DAILY ASSIGNMENTS: (major/longer-term assignments are way down below)
WED DEC 14: Last day to withdraw from any class with “W” through CUNYfirst!
TH DEC 15: FINAL EXAM! Study!! Especially our past quizzes & exams and class notes (all posted in “Class notes & materials”), and your own notes! Here are suggested topics!! Bring something to write with, and your big, smart BRAINS! Nothing else!
TU DEC 20: Last class! Course wrap-up; students’ choice of topics!
PAST ASSIGNMENTS:
DUE TU AUG 30: (1) Read the whole syllabus, bring questions to class! (2) Read textbook ch. 1, pp. 2-6! (3) Confirm access to Blackboard and City Tech email! (4) Please send me an email (kcoughlin@citytech.cuny.edu) from your City Tech account with (a) three time slots, in order of preference, when you’re available to meet with me for about 1/2 hour on campus or Zoom (you can include my office hours, Tues. & Thurs. 11:15am-1pm) and (b) if you feel comfortable, your phone number and an email address you check frequently (gmail or whatever), for emergencies only, I promise!
DUE TH SEPT 1: (1) Read textbook ch. 1, pp. 9-17! (2) Join OpenLab and our course site! (If you’re reading this, you’ve done that! Great work! 🙂 )
DUE TU SEPT 6: (We will not meet! But this assignment is still due by the end of the day.) Write a post here on OpenLab titled “Who I Am” (or another title) describing (a) why you are in the Law and Paralegal Studies program (such as goals, interests, plans, etc.), and (b) something(s) else about you, as a person, that you want your classmates to know! Anything at all! Here are instructions on how to post. Choose “Who I Am” as the category!
DUE TH SEPT 8: (We will meet!) (1) Read ch. 2 pp. 20-31. (2) By 8am, write a post here on OL describing a NYC law office where you might like to work! Read details in this assignment.
DUE TU SEPT 13: (1) Write a short reply to a classmate’s “Who I Am” post! (Preferably someone who has not received a reply.) Instructions on how to reply are here. (2) Read ch. 2 pp. 38-52 and the sample resumes that follow. Be ready to share your opinions on the resumes during class! (a) S Student (b) Y Suarez (c) K Peters (d) C Kent
DUE TH SEPT 15: (1) First draft resume due by email 8am! Details in this assignment. (2) Study for quiz #1! Paralegal roles & skills, and Career opportunities (chs. 1&2) At the start of class — arrive on time! (3) Post “Law in Culture” source by end of day! Details in this assignment.
DUE TU SEPT 20: (1) Email revised resume to me before class! (2) Review ch. 2 pp. 41-44 (on cover letters) and the sample student cover letters below. Be ready to share your compliments and suggestions on the letters during class!
DUE TH SEPT 22: Email draft cover letter to me by 8am!
DUE FRI SEPT 23: Email FINAL resume & cover letter to me by end of day!
DUE TH OCT 6: (1) Read textbook ch. 6 pp. 145-158 (Court System). (2) Review the materials linked below on the US court system — you will receive paper copies in class!
- Federal court system charts: Civil Lit textbook chart and color chart
- Federal court system map of districts and circuits
DUE TU OCT 11: NO CLASS MEETING! You’ll complete Quiz #2, on court systems, on Blackboard, during any one hour between 10am-5pm. Review posted class notes and materials, your own notes, and textbook ch. 6 pp. 145-158. Call me with any questions or technical problems during that time (don’t email or text): 917.363.0063!
TH OCT 13: Walking tour of Brooklyn courts! Meet 10am SHARP at 300 Jay Street entrance to the college. If you are under 18, please have your parent or guardian complete this form and bring it to the trip.
DUE TU OCT 18: Review notes, quizzes, readings, etc. in prep for midterm exam review! Bring questions!
DUE TH OCT 20: STUDY for MIDTERM EXAM!! See these Study Suggestions!! Review all of your notes, quizzes, the “class notes” here on OL, assigned readings, etc. You may bring your paper copies of these federal court system charts & maps that were distributed in class: chart from your Civil Lit textbook chart ; color chart ; map of federal judicial districts and circuits. **I will NOT bring paper copies to the exam, and you will NOT be permitted to access electronic copies!! Please also bring a writing instrument, and your big, smart BRAINS!!
