Legal Training Course Guideline Information

The following guidelines will assist you in planning and holding a successful Legal Training Course at your local chapter.

A. Select a Committee
Appoint a Legal Training Course Coordinator who will be responsible for record keeping and correspondence. In addition to sharing responsibility and workload, the advantages of having a committee work together to coordinate the Legal Training Course are that committee members have an increased opportunity to network, to use people skills, to participate in a team building activity, and to learn how to better solve problems. While working on a committee, each member has some phase during which he or she is the leader and each member learns what the project encompasses and how to chair it next time. When the course is successfully completed, more chapter members feel the pride and satisfaction of a job well done because they were an active part of that success.

B. Set up a Course Schedule
Each course must cover the required topics and at least two (basic) or three (advanced) optional topics. In-classroom instruction must total a minimum of thirty-two (32) hours (basic), thirty-six (36) hours (advanced). A minimum of three hours each should be allowed for a midterm exam, if applicable, and for the final exam (which is provided by NALS). Most of the topics listed in the course outline are covered in the textbooks. It is recommended that supplemental materials be incorporated into the classes. These are the minimum requirements for conducting a Legal Training Course. However, if your purpose is to prepare the students for certification exams, you should ensure your course is covering all the material in the exam by consulting the Resource Manual and the Lawyer’s Assistant Curriculum Guide.

C. Coordinate Classroom Space
The classroom needs to be conducive to adult learning. Colleges, law firm conference rooms, community meeting halls, some high school classrooms, and library meeting rooms are examples of likely classroom space. The classroom should be well lit and needs to have adequate space for adult seating.

D. Coordinate Instructors
Instructors must be approved as part of the course approval. A local chapter’s certified PPs or PLSs are an excellent source for instructors. Others in the legal profession, who have demonstrated a high skills level, may also be considered. A résumé is required of these individuals. Instructors should be provided information from the textbooks, teacher’s manuals, and any mid-term examination topics for which they are responsible. Remind the instructors to cover the textbook materials, and not just the topic as it applies to them locally. The final examination is supplied by NALS. The Legal Training Course coordinator is responsible for confirming schedules, topics, handout materials, and biographical sketches (résumé) of all instructors.

E. Determine a Registration Fee
Consider the following when determining what your registration fee will be: whether you have to pay for classroom space, pay an instructor, the cost of mailing flyers and advertising the course, copying charges for speakers’ handouts and other information, speakers’ gifts, the cost of the textbook(s) and study guide, and whether you will pay for the students to take the ALS examination. The student rate applies only to the national test date following the exam.

NALS charges a fee of $10 for each participant. Upon payment of this fee, NALS will provide the final examination and a template for the Legal Training Course Coordinator to prepare Certificates of Completion.

The course fee should be established so that it is high enough to discourage dropouts but not so high that it hinders participation. Chapters generally charge $100 to $200 for members and $150 to $250 for nonmembers. You will need to establish a fee that is acceptable in your locale. The fee should be sufficient to cover all of the material, textbooks, NALS' registration fee, and any miscellaneous expenses that are incurred by the chapter and provide the chapter with a substantial income.

F. Prior to Starting the Course, Obtain Approval from NALS
Complete the Legal Training Course Itinerary Form which includes topics, hours for each session, and a list of instructors with their appropriate titles. Include a résumé for all instructors who are not attorneys, judges, PPs, PLSs, or post-secondary instructors. Résumés of all instructors should be obtained for your promotional purposes.

Complete the Legal Training Course Approval Form and submit the forms to the NALS Resource Center, Certification and Education Manager, 8159 East 41st Street, Tulsa, OK 74145. The telephone number is (918) 582-5188,ext. 22 The facsimile number is (918) 582-5907 or e-mail:info@nals.org.

H. Advertising the Course
Get the word out in your legal community that you are sponsoring a Legal Training Course. If possible, advertise in the local bar association publication. Remember, your advertising should reflect the quality of education that you are providing.

Your Legal Training Course will also be advertised on the NALS website.

I. Order Textbooks
You will find useful information for ordering textbooks at the NALS Bookstore. The textbooks must be purchased from the publisher directly. Note: If offering the ALS examination at the end of the basic legal training course, additional references will be necessary. Check the NALS website for the current list of references needed for certification. Be sure to order your textbooks early.

J. Administer the Course
A committee member should be present at the beginning of the course to distribute books and other course materials. Ensure that all students are aware of the requirements for successful completion of the Legal Training Course. At each subsequent session, a monitor should be present to take attendance and assist the instructors as required.

NALS does not provide a midterm exam, although it is recommended that the Coordinator prepare one from the topics already covered. NALS does provide the final examination which may be given at the last session of the course. NALS recommends that three hours each be given to complete a midterm, if applicable, and the final examination. You will need to establish whether or not you will offer a make-up examination, as this must be completed within ten days following the completion of class. All students must meet the minimum attendance requirement in order to sit for (take) the NALS final examination.

After the course begins and within 30 days of the first class, you need to submit a list of registered students and a check for $10 per student to the NALS Resource Center. The student registration/completion form may be used for this purpose.

K. Consider Offering the ALS Examination
See the next page for more details on how the students can apply for the ALS examination after successfully completing the Basic LTC. The coordinator should complete the Notice of Intent to Offer ALS Exam and submit it as soon as possible, but no later than the ALS application deadline. The Coordinator is responsible for collecting all student applications and fees for the ALS examination and should forward all applications and fees at the same time to the NALS Resource Center no later than the ALS application deadline date.

L. Order the Certificate of Completion
The Coordinator is responsible for verifying that each student meets the minimum attendance requirement and has achieved a minimum score of 70 percent on the NALS final examination. The Coordinator is to prepare a Certificate of Completion (from the template provided by the NALS Resource Center) for each student who meets these minimum requirements. Finally, the Coordinator is to submit a final Legal Training Course Student Record of Course Completion to the NALS Resource Center.

M. Issuing Certificates of Completion to the students
The certificates can be mailed, or you may want to invite the students to a chapter meeting for presentation and additional networking.

Note: As an incentive or opportunity to solicit membership from the students, a chapter might discount its dues to students who have just completed the course.

You may also want to invite the instructors to this meeting to present a formal thank you.

N. Thank You
Follow-up thank you letters are always appropriate, not only to the instructors, but to the committee and the students as well.

O. ALS Examination
All those who meet the minimum attendance requirement of the Legal Training Course and achieve a minimum score of 70 perent on the final exam are eligible to take the ALS examination at the student rate, provided they take the ALS examination at the next nationally scheduled date. The decision of a chapter to offer the ALS exam, and/or include its cost in the registration fee, must be made early in the planning process. Including the cost of the ALS exam may lower the LTC dropout rate and provide additional motivation for the participants.

When the Notice of Intent to Offer the ALS examination is submitted to the NALS Resource Center, the Coordinate must include all students’ ALS applications and fees at the same time. The Coordinator is responsible for locating a testing site and an administrator for the ALS examination.