Deck 1: Todays Professional Paralegal

Question 1

In addition to the term legal assistant, a paralegal may be referred to as which of the following?

A) Legal technician
B) Legal research specialist
C) Official legal specialist
D) Legal technician or legal research specialist

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Lawyers sometimes refer to their as legal assistants, which can cause confusion.

A) secretaries
B) colleagues
C) interns
D) clients

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Experienced paralegals earn average compensation of around

A) $30,000.
B) $40,000.
C) $70,000.
D) $200,000.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The career of a paralegal

A) is likely to narrow in responsibilities in the future.
B) is unlikely to be rewarding.
C) can be exciting, challenging. and rewarding.
D) is unlikely to involve opportunities to work outside of law firms.

Question 5

Which of the following are tasks that paralegals may perform?

A) Draft legal documents
B) Conduct legal research
C) Interview clients and witnesses
D) Conduct legal investigations
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 6

If a paralegal was not performing his or her work, it would be performed by a(n)

A) secretary.
B) intern.
C) lawyer.
D) professor.

Question 7

Which of the following are tasks that paralegals may perform?

A) Draft legal documents
B) File legal documents with courts
C) Summarize witness testimony
D) Conduct legal investigations
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 8

A paralegal is employed by a

A) doctor.
B) lawyer.
C) building contractor.
D) private individual.

Question 9

Today, paralegals often work in

A) restaurants.
B) schools.
C) courts.
D) farms.

Question 10

Today, paralegals often work in which of the following nontraditional places?

A) Restaurants
B) Schools
C) Farms
D) None of these choices is correct

Question 11

Which of the following is not a place in which a paralegal is likely to work?

A) A corporation
B) An insurance company
C) A farm
D) A real estate firm
E) None of these choices is correct.

Question 12

Which organization voiced concern about the term legal assistant being used to describe secretaries?

A) National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)
B) American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)
C) American Bar Association (ABA)
D) National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)

Question 13

Today, paralegals often work in which of the following environments?

A) Corporations
B) Government agencies
C) Courts
D) Insurance companies
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 14

As the profession has grown, the average paralegal salary

A) has increased.
B) has decreased.
C) has remained the same.
D) initially increased, but is now decreasing.

Question 15

The tasks that paralegals perform today were traditionally performed by

A) doctors.
B) law professors.
C) low-paid secretaries.
D) attorneys.
E) law professors and low-paid secretaries.

Question 16

Which of the following professional organizations agree on a definition for the term paralegal?

A) National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
B) National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)
C) American Bar Association (ABA)
D) NALA and ABA only

Question 17

The term paralegal is often used interchangeably with which of the following terms?

A) Legal secretary
B) Law clerk
C) Legal assistant
D) Partner

Question 18

Which of the following is true of paralegals?

A) They may practice law.
B) They may not practice law.
C) They only do secretarial work.
D) They are granted a license to work by the state.

Question 19

Which of the following are tasks that paralegals may perform?

A) Conduct legal research
B) File legal documents with courts
C) Summarize witness testimony
D) Coordinate litigation proceedings
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 20

Paralegals typically obtain their training through

A) experience.
B) education.
C) undergraduate courses.
D) law school.
E) experience and education.

Question 21

Which of the following must a paralegal be careful not to do?

A) Draft legal documents
B) Contact clients
C) Give legal advice
D) Draft legal documents and contact clients

Question 22

When did the first formal paralegal education programs begin?

A) Early 1950s
B) Late 1960s
C) Mid-1970s
D) Early 1980s

Question 23

Paralegals are increasingly becoming the experts at law firms.

A) technology
B) divorce
C) organizational
D) international law

Question 24

Paralegal programs at community colleges are typically

A) two years long, requiring about 60 semester hours.
B) six-week short courses.
C) one year long, requiring about 30 semester hours.
D) four years long.

Question 25

How many of the paralegal education programs that exist today in the United States are approved by the ABA?

A) About 100
B) Over 500
C) About 260
D) Over 2,000

Question 26

Paralegals are likely to use which of the following technologies?

A) Time-and-billing software
B) Online legal databases
C) Litigation support software
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 27

Paralegals cannot perform which of the following tasks?

