Learn more about the Law Simulation Series and view a demo video atwww.aspenlaw.com/experience.
Working as an intern at the Anytown, USA law firm of Murphy, Miller & Dorn the student will be introduced to law office management and the policies and procedures that direct day-to-day activities. Assigned work is part of a supplied Task List that is designed to first indoctrinate and then challenge the student. The simulation provides a realistic environment in which the student may learn how a law office deals with a variety of management related ethical and procedural issues.
The instructor may follow the Task List directly, which will simulate approximately 15-20 hours of work, or customize the assignments by selecting only those client files and/or tasks that relate to the course material. The instructor may also supplement the work by uploading additional tasks, sample forms, and documents.
During his days at the office, the student will encounter avatars of a law partner, the office manager, and an administrative assistant who will guide the student’s work. Through audio and video files the student will assist these personnel in dealing with a wide variety of management issues including hiring practices, paperless initiatives and ethical dilemmas. Audio and video files will be available to the student for replay in order to reinforce lessons. In addition, the student will also have access to the firm’s policies and procedures manual and an extensive form bank of the law office’s administrative forms and sample documents.
In order to monitor the student’s work product and provide learning and feedback, conferences with the instructor (referred to in the simulation as the “Supervising Attorney”) are included in the task timeline. The flexibility and multiple uses of the simulation allow for those conference times to be one-on-one, by email, or during class time as an entire class works within the law office environment. An instructor resource center includes rubric/grading guides, links to additional teaching resources and supplemental assignments and projects that can be used to customize the student’s daily assignments.
Among the skills The Law Simulation Series: Law Office Management will develop and refine are:
- Understanding the role of the paralegal and other law office personnel in the delivery of legal services
- Understanding the rules of ethics and professional responsibility and how these rules relate to the practice of law
- Understanding basic principles of management
- Understanding law office policies and procedures
- Understanding employment and hiring issues
- Ability to use technology to further client representation
- Ability to use and understand administrative systems used in law practice
- Ability to practice effective time management
- Ability to apply knowledge of the basic principles of law that control the various legal specialties to the representation of law office clients