Immigration Law Specialist Certificate Program

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