Legal Studies

LAW 101 LAW AND SOCIAL CHANGE 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: none 
Co-requisites: none
Through historical investigation and critical analysis, the student will gain an understanding of the relationship between law and social change. The student will examine historical movements, such as: the abolitionist movement, labor movement, women's rights movement, and civil rights movement.
LAW 125 IMMIGRATION LAW 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: SPA 121 for Spanish (Recommended) 
Co-requisites: none
Fundamentals of current immigration and nationality law in the United States, its history, and proposals for change.
LAW 126 FAMILY LAW 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: none 
Co-requisites: none
The student will demonstrate an understanding of the basic topics of cultural anthropology, including the concept of culture, cultural development, sex and marriage patterns, family and kinship patterns, social control, religion-magic-arts, and physical anthropology including human evolution and race.
LAW 127 PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEE BENEFIT LAW 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: none 
Co-requisites: none
The student will study the fundamentals of income maintenance and employee benefit law. The student will become acquainted with New York State and Federal eligibility requirements and procedures for public benefits, unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, and social security insurance.
LEG 101 INTRODUCTION TO THE LEGAL SYSTEM 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: none 
Co-requisites: ENG 91 or 110
The student will study the legal system including; the organization of the courts, civil and criminal procedures and an overview of the law of contracts, torts, crimes, and the U.S. constitution. The three legal concentration areas of Family Law, Public and Employee Benefit Law, and Immigration Law will be introduced.
LEG 102 LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: none 
Co-requisites: ENG 91 or 110
The student will be familiarized with the concepts of law office organization and administration. The student will learn calendaring and filing systems and will learn to use modern office equipment including facsimile and dictation machines, computers, and telephone systems.
LEG 8525 ADVANCED IMMIGRATION LAW 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: LAW 125; LEG 101 
Co-requisites: ENG 110
The student will engage in an in-depth study of advanced immigration law concepts, including grounds of exclusion, defenses to deportation, petition, visa application, and asylum. The student will prepare a visa petition involving a complex fact pattern, an application for asylum and a waiver application for an excludable alien and for a conditional resident (marriage case), all with supporting documents and letters of transmittal.
LEG 8526 ADVANCED FAMILY LAW 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: LAW 126; LEG 101 
Co-requisites: ENG 110
The student will address practical problems in the Family Law field. The student will prepare a petition for a name change, a separation agreement, a summons and complaint in annulment, divorce, support, and paternity actions.
LEG 8527 ADVANCED PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEE BENEFIT LAW 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: LAW 127; LEG 101 
Co-requisites: ENG 110
The student will engage in an in-depth study of the practice of Public and Employee Benefit Law with an emphasis on problem solving and administrative advocacy. The student will learn techniques for preparing successful applications for benefit and for advocacy and intervention with administrative agencies. The student will learn case preparation and representation for administrative hearings as well as procedures for appeals.
LEG 8530 ADVANCED FAMILY LAW 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: ENG 110; LEG 101 
Co-requisites: none
The student will study basic and advanced research tools and become familiar with legal source materials including Reporters, Statutes, and Codes. The student also becomes acquainted with secondary source materials, including treatises and encyclopedias. Students will be introduced to manual and computer database research guides.
LEG 8532 LEGAL RESEARCH & WRITING II 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: LEG 8530 
Co-requisites: none
The student will study and practice the techniques of good legal writing. The student will focus his/her efforts on learning to prepare letters of transmittal to courts and agencies, affidavits, factual summaries, and internal memoranda of law.
LEG 8540 LEGAL PRACTICUM I 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: LEG 101; LAW 101, LAW 125, or LAW 126, or 127 
Co-requisites: none
The student will be exposed to the practice of Immigration, Family and/or Public Benefit Law in a legal service, community based organization, or governmental setting. The student will work under the supervision of an attorney or otherwise licensed legal practitioner. The student will perform basic paralegal tasks at various levels of complexity based on his/her interest and ability. The student will spend seven and one half hours per week on-site to be arranged between the student and on-site supervisor. The student will interview clients and prepare legal documents including forms, affidavits, letters of transmittal to governmental agencies, and memoranda of law. The students will meet as a group with an instructor one and one-half hours every third week. In Legal Practicum I, the students will discuss problems with cases they are working on and participate in interviewing and fact gathering exercises. The student's grade will be based on performance on the institution's placement evaluation, and on participation and attendance at the group meetings.
LEG 254 LEGAL PRACTICUM II 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: LEG 8540 
Co-requisites: LEG 8530 or approval from department
The student will continue the activities as in Legal Practicum I at the same site as in Legal Practicum II unless special problems arise necessitating a change. As in Legal Practicum I, the students will meet as a group with their instructor to discuss cases they are working on at their placement. In addition, in Legal Practicum II, the student will participate in trial advocacy training. The student's grade will be based on his/her performance on the placement institution's evaluation, and his/her participation and attendance at the group meetings.
LEG 250 HEARING AND TRIAL ADVOCACY 3 credits, 3 hours
Prerequisite: LEG 101 
Co-requisites: LEG 8530
The student will study and practice trial and administrative hearing preparation and courtroom techniques. The student will learn to prepare clients and expert witnesses for direct examination, prepare for cross examination and learn to present documentary evidence. The student will learn how to assist an attorney in trial preparation and will participate in a mock administrative hearing.