MCCCD Official Course Competencies:

PAR104  2009 Fall – 2012 Spring

Ethics for the Paralegal

1.          Compare and contrast various sources of authority regulating the practice of law. (I)

2.          Review sanctions and remedies imposed for violations of professional ethics. (I)

3.          Summarize the history and current status of paralegal regulation. (I)

4.          Define “unauthorized practice of law”. (II)

5.          Identify acts constituting unauthorized practice. (II)

6.          Review enforcement procedures for unauthorized practice. (II)

7.          Summarize the principle of confidentiality and its application to paralegals. (III)

8.          Summarize activities constituting conflict of interest for paralegals. (IV)

9.          Define “access to justice”. (V)

10.        Evaluate the types of activities allowed and prohibited for both legal and paralegal advertisement and solicitation. (V)

11.        Compare and contrast various types of legal fees. (VI)

12.        Distinguish among the different types of legal fee arrangements and their relationship to paralegals. (VI)

13.        Explain characteristics of paralegal professional competency. (VII)

14.        Describe use of attorney trust accounts. (VII)

15.        Analyze ethical issues relating to paralegal work. (II-VII)

16.        Recognize and define approaches for maintaining paralegal professionalism. (I-VII)

MCCCD Official Course Outline:

PAR104  2009 Fall – 2012 Spring

Ethics for the Paralegal

I.          Regulation

            A.        Practice of Law

                        1.         Courts

                        2.         Professional Associations 

                        3.         State Bar

            B.        State statutes and other regulations

            C.        Sanctions and remedies

            D.        Paralegals

                        1.         History

                        2.         Direct regulation

                        3.         State guidelines

                        4.         Associations

                        5.         Codes of ethics

                        6.         Liability

II.        Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL)

            A.        Definition

            B.        Attorney Responsibility

            C.        Actions constituting UPL 

            D.        Administrative Agency

            E.         Independent Contractors

            F.         Enforcement

III.       Confidentiality

            A.        Principles

            B.        Attorney-Client Privilege

            C.        Work Product

            D.        Release of Information

            E.         Ethical Rules

            F.         Paralegal Issues

IV.       Conflict of Interest

            A.        Types

                        1.         Personal

                        2.         Outside Forces

                        3.         Multiple Client Representation

                        4.         Public Service

            B.        Consequences

            C.        Disqualification

                        1.         Protection

                        2.         Procedures

            D.        Waivers

            E.         Conflict Checks

V.        Advertisement and Solicitation

            A.        Access to Justice

            B.        Advertisement

                        1.         Need

                        2.         Guidelines

            C.        Solicitation

                        1.         Good

                        2.         Bad

            D.        Case Law

VI.       Legal Fees

            A.        Clients

            B.        Types

                        1.         Referrals

                        2.         Contingency

                        3.         Statutory

                        4.         Paralegal

            C.        Fee Arrangements

                        1.         Types

                        2.         Restrictions

            D.        Billing

            E.         Fee Splitting

            F.         Client funds

VII.     Professional Competency

            A.        Definition

            B.        Education

                        1.         Paralegal

                        2.         Continuing Legal  

            C.        Sanctions

                        1.         Definition

                        2.         Procedures

            D.        Attorney Trust Accounts

                        1.         Use

                        2.         Restrictions