What Should I Take Next Fall?

I know it's early, but Ivy Tech is making me submit my proposed fall schedule today, so I wanted to let you all in on my recommendations.

1. If you have taken Civ Pro (PARA 103), then plan to take Litigation (PARA 202--now LEGS 202) in the fall. There will be a day section and (by popular demand) a night section. Litigation really is a fun class--regardless of what you may have heard from your predecessors. In Litigation, you spend the semester preparing for trial--you prepare the complaint, the answer, discovery, motions, letters to your client, etc. For the grand finale, we hold a mock trial. There is no book. There is no final.

2. If you have taken Intro (PARA 101), then plan to take the new Legal Writing I (PARA 204) in the fall (unless you and I agree that you should just take the new Legal Writing II (PARA 224)). Legal Writing I will cover the basics of writing--grammar, spelling, punctuation--with the degree of exactitude that I and your future employers will demand. The Paralegal Studies program chairs statewide unanimously agreed that the old Legal Writing class frustrated students and instructors alike. Many students were still struggling with the precision punctuation and grammar that lawyers demand, and classes were unable to move into the complex legal documents that we had originally envisioned. SO ... Legal Writing I: a good time to polish up all those dusty rules of grammar without having to worry so much about making complex arguments as well. We'll also spend some time on legal terminology. Not to worry. It'll be fun. I promise. And the extra time spent on grammar and legal terms should make the rest of your classes easier. I am absurdly excited about teaching this class. Two morning sections, one evening section. Take it this fall. No excuses.

(In case you're curious, Legal Writing II will be the same as the current Legal Writing class. The current Legal Writing class will be offered for the last time this summer. Legal Writing II will make its appearance next spring.)

This fall, you'll notice that some paralegal classes will have the new Legal Studies prefix (LEGS). LEGS is our new transfer degree program. LEGS and PARA students will be taking many of the same classes, so some have been designated as LEGS and some retain their PARA designation. If you have questions about any of your classes, please ask!