Business
Broadview University (formerly Utah Career College) offers legal courses that provide practical, rigorous training for students seeking careers as paralegals. All legal courses are taught by practicing attorneys and experienced paralegals. Classes in legal specialties are taught by professionals with extensive experience in those areas.
The Associate in Paralegal degree program and the Bachelor’s in Paralegal degree program are offered at several campus locations and through our Online Education Department. Please contact usfor information about specific course availability.
Legal course descriptions
LA100 Legal Terminology (4 Credits)
This is a concentrated study of terminology used in the legal process. Students learn the proper use of legal terminology through reading and practice. Legal terms are spelled, defined and applied to real situations that occur in the legal field.
LA121 Introduction to Paralegal Studies (3 Credits)
This is an overview of the paralegal profession, its job requirements, career opportunities and the legal and ethical constraints on its practice. It also covers typical work responsibilities and various employment settings for the paralegal.
LA155 Legal Research I (4 Credits)
Students perform legal research using texts and the computer. They learn fundamentals of legal analysis relating to primary law and secondary law and correct citation format, as well as how to use the law library, electronic resources and a range of other tools to find relevant primary and secondary law. Students receive instruction in Westlaw.
Prerequisites: LA100
LA170 Real Estate (3 Credits)
This course covers concepts of the law of real property, including types of estates and ownership, encumbrances, recording and registration, title examination, financing methods and rental property. Students learn to prepare documents such as liens, leaseholds and joint ownership that transfer title and create property interests, and study in detail the documents and processes involved in real estate closings.
Prerequisites: CS131, AND LA100
LA180 Torts (3 Credits)
This course prepares students to perform paralegal support functions in personal injury and other tort litigation. Students learn underlying social policies, elements and defenses for actions in negligence, intentional tort and strict liability cases. They also learn how to analyze potential liability in a wide number of factual situations.
LA185 Criminal Law and Procedure (3 Credits)
This course reviews the fundamentals of criminal litigation enhanced with practical skills needed to work in this field. Students investigate criminal law, including categories, elements and defenses of crimes, procedural criminal law, the criminal legal process and constitutional considerations.
Prerequisites: LA100
LA196 Constitutional Issues (3 Credits)
This course examines fundamental substantive and procedural U.S. Constitutional law. Students evaluate cases and laws to discover problematic constitutional issues, gather information and draft documents relating to criminal, property, and civil rights proceedings.
Prerequisites: LA100
LA201 American Legal Systems (3 Credits)
This course analyzes the function and workings of American courts; their influence on politics and society; the roles of judges, courts and lawyers; and the concept of law as a coherent system. Students incorporate current legal events as they examine and debate the fundamental history, structure, and jurisprudential cornerstones of the American modern legal system.
LA205 Litigation I (4 Credits)
This course provides theoretical and practical knowledge needed by a paralegal to assist an attorney in the litigation process. Students learn to draft various discovery documents used in litigation.
Prerequisites: KY100, AND LA100
LA215 Law Office Procedures and Technology (4 Credits)
This course familiarizes students with practical inner workings of a law office. Topics include office organization, legal terminology, fees and billing procedures, scheduling and calendaring, preparation and maintenance of case files, preparation of law office forms, and an introduction to a variety of legal-specific software applications.
Prerequisites: CS131, AND KY100, AND LA100
LA225 Administrative Law (3 Credits)
This course provides theoretical and practical knowledge required for a basic understanding of issues in administrative law and procedures.
Prerequisites: LA155
LA235 Contracts (3 Credits)
This course provides an in-depth analysis of law pertaining to contracts, including contract formation, resolution, breach, defenses and the Uniform Commercial Code. Students complete research projects, using the law library and Westlaw to draft simple contracts.
Prerequisites: LA155
LA240 Legal Writing I (4 Credits)
Students review writing basics, including punctuation, capitalization, grammar and correct formatting of correspondence and legal documents. The course incorporates fundamentals of legal writing and analysis of cases. Students learn to prepare professional legal correspondence, legal case briefs and other written legal documents.
Prerequisites: LA155, AND CM121
LA255 Ethics for the Law Office (4 Credits)
This course is a concentrated study of legal ethics from the perspective of the paralegal. It considers the study of ethical situations, rules and model codes of the legal profession, conflict of interest, client confidentiality and other ethical dilemmas. The course presents a concrete, practical approach to ethical challenges.
LA265 Family Law (3 Credits)
This course examines substantive and procedural family law. The course explores the paralegal's role in preparing antenuptial, separation and custody agreements; gathering information and drafting documents relating to divorce, annulment, property settlement, and custody proceedings; and the judicial enforcement of such agreements and decrees.
Prerequisites: LA155
LA299 AAS Paralegal Internship (6 Credits)
A student must complete all legal courses before taking LA299. The internship integrates paralegal and liberal arts training through hands-on applications in law office environments. Working under the direction and supervision of attorneys, students maintain dockets and calendars, prepare exhibits, assist in preparing settlement documents, attend intake interviews, order necessary court or government records, gather and prepare factual materials for trial, perform legal research and evaluate ethical situations.