A) Draft legal documents
B) Conduct legal research
C) Practice law
D) Draft legal documents and conduct legal research

Question 28

A paralegal program at a community college will usually lead to

A) an associate of arts degree.
B) a master's degree
C) a certification by the secretary of state
D) provisional acceptance at a regional law school

Question 29

A paralegal working in a large law firm is likely to

A) spend all of his or her time completing low-level paperwork.
B) have a support staff.
C) give legal advice.
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 30

A paralegal working in a one-attorney office is likely to

A) perform certain secretarial functions.
B) assume the role of an attorney.
C) perform only high-level tasks.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 31

A paralegal is most likely to be specialized if he or she

A) is under 30 years old.
B) speaks a foreign language.
C) works for a large law firm.
D) works for a one-attorney firm.

Question 32

A paralegal may conduct client interviews and maintain contact with clients, provided that the client is

A) aware of the status and function of the legal assistant.
B) a minor.
C) not a minor.
D) not mentally capable of making decisions for himself or herself.

Question 33

Which of the following spurred the growth of paralegal education programs?

A) The demand for lower-cost legal services
B) The public's use of paralegals
C) Lawyers' realization of the benefits
D) The demand for lower-cost legal services and lawyers' realization of the benefits

Question 34

Paralegals spend the most time performing which of the following tasks?

A) Drafting of legal documents
B) Client relations
C) Research
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 35

As advances, the role of many legal assistants today is expanding.

A) litigation
B) technology
C) the typical caseload
D) discovery

Question 36

A typical paralegal is likely to spend the most time performing which of the following tasks?

A) Drafting legal documents
B) Preparing coffee for clients
C) Delivering documents to court
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 37

Who were the first paralegals?

A) Legal secretaries
B) Law clerks
C) Defunct lawyers
D) College graduates

Question 38

Where would you be likely to find a paralegal education program?

A) At a community college
B) At a four-year college
C) At a business school
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 39

How many paralegal education programs exist today in the United States?

A) Over 300
B) Over 500
C) Over 1,000
D) Over 2,000

Question 40

Paralegals cannot perform which of the following tasks?

A) Draft legal documents
B) Conduct legal research
C) Interview clients and witnesses
D) Conduct legal investigations
E) Paralegals may perform all of the listed tasks.

Question 41

A law requiring that a complaint be filed to begin a lawsuit is an example of which type of law?

A) Procedural law
B) Substantive law
C) Employment law
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 42

Substantive law is law that creates

A) procedures for enforcing rights.
B) legal rights.
C) legal obligations.
D) court rules.
E) legal rights and legal obligations.

Question 43

The NFPA is a(n)

A) association of attorneys.
B) state bar association.
C) association of legal secretaries.
D) paralegal association.

Question 44

Which of the following is a professional association responsible for setting educational standards for paralegals?

A) NFPA
B) American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)
C) NALA
D) LAMA

Question 45

A four-year bachelor's degree program with a major or minor in paralegal studies usually requires

A) about 120 semester hours.
B) about 200 semester hours.
C) at least one foreign language course.
D) an accounting minor.

Question 46

Which of the following states requires paralegals to be certified?

A) Texas
B) California
C) New Jersey
D) None of these-no state requires paralegals to be certified.

Question 47

Since _, the ABA has had an established set of educational standards for paralegal training programs.

A) 1960
B) 1974
C) 1984
D) 1994

Question 48

A paralegal who will be very marketable to employers.

A) speaks only English
B) only graduates from high school
C) majors in another field such as nursing
D) completes only a certificate program

Question 49

Paralegal students study which of the following?

A) Procedural law
B) Substantive law
C) Specialties within substantive law
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 50

What did the ABA establish in 1974?

A) Educational standards for paralegal training programs
B) A state bar association
C) An association for legal secretaries
D) A paralegal association

Question 51

Which of the following is an example of procedural law?

A) A law prohibiting employment discrimination
B) A law making stealing a crime
C) A law requiring that a complaint be filed to begin a lawsuit
D) A law requiring a person to be sixteen years old to obtain a driver's license

Question 52

Procedural law is law that does which of the following?

A) Creates legal rights
B) Defines how rights are enforced
C) Creates legal obligations
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 53

A law prohibiting employment discrimination is an example of which type of law?

A) Procedural law
B) Substantive law
C) Employment law
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 54

Which of the following statements is true?

A) Paralegal schools must meet ABA standards to be certified.
B) Paralegals from non-ABA schools are not certified.
C) Paralegal schools are not required to get ABA approval.
D) Paralegal schools without ABA approval do not give credit.

Question 55

Examples of substantive law include which of the following?

