Maricopa Community Colleges  LAS229   20006-20035 
Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 12/14/99
LAS229 20006-20035 LEC 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s)
Computerized Law Office and Litigation Support
Computer hardware, operating systems, and application software; word processing skills. Types and comparisons of litigation support systems; coding schemes; management of integrated litigation support system. Fee arrangements; the billing cycle; billing procedures; management of billing activities. Management of names, matters, and events; indexing structures; reports; ethical issues. Prerequisites: LAS110, (BPC110 or equivalent), or permission of department chairperson or program director/coordinator.
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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
 
LAS229   20006-20035 Computerized Law Office and Litigation Support
1. Describe the ethical issues unique to the use of computers in the law office. (I)
2. Use a Windows-based operating system. (II, III)
3. Perform common law office-related word processing tasks. (IV, V)
4. Prepare the structure of common legal documents using word processor or personal computer. (VI)
5. Manage information for several matters, persons, and events with varying relationships to the firm using computerized docket control and calendaring systems such as ABACUS. (VII)
6. Manage billing activity using a computerized billing system such as Timeslips. (VIII)
7. Use an integrated litigation support program such as Summation. (IX)
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MCCCD Official Course Outline:
 
LAS229   20006-20035 Computerized Law Office and Litigation Support
    I. Ethical Issues for Computerized Information
        A. Duty to secure sensitive and private information against unauthorized disclosure
        B. Duty to protect against loss of information due to catastrophe or sabotage
        C. Duty to have adequate procedures in place for regularly reviewing case status
        D. Duty to have adequate data entry and modification auditing
      II. The Windows Desktop
          A. The hierarchy of icons
          B. Icon shortcuts
          C. Start button
          D. Taskbar
          E. Recycle bin
          F. Program windows
          G. Title bars
        III. Working Within the Windows Operating System
            A. Mouse control
            B. Window control
            C. Menus and dialog boxes
          IV. Word Processor Menu Items and Toolbars
              A. Main menu items
              B. Toolbars
            V. Document Naming and Filing Schemes
                A. Goals of document naming and filing
                B. Document naming scheme considerations
                C. Document filing schemes
              VI. Common Legal Documents
                  A. Legal correspondence
                  B. Legal memorandums
                  C. Pleadings and briefs
                VII. Computerized Calendaring and Case Management Systems (Such As ABACUS)
                    A. Definitions
                      1. Names
                      2. Matters
                      3. Events
                    B. Name and matter indexing structure
                    C. Managing names
                    D. Managing matters
                    E. Calendaring and managing events
                    F. Reporting
                  VIII. Computerized Timekeeping and Billing Systems (Such As Timeslips)
                      A. Fee arrangements
                      B. The billing cycle
                      C. Billable activities and expenses
                      D. Preparing a time slip
                      E. Preparing an expense slip
                      F. Managing clients, matters, users, and billable activities
                    IX. Computerized Litigation Support Systems (Such As Summation)
                        A. Documents generated during litigation
                        B. Discovery material
                        C. Evidence
                        D. Creating a case file
                        E. Searching case files
                        F. Annotating transcripts
                        G. Cataloging issues
                        H. Sorting/tallying
                        I. Printing or displaying results
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