ADVISEMENT & REGISTRATION STEPS & RESOURCES!!

1. Email your faculty adviser for an appointment! Check the adviser list.
2. Review the Law & Paralegal Studies Degree Checklist! (in College Catalog–go to pp. 188-189, plus LOTS of other useful info on pp. 186-192!)
3. Review your record on DegreeWorks! (to see your progress toward your degree — here’s guidance for using it!)
4. Plan your program!  What courses do you think you should take?
5. Meet with your adviser!  Be on time!
6. Check the Schedule of classes!  (to find out what classes are available next semester & where/when/how they take place)
7. Register for classes! on CUNYfirst!  After Nov. 15. 

Other helpful advisement resources!

• How to find Winter classes!
• List of General Education (“Gen Ed”) Required Common Core course options
• City Tech’s Financial Aid Office website (LOTS of helpful, important info including how to contact them with questions)
• City Tech’s “Academic Advising” page (LOTS of helpful links & info!)
• “The Companion” for First-Year Students (especially pp. 69-72 on advisement and registration, but LOTS of useful info and activities throughout!)

COURT SYSTEM MATERIALS (charts, maps, etc.) — no need to print–you’ll get paper copies of most of these in class!!

• New York court system chart (C&W)
• Lists of NYS departments & counties (C&W)
• New York court system map of counties and departments
• “Introductory Guide to NYS Courts” (handy government publication that briefly explains all the courts)
• Federal court system charts: C&W chart and color chart
• Federal court system map of districts and circuits

GENERAL COURSE RESOURCES

• Tentative COMBINED SYLLABUS! for LAW 1101 & 1103
• College Academic Calendar!  Important dates, deadlines, etc.
• Academic Integrity policies! City Tech and CUNY
• “How to Post and Reply” instructions!
• ZOOM LINK! for any meetings or classes scheduled to take place on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81380874817 (Meeting ID 813 8087 4817)

DAILY CLASS NOTES & MATERIALS!

Th. Aug. 26 (class 1): Course introductions!

• Today’s class notes!
• Tentative syllabus for LAW 1101 & 1103!!

Tue. Aug. 31 (class 2): 1101-Paralegal roles & skills; 1103-What is civil procedure?

• Today’s class notes!
• Combined syllabus for LAW 1101 & 1103!!
• Info on vaccination & other COVID-related requirements at City Tech, including new vaccination deadlines!
• How to post & reply on OpenLab!

Th. Sept. 2 (class 3) on Zoom due to Hurricane Ida! 1101-Paralegal roles & skills cont’d; 1103-Civil vs. criminal law; jurisdictional bases

• Today’s class notes!
• National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) website
• National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) website
• Example of consequences of court lacking jurisdiction (C&W p. 25)

Tu. Sept. 7 NO CLASS Happy Rosh Hashanah!

Th. Sept. 9 (class 4) 1101-Career opportunities-where paralegals work; 1103-Jurisdictional bases continued; parties & their claims

• Today’s class notes!
• Legal News Responses optional assignment for extra credit
• NYSBA Legal Job Opportunities (search for paralegal jobs in NY!)

Tu. Sept. 14 (classes 5) NO CLASS MEETING for us! 1103-take Quiz #1 on Blackboard anytime 10am-5pm; 1101-individual meetings this week instead!

Th. Sept. 16: NO CLASSES for the whole college!  Observance of Yom Kippur

Tu. Sept. 21 (classes 6): 1101-“Law in Culture” Review assignment; 1101/1103-Structure of the Courts, basics & NYS court system!

• Today’s class notes!
• Law in Culture Review assignment!
• Branches of Government diagram!
• Generic court system chart! (3 tiers-from C&W)
• New York court system chart! (C&W)
• Lists of NYS departments & counties! (C&W)
• New York court system map of counties and departments!
• “Introductory Guide to NYS Courts” (handy government publication that briefly explains all the courts)

Th. Sept. 23 (classes 7): Walking tour of the Brooklyn courts!  No materials.

Tu. Sept. 28 (classes 8): NY & Federal Court systems continued

• Today’s class notes!
• NYS court filing fees!
• NYS Court of Appeals Judges & other info!
• US Supreme Court Justices!
• FAQs about US Supreme Court!

Th. Sept. 30 (classes 9): Walking tour of the Manhattan courts!  No materials.

Tu. Oct. 5 (classes 10): Follow-up on Federal Courts; 1101 Career Opportunities-Resumes & Cover Letters; 1103 Intro to CPLR!

• Today’s class notes!
• Resume & cover letter assignment!
• Sample resumes & (some) cover letters (not perfect, just ideas!): Clark Kent, Kimberley Peters (resumes only), Selina Kyle (CL & resume)
• US Supreme Court Justices!
• FAQs about US Supreme Court!
• Example of nominal damages: USFL v. NFL!