A) Court rules specifying the documents needed to begin a lawsuit
B) A law prohibiting employment discrimination
C) A rule specifying when a document must be filed with a court
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 56

Which of the following is true of NALA?

A) It is an association of attorneys.
B) It is a paralegal association.
C) It is an association of legal secretaries.
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 57

California was the first state to

A) promote high standards of paralegal education.
B) unionize paralegals.
C) require a paralegal to meet certain minimum educational requirements.
D) regulate the paralegal profession.

Question 58

The AAfPE was formed in order to

A) promote high standards of paralegal education.
B) unionize paralegals.
C) increase paralegal wages.
D) regulate the paralegal profession.

Question 59

Which of the following is an example of procedural law?

A) A law determining which court will hear a case
B) A law prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of age
C) A law prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of gender
D) All of the choices are correct.

Question 60

Certificate programs for paralegals typically last

A) between one and two months.
B) between three and twelve months.
C) less than one month.
D) between three and four years.

Question 61

Which of the following administers the CLA and the APC exams?

A) State bar associations
B) NFPA
C) NALA
D) PLA

Question 62

Which of the following is correct regarding the difference between a paralegal certificate and a postgraduate certificate?

A) A paralegal certificate is awarded to those with an associate's degree.
B) A paralegal certificate is awarded to those with a bachelor's degree.
C) A paralegal certificate is awarded to those with a high school diploma or its equivalent.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 63

A paralegal who has at least two years of work experience and meets specific educational requirements can

A) take the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE).
B) obtain a special certificate.
C) take continuing education classes for free.
D) join an elite paralegal union.

Question 64

Which of the following states has implemented a voluntary statewide certification program for paralegals?

A) Washington
B) Montana
C) California
D) Maine

Question 65

Which of the following is not part of professional paralegal behavior?

A) Objectivity
B) Courtesy under pressure
C) Responsibility/reliability
D) None of these choices is correct

Question 66

Which of the following are not skills needed by a paralegal?

A) Organizational skills
B) Analytical skills
C) Computer skills
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 67

Which of the following states has implemented a voluntary statewide certification program for paralegals?

A) Arizona
B) Michigan
C) California
D) New Jersey

Question 68

Educational options for paralegals include which of the following?

A) Postgraduate certificates
B) Paralegal certificates
C) Associate's degrees
D) Bachelor's degrees
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 69

NALA and NFPA are

A) affiliate paralegal associations.
B) state bar associations.
C) the two leading national paralegal associations.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 70

Which organization voted to establish the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE)?

A) NALA
B) AAfPE
C) NFPA
D) ABA

Question 71

An associate's degree signifies completion of a

A) two-year program, usually at a community college.
B) four-year program at a college or university.
C) paralegal program of study at a private business or trade school.
D) paralegal program by someone with a bachelor's degree.

Question 72

Legal analysis is critical to a paralegal's duties because

A) it is integral to helping lawyers formulate arguments.
B) the Paralegal Code says it is.
C) paralegals must be able to offer unique legal advice to clients.
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 73

The advanced paralegal certification (APC) designation means that a legal assistant

A) has passed a test demonstrating general legal competence.
B) has passed a bar exam.
C) has passed a test demonstrating competence in a legal specialty.
D) is a member of the APC, a legal assistant organization.

Question 74

A certified legal assistant (CLA) is which of the following?

A) A legal assistant who has passed the bar exam
B) A legal assistant who has passed the NFPA certification exam
C) A legal assistant who has passed the NALA certification exam
D) A licensed paralegal

Question 75

The Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) can be taken by paralegals who

A) have at least two years of work experience and meet specific educational requirements.
B) belong to a paralegal union.
C) have at least a year of work experience.
D) are sponsored by their employer.

Question 76

What does the designation "RP" behind a paralegal's name stand for?

A) Registered Professional
B) PACE-Registered Paralegal
C) Responsible Paralegal
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 77

Which of the following are skills needed by paralegals?

A) Organizational skills
B) Analytical skills
C) Computer skills
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 78

Which of the following is an important part of oral communication?

A) Body language
B) Hair color
C) Position in room
D) Age

Question 79

Which of the following is part of professional paralegal behavior?

A) Objectivity
B) Courtesy under pressure
C) Responsibility/reliability
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 80

The NFPA requires certified paralegals to complete

A) twelve hours of CLE courses every year.
B) two hours of CLE courses every year.
C) twelve hours of CLE courses every other year.
D) twelve hours of CLE courses every three years.