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Law Office Management & Technology
LSLW 550 / LSPR 450
- Professor: Jack Baldwin LeClair M.A., Ed.S., J.D.
- Office Hours: by appointment and posted on office door.
- Office Phone: 973.655.7953
- Email: leclairj@mail.montclair.edu (put LSLW 550 / LSPR 450 in the subject line)
- TEXT: R = Roper, Brent D., Practical Law Office Management 2d Edition,
(St. Paul: West Publishing Company).
purpose of this course:
This course is a survey course. No prior computer knowledge is necessary or
expected. The purpose of the course is as follows:
- To explore the importance of the internet and proprietary services in the
acquisition of information.
- To acquaint students with the intellectual property concepts including
copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and anti-trust issues.
- To acquaint the student with the use of a variety of computer tools
available to assist the legal professionals in the performance of daily tasks
in managing information.
- To understand how a web browsers and web authoring programs can help
perform specific tasks useful in a law office.
- To teach a basic level of Internet literacy; an understanding of the
terminology used by Interent users in the legal field.
- To introduce global intellectual market principle.
notes:
- Reading assignments must be prepared in advance of the class meeting date.
- Not all course material is covered in the Handouts. Examinations may
include material covered by lecture, class discussion, handouts, demonstrations
or lab sessions in addition to assigned readings.
- There will be no makeup examinations.
- Grades will be lowered if assignments are completed late.
- Class attendance is mandatory and class participation will be rewarded.
- Recommended reference books and supplemental reading materials will be
assigned.
- Students are encouraged to work cooperatively.
topics & assigments:
All topics will be covered on a flexible schedule depending on the needs of
the class, scheduling of computer facilities and other factors. Preliminary
dates are provided.
| Midterm Examination |
40% |
| Final Examination |
40% |
| Classroom Participation |
10% |
| Special Project |
10% |
Click here for Handout Index Webpage
| DATE |
ASSIGNMENT |
NOTES |
| PART I -Introduction to Law Office Management |
| 09.13.05 |
Introduction to Law Office Management and
Technology: Organizational Culture in the Legal Environment. |
HANDOUTS: Law
Firm Culture; High
Tech Practice; & Computer
Notebooks in the Courtroom |
| 09.20.05 |
The Legal Team, the Traditional Structure, and Law
Office Management Policies and Prodedures. |
R: Chapter 1, |
| 09.27.05 |
The Staff Manual Approach to Managment and Avoiding the
Pitfalls of Employment Law. |
R: Chapter 3, |
| 10.04.05 |
Human Resource Management, Performance Evaluations, and
Current Personnel Issues. |
R: Chapter 8, HANDOUT: Internet
Protocol & Rules |
| 10.11.05 |
Marketing, Planning, and the Various Office Structures. |
R: Chapter 3 HANDOUTS: Pre-planning
in the Law Firm |
| 10.18.05 |
MIDTERM EXAMINATION [GRAD STUDENTS ONLY] |
Midterm
Handout Study Guide |
| 10.25.05 |
Communicating with Clients and Maintaining Control of the
Case and Client Process. |
R: Chapter 4, HANDOUTS: Internet
Protocol & Rules and Strategic
Planning in the Law Office |
| PART II - General
Planning in the Legal Environment |
| 11.01.05 |
Managing the Financial Environment: Timekeeping and
Billing |
R: Chapter 5, Law
Office News Letters and Timebilling
Principles |
| 11.08.05 |
Law Office Accounting: Managing Trust Funds and Business
Accounts, and standards of the RPC |
R: Chapter 6, Maintaining
Electronic Records and New
Jersey Accounting Procedures, Timebilling
& Accounting Test., Law
Office Accounting Test |
| 11.15.05 |
Managing the Docket, Calendar, and In-house
Deadlines |
R: Chapter 7, . HANDOUT |
| 11.22.05 |
Law Office Information Systems and People |
R: Chapter 9, HANDOUTS: Internet
Protocol & Rules; Law
Firm Information Systems; Office
Administrators in the Small Firm; and Partner
Compensation Plans |
| 11.29.05 |
Being Ethical |
R: Chapter 2, New Jersey Attorney
Ethics) and Avoiding Malpractice. Protecting the Firm and Yourself.
Assignment: Six
Million Dollar Paralegal |
| 12.06.05 |
Hardware Systems |
|
| 12.13.05 |
Software Applications - File and Library
Management |
R: Chapter 10 - Final
Handout |
| 12.20.05 |
File and Library Management FINAL EXAMINATION Papers due on this Date |
Graduate Student Examination - Due 12.20.05 |
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