DUE TU OCT 25: (1) Read textbook ch. 3, Workings of a Law Office! On reserve in the college library! (2) Complete this Timekeeping assignment, due here on OpenLab by 8am Tuesday!
DUE TH OCT 27: Read textbook ch. 4, pp. 85-99, on legal ethics!
DUE MON OCT 31 by 12 noon: Post at least one question for guest speaker Vanella Douglas, by “replying” to my post about her on the Home page here!
DUE TU NOV 1 by 8am: (1) Read textbook ch. 4, pp. 100-118, also on legal ethics! (2) Choose ONE of these questions on p. 117 and answer it in in a “reply” to my post about that chapter on the Home page here on OL: Ethics Question 1 OR 2, OR Practice Question 4 OR 5! Be sure to state what question you are answering!
DUE TH NOV 3: (1) Read the Sussman v. Grado case and post a “reply” to my post about that case on the Home page here, responding to the case in some way. For example, what did you think of what the paralegal did, and/or the outcome? What surprised you about the case? What question(s) do you have about it? Anything at all! Please demonstrate through your response that you read the case. (2) Please review “Advisement & Registration Steps & Resources” at the top of the “Class Notes & Materials” page, and bring questions to class!
DUE MON NOV 7 at 12 noon: If you didn’t yet, please post a question for Vanella Douglas as a “reply” to my post about her on the Home page!
DUE TU NOV 8: Read textbook ch. 5, Sources of American Law, pp. 119-122 (up to “Remedies at Law…”) and 126-129 (from “The Common Law Today” to “Constitutional Law”).
DUE TH NOV 10 at 8am: (1) Read textbook ch. 5, Sources of American Law, pp. 129 to end. (2) In a reply to my post on the Home page about ch. 5, please identify and answer in complete sentences, one of these questions on p. 143: the Ethics Question, OR Practice Question 3, any part (a, b, c, d OR e) OR Practice Question 4, any part (a, b, c, OR d). (3) In a reply to my other post on the Home page, about today’s election, please write a short summary and response to any news source about the election, especially telling us what YOU think! (4) Attend class to receive a prize! 🙂
DUE TU NOV 15: (1) Study for QUIZ #3!! (Moved up from Th. Nov. 17!) Everything since midterm exam. (2) Read textbook ch. 7, pp. 175-201 (legal research) — on reserve in library!
TH NOV 17: (Optional) visit to federal court to observe a criminal trial! Meet in N622 at 10am — we will leave promptly thereafter! You may use this proceeding as the subject for your Court Observation assignment. If you’re under 18, please complete this form and bring it to the trip! Paper copies of the form are available in my mailbox in the department office.
DUE TU NOV 22: (1) (If you attended court observation) post your response to your experience (“court observation assignment“) as a “reply” to my post on the home page! (2) Really! Read textbook ch. 7, pp. 177-194 & 200-203 (legal research), on reserve in college library.
DUE BY THE END OF TU NOV 22: (1) (If you attended court observation) post your response to your experience (“court observation assignment“) as a “reply” to my post on the home page!
TU NOV 29: NO class meeting! in place of court observation.
DUE TH DEC 1: (1) Post Law in Culture review here on OL by end of day! Review the assignment for requirements! (2) Read textbook ch. 9 (legal writing), especially pp. 251-260!
DUE TU DEC 6: (1) If you didn’t yet, observe a court proceeding and post a response here on OL, as a reply to my post! (2) Read this Demand Letter Assignment which we’ll discuss in class!
DUE TH DEC 8: (1) By 8am, email me your draft demand letter as an attached Word document! (Not link or pdf.) Here’s the assignment! (2) If you didn’t yet, give your oral presentation on your court observation in class! Here’s that assignment!
DUE FRI DEC 9: Complete Course Evaluation online! Check City Tech email from “NYC College of Technology Course Evaluations,” SPSSurveys@scantron.com.
DUE TU DEC 13: (1) Final demand letter due by email before class! (attached Word document — not a link!) (2) Study for quiz #4 (everything since Quiz #3: Sources of Law, Legal Research, Legal Writing — chs. 5, 7, 9) & final exam review! WIN PRIZES! 🙂
MAJOR / LONGER-TERM ASSIGNMENTS:
“Law in Culture Review” assignment! (first post due Sept. 15, final review due Dec. 1)
Resume & Cover Letter assignment! (multiple drafts due starting Th. Sept. 15, final versions due Fri. Sept. 23)