Th. Oct. 7 (classes 11): 1103 Causes of Action & Remedies; 1101 Peer review resumes; Peer Mentor Oliver on midterm exam prep!  

• Today’s class notes!
• Resume & cover letter assignment!
• Sample resumes & (some) cover letters from my past students: (not perfect, just ideas!): Clark Kent, Kimberley Peters (resumes only), Selina Kyle (CL & resume)
• Some of your classmates’ resumes! Smart D Student, Smart T. Student, Smarty Student, Studious Student
• Peer mentor Oliver’s resume!

Tu. Oct. 12 (classes 12): NO MEETING — 1101 quiz #2 on BB.

Th. Oct. 14 (classes 13): 1101 Peer review resumes; 1103 quiz #2; both subjects midterm exam review!   

• Today’s class notes!
• Resume & cover letter assignment!
• Sample cover letters from my past students: Yolanda (with resume), Carlos, Omari, Emily, Selina (with resume)
• Some of your classmates’ cover letters:Carla, Stoody
• Midterm exam study suggestions! 1101 & 1103

Tu. & Th. Oct. 19 & 21 (classes 14 & 15): MIDTERM EXAMS!

Tu. Oct. 26 (classes 16): 1103 Counter/cross-claims, joinder/consolidation; guest speakers Tiara & Kyle!    

• Today’s class notes!

Th. Oct. 28 (classes 17): 1103 Long Arm Jurisdiction; guest speaker Tevin Williams!    

• Today’s class notes!
• Parties & claims/joinder & consolidation review exercise!

Tu. Nov. 2 (classes 18): 1101 Workings of a law office;1103 Commencing the action; summons & pleadings!    

• Today’s class notes!
• Sample retainer agreements! Spellman & Sanders
• Sample hourly bill! Destribats
• Timekeeping assignment!
• Sample pleadings: summons & complaint (Pepsico), summons with notice (Konig), answer (Pepsico)!

Th. Nov. 4 (classes 19): 1101 Sources of law; 1103 Summons & pleadings continued, quiz #3!

• Today’s class notes!
• Sample summons & complaint (Pepsico), answer (Pepsico), and answer with counterclaims (NY Times)!

Tu. Nov. 9 (classes 20): 1101 Sources of law-constitutional rights, legal research & analysis; 1103 Summons & complaint assignment!

• Today’s class notes!
• Summons & complaint assignment!

Th. Nov. 11 (classes 21): 1101 Ethics, quiz # 3 (workings of a law office, sources of law, legal research & analysis); advisement and registration procedures with Peer Mentor Oliver! 

• Today’s class notes!
• See list/links of “advisement & registration resources” above!

Tu. Nov. 16 (classes 22): 1101 Ethics cont’d, 1103 Proprietor v. Consumer papers, including venue!  

• Today’s class notes!
• NY Rules of Professional Conduct! (attorney ethical rules)
• NALA Code of Ethics & Professional Responsibility! (paralegal ethical guidelines)
• NFPA Model Code of Ethics & Professional Responsibility! (paralegal ethical guidelines)

Th. Nov. 18 (classes 23): 1101 (Un)ethics–UPL; 1103 Proprietor v. Consumer papers continued: the complaint!    

• Today’s class notes!
• Sussman v. Grado decision (paralegal behaving badly 🙁 )
• Sample summons and complaint: CUH2A v. Pepsico!

Tu. Nov. 23 (classes 24): 1103 Proprietor v. Consumer – peer review draft complaints; 1101 court observation – visit to Appellate Division Second Department!

• Today’s class notes!

Th. Nov. 25 – HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Tu. Nov. 30 (classes 25): NO class meeting — individual meetings on summons & complaints this week instead!

Th. Dec. 2 (classes 26): 1103 Statutes of Limitations; 1101 Legal Writing, including Demand Letter assignment!

• Today’s class notes!   
• 1101 Demand Letter assignment!
• Sample demand letters from prior classes! (scroll past the assignment to see them)

Tu. Dec. 7 (classes 27): 1103 putting “bluebacks” on summons & complaints; 1101 quiz 4, peer review demand letters!

• Today’s class notes!
• 1101 Demand Letter assignment!
• Sample demand letters from prior classes! (scroll past the assignment to see them)
• 1101 & 1103 final exams study suggestions!

Th. Dec. 9 (classes 28): 1103 quiz 4; final exam review for both classes!!  

• Today’s class notes!  
• 1101 & 1103 final exams study suggestions!

Tu. Dec. 14 (classes 29): BOTH final exams!!  In class!!

Th. Dec. 16 (classes 30): Course wrap-up!!  In Namm 622!  Enjoy the break!!