Prerequisites: CM250 OR PD250
LA300 Law Office Management (4 Credits)
This practical course addresses management of a law office. Topics include management concepts and techniques used by the legal community in the practice of law; responsibilities of the paralegal; and rules and laws governing ethical conduct of lawyers and non-lawyers.
Prerequisites: LA155, AND LA215, AND LA240, AND LA255
LA305 Interviewing and Investigation (4 Credits)
This course provides theoretical and practical knowledge, preparing students for interviewing and investigation methods they will use as they assist attorneys in preparation of cases.
Prerequisites: LA185, AND LA205
LA321 Probate Practice (3 Credits)
Students learn law relating to several types of ownership of property, testate and intestate succession, estate distribution and requirements for creating a valid will and a simple trust with minor beneficiaries. The course emphasizes probate process and estate administration, including preparation of wills, trusts and petitions for informal administration of estates.
Prerequisites: LA240
LA322 Cyber Law (3 Credits)
This course provides theoretical and practical knowledge of cyber law litigation.
Prerequisites: CS111, AND CS256, AND LA240, AND LA255
LA323 Bankruptcy (3 Credits)
This course provides theoretical and practical knowledge of bankruptcy litigation.
Prerequisites: LA240, AND LA255
LA324 Copyrights, Trademarks and Patents (3 Credits)
This course deals with copyrights, trademarks, patents and trade secrets. Students study real cases and business situations that illustrate concepts and principles of intellectual property law.
Prerequisites: LA155, AND LA240
LA326 Corporate Business Structures (3 Credits)
This course covers the law of creation and dissolution of sole proprietorships, general and limited partnerships, and limited liability companies and corporations, including the rights, responsibilities and relationships created by each structure. Students learn to prepare documents related to formation, conversion and dissolution of each structure. Internet use is required.
Prerequisites: LA240
LA400 Alternative Dispute Resolution (3 Credits)
This course covers alternatives to litigation for resolution of disputes. Students analyze negotiation, mediation and arbitration; identifying participants, ultimate decision-making authorities, best alternatives given the circumstances of particular disputes and the role that the paralegal plays in the process.
Prerequisites: LA155, AND LA205
LA410 Legal Research II (4 Credits)
Students learn advanced legal research skills, using primary and secondary sources of law and relevant finding tools, researching complex legal issues using a variety of tools, producing results of advanced searches and researched interoffice memoranda, and performing advanced Westlaw queries.
Prerequisites: LA155
LA420 Litigation II (4 Credits)
This course expands on topics introduced in Litigation I. Students apply what they have learned about the civil litigation process, exploring strategy and mechanics of civil procedure in depth. Topics include motions, discovery, trial and appellate procedures. The instructor-facilitator acts as a supervising attorney, guiding students as they apply critical thinking and analytical skills in complex drafting exercises for two or three cases, from inception to final resolution.
Prerequisites: LA205, AND LA215, AND KY100
LA425 Legal Writing II (4 Credits)
Students learn to make clear, concise, persuasive written legal arguments. They apply analytical skills as they make decisions and advance arguments by evaluating legal authorities and synthesizing those authorities into legal documents such as motions with accompanying memoranda of law.
Prerequisites: LA155, AND LA240
LA450 Field Preparation (4 Credits)
This course integrates theoretical concepts and practical applications presented in legal research, litigation and specialization courses, as students analyze cases and engage in discussion, research, presentations and advanced drafting exercises.
Prerequisites: LA410, AND LA420, AND LA425
LA499 BS Paralegal Internship (6 Credits)
A student must complete all legal courses before enrolling in LA499. The paralegal internship integrates paralegal and general education training. Students, under the supervision of attorneys, perform hands-on applications in a law office environment. Students perform advanced duties, which may include preparing exhibits and evidence, working with clients to obtain information and fill out necessary forms, assisting in preparation for pretrial conferences and case settlements, researching primary and secondary law, assisting in drafting contacts and agreements, and creating internal and external legal memoranda.
Prerequisites: CM250 OR PD250
LA510 Legal Information Management (4 Credits)
This course examines ways to handle legal information and research in today's dynamic business environment. Students will investigate how information technology (IT) has impacted legal research systems and accessibility to legal information followed by a review of contemporary management theories, practices, and IT systems/tools that influence the flow of legal information. Emphasis areas include management of legal information and legal implications of using new technologies.
Legal classes that provide practical skills
Unlike some college classes in paralegal studies, courses at Broadview University provide students with practice in every type of task they will later perform as paralegals. Employers know they can rely on that level of preparation – our graduates have an excellent placement rate.
If you are interested in our associate (two-year degree) or bachelor’s (four-year degree) program, please contact Admissions. A representative will be happy to help you.