Solutions for The Litigation Paralegal, A Systems Approach, 7th Edition McCord (All Chapters included)
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Complete Solutions Manual for The Litigation Paralegal, A Systems Approach, 7th Edition by James W. H. McCord, Pamela R. Tepper ; ISBN13: 9780357767337....(Full Chapters included Chapter 1 to 12)...1. Welcome to the Law Office: Foundations for Litigation.
2. The Initial Interview.
3. Evidence and...
The Litigation Paralegal,
A Systems Approach
7th Edition by James W. H. McCord
Complete Chapter Solutions Manual
are included (Ch 1 to 12)
** Immediate Download
** Swift Response
** All Chapters included
,Solution and Answer Guide
MCCORD/TEPPER, LITIGATION PARALEGAL 2024, 9780357767337; CHAPTER 1: WELCOME TO THE
LAW OFFICE: FOUNDATIONS FOR LITIGATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Questions for Study and Review ................................................................................................................ 2
Application Assignments ............................................................................................................................ 5
Case Assignments ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Ethics Assignment ....................................................................................................................................... 7
System Folder Assignments........................................................................................................................ 8
,QUESTIONS FOR STUDY AND REVIEW
1. Define paralegal.
Answer: A paralegal assists attorneys in preparing client cases. This includes assisting in
interviews, investigation, document preparation, pre- and post-trial activities, trial and settlement,
and any other activities permitted by statute or case law.
2. Why is a paralegal valuable to a law firm? Identify significant legal authority on billing for
paralegal time.
Answer: Paralegals can perform a multitude of tasks more economically for the client. This
includes preparing letters, preparing documents, and investigative functions when necessary.
Missouri v. Jenkins is the U.S. Supreme Court case that recognized that a paralegal’s time can be
billed as a fee and awarded by the court in assessing attorney’s fees.
3. Why are timekeeping and deadline control important?
Answer: Timekeeping is critical to billing. Deadline control is key in assignments, especially
those dealing directly with a court.
4. What are some ethical concerns regarding timekeeping and billing?
Answer: Paralegals cannot set fees for a client and cannot split fees with an attorney. The
paralegal cannot perform tasks that are considered the unauthorized practice of law.
5. What are some of the advantages and pitfalls in using social media in the law office setting?
Answer: Social media has a myriad of uses and advantages, such as a networking tool to gain
additional client business or even to see or hear what other law firms are doing. Firms are using
social media as a way to promote their services and specializations to a target audience. It is an
inexpensive way to promote the firm. Keeping up with social media through posting information
can be time consuming, but well worth it. It helps law firms understand the needs of the client,
see what people are talking about, and check to see what the competition is doing. But social
media is not without its drawbacks and restrictions. Always remember that client confidentiality
is fundamental to the practice of law. Using social media is no exception. That means don’t
engage with clients or potentials clients in discussions about their cases as no one wants to cross
any legal or professional ethical lines.
6. Define professional ethics in the context of the practice of law.
Answer: Professional ethics, as applied to attorneys, refers to the rules of conduct that govern the
practice of law.
7. Why are professional ethics so important to a law firm?
Answer: A breach of ethical standards will reflect badly upon the firm or employer and may also
lead to the disbarment of an attorney. It may cost a paralegal his or her job and subject the
paralegal to prosecution for the unauthorized practice of law.
8. What are the things a paralegal may not do?
, Answer: Paralegals may not perform any of the following functions:
a. Provide legal services directly to the public without the supervision of an attorney. More
states and the federal system are permitting paralegals to represent the public in limited
controlled settings, such as landlord/tenant matters, immigration, and Social Security cases.
b. Give legal advice or counsel a client. Legal advice is independent professional judgment
based on knowledge of the law and given for the benefit of a particular client.
c. Represent a client in court or other tribunal or otherwise act as an advocate for a client unless
specifically permitted to do so by law or rule of court. (See previous answer part a for further
clarification.)
d. Accept or reject cases for the firm.
e. Set any fee for representation of a client.
f. Split legal fees with an attorney (bonuses and profit-sharing plans not tied to a specific case
are permissible).
g. Be a partner with a lawyer if any of the activities of the partnership include the practice of
law [exception: the District of Columbia Ethics Rule 5.4(b)]. The American Bar Association
rejected a proposal to relax the prohibition against fee sharing and multidisciplinary practice.
h. Solicit cases for a lawyer.
i. Perform tasks that are the unauthorized practice of law as defined in the pertinent state.
9. What are the seven criteria that assure a paralegal’s actions will not be or cause a breach of
ethics?
Answer:
1. The task must be delegated by an attorney.
2. It must be performed under an attorney’s supervision.
3. Paralegals must clearly designate their status as a paralegal.
4. The lawyer must retain a direct relationship with the client (the attorney must retain control
over the relationship).
5. The task must involve information gathering or be ministerial and cannot involve the
rendering of legal advice or judgment (unless the legal advice or judgment is provided by the
paralegal directly to the attorney).
6. The work must be given final approval or be examined by the attorney.
7. The work must not have a separate identity but merge with the attorney’s final work product.
10. What is a conflict of interest and the rationale for the relevant ethical standards?
Answer: A paralegal should avoid and reveal any conflicts of interest. This requirement rests on
the rationale that citizens must have faith in the legal system to seek the peaceful resolution of
their disputes. Because conflicts of interest can dilute an attorney’s allegiance to the client and
damage independent professional judgment, they are barred by the Model Rules of Professional
Responsibility. A paralegal must also be loyal to the client and avoid such conflicts.
11. What is meant by the term professional loyalty as applied to your fellow workers? The client?
The practice of law?
Answer: In professional working relationships, mutual respect and loyalty between employer and
employees is especially important. Publicly criticizing one’s fellow workers or one’s clients, who
deserve the utmost courtesy, respect, and a legal professional's every effort to preserve their
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