding law and paralegal office management, this course prepares the paralegal to effectively function as a manager of a law office or his or her own paralegal office. This course takes you into the exciting world of the legal marketplace. You will learn about law offices, their fundamental characteristics, and the differences between different types of law firms and paralegal offices. This course also discusses personnel relations, and how the legal team functions together. As a paralegal, you must have a foundation in ethics, the next subject of study in this course. Client relations are going to be a major part of your career, and you need to know the ethical boundaries which guide legal professionals. This course also examines legal fees, timekeeping, billing and, financial management, managing clients' trust fund accounts, and reviews law office systems and technology. Finally, the course considers the important subjects of record-keeping, and law library organization and management.
This Certificate program is a wonderful combination of immigration law study and law office management. Persons planning to own and operate their own paralegal immigrant assistance office should take this course as a crucial first step to earning a living helping immigration clients as an entrepreneurial immigration paralegal.
Immigration Law Specialist Certificate Program
WOL-123 Immigration Law
Learning Objectives:
After completing the following chapters, students will learn:
Ch 1: Immigration Law and Policy
- The story of United States immigration from early times to the present
- The basics of our American system of government
- The ever-changing immigration law
- Some common immigration definitions
Ch 2: Nonimmigrants
- What it really means to be a nonimmigrant
- How to qualify for a nonimmigrant visa
- The various types of nonimmigrant visas
- Some special options for academic students
Ch 3: Immigrants: Relative-Based
- What a Legal Permanent Resident is
- What a Green Card is
- Who may qualify for relative-based immigration
- How a “child” is different from a “son” and a “daughter”
Ch 4: Immigrants: Employment-Based
- Why there is a fear of permitting aliens to work in the United States
- How some aliens may qualify for employment-based immigration
- The types of visas held by foreign-born athletes and movie stars
- The impact of illegal alien employees
Ch 5: Other Types of LPR Status
- How some aliens may become immigrants by winning a lottery
- Special privileges for aliens who have lived here since before 1972
- The past and possible future of the immigration amnesty law
- How some legal and illegal aliens may become immigrants
Ch 6: American Citizenship
- The benefits of becoming a U.S. citizen
- Why new U.S. citizens must speak, read, and write basic English
- Why only those born in the United States may become President
- How some people may lose their U.S. citizenship
Ch 7: Inadmissibility and Removal
- Why some aliens are not allowed to enter the United States
- Why some aliens are removed from the United States
- Severe removal penalties for some illegal aliens
- Exceptions to being removed from the United States
Ch 8: Refugees and Asylum
- The benefits of being a refugee
- The benefits of gaining asylum
- The benefits of Temporary Protected Status
- Frivolous claims that abuse benefits granted under the law
Ch 9: Tips for the Immigration Legal Professional
- What legal ethics are
- Why a legal professional must keep client information confidential
- Why a legal professional must be competent in his or her work
- Some valuable tips for immigration legal professionals
WOL-124 Law Office Management – Systems, Procedures, & Ethics
Learning Objectives:
After completing the following chapters, students will learn:
Ch 1: The Legal Team, Law Practices, and Law Firm Governance
- Discuss the titles and duties of each member of the legal team
- Explain the trends in paralegal salaries
- Discuss the different types of law practices
- Identify alternative law office organizational structures
Ch 2: Legal Administration and Technology
- Distinguish between office administration and practice management
- Identify between office administration and practice management
- Define total quality management
- List and explain major federal employment laws
- Discuss what a staff manual is and why it is important
- Explain the purpose of strategic planning
- Describe what disaster planning is
- Discuss major technology issues in law offices
Ch 3: Ethics and Marketplace
- Define what the unauthorized practice of law is and list factors that are used to determine whether a paralegal is “practicing law”
- Discuss the voluntary ethical codes established by national paralegal and legal assistants associations
- Explain the attorney–client privilege and to whom it applies
- List guidelines that will prevent paralegals from accidentally revealing confidential client information
- Explain what a conflict of interest is and what a law office can do to limit conflict of interest problems
- Discuss what an “Ethical Wall” is and when it applies
Ch 4: Client Relations and Communication Skills
- Discuss factors that will promote effective client relationships
- Discuss ways to communicate effectively
- Identify communication barriers
- Explain the importance of good listening skills
- Identify the pros and cons of using groups to make decisions
- Discuss the characteristics of a leader
Ch 5: Legal Fees, Timekeeping, and Billing
- Differentiate between timekeeping and billing
- Recognize major types of legal fee agreements
- Know the difference between billable and nonbillable time
- Explain the concept of value billing
- Discuss how the billing process works and what it entails
- Differentiate between an earned and an unearned retainer
Ch 6: Client Trust Funds and Law Office Accounting
- Understand the purpose and importance of trust/escrow accounts
- Discuss the ethics rules regarding safeguarding client funds
- Explain the budgeting process
- Identify strategies for maintaining strong financial internal controls
Ch 7: Calendaring, Docket Control, and Case Management
- Explain how to make docketing entries
- Discuss how to calculate court deadlines
- Explain why a poor docket system is harmful to a law office
- Differentiate between manual and computerized docket systems
- Explain how a poor docket control system leads to ethical and malpractice claims
Ch 8: Legal Marketing
- Explain what marketing is
- Differentiate between advertising and marketing
- Discuss different marketing options that are available to most law offices
- Identify ethical problems that may arise in carrying out a marketing plan
- Explain what cross-selling is and why it is important in law offices
- Discuss what the purpose of a marketing plan is
Ch 9: File and Law Library Management
- Discuss why file management is important
- Explain centralized and decentralized filing systems
- Discuss the importance of closing and purging files
- Explain why library ordering should be centralized
- Give examples of how law library costs can be reduced
Earn Your Specialized Certificate of Paralegal Studies Online
Upon completion of this online paralegal program, students will be awarded a Specialized Certificate of Paralegal Studies from the The Washington Technical Institute.
Certification from the accredited Washington Technical Institute will signify the student's achievement in both knowledge and competence. This program is available and recognized in all 50 States.
Job Outlook for Paralegal Graduates
Excellent. There are many employment opportunities for paralegals in law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies. Thousands of new paralegal jobs are created each year.
Career Development and Placement Assistance.
WTI provides dedicated one-on-one Career Development guidance to all paralegal graduates.
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Washington Technical Institute is Regionally accredited by the Middle States Association CESS, and licensed by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education as an institution of higher learning
