NALS ALP study plan

Map the full scope of Domain 1 into a one-page outline covering civil procedure sequencing, court structure, and filing prerequisites

Define each core procedural term in your own words and flag any term you cannot explain without notes

Trace a single hypothetical civil matter from intake through service of process, writing each step and its deadline rule

Identify the three procedural areas where your knowledge is weakest and rank them for study order

Distinguish jurisdiction, venue, and choice of law by writing a short comparison with one example of each

Sequence the pre-trial discovery tools and state the purpose and limits of each

Explain the difference between a demurrer-style challenge and an answer, and when each is filed

Rehearse oral explanations of procedural steps aloud until you can do so without referring to notes

Draft a client letter that states facts, applies a rule, and gives a clear recommendation in plain language

Draft an internal legal memorandum with issue, brief answer, facts, analysis, and conclusion headings

Convert passive, nominalized sentences into direct active prose across both drafts

Cite authority consistently using one citation format throughout, and build a short citation checklist

Format a pleading-style document with correct caption, numbered paragraphs, signature block, and certificate of service

Identify the confidentiality duties that attach to client files and describe how to redact a document before filing

Write a one-page summary of the rules on unauthorized practice of law and the scope of a paralegal's permitted tasks

Apply a proofreading pass that catches defined-term drift, inconsistent party names, and date errors

Explain conflicts of interest, including imputed conflicts, and describe the screening steps a firm uses

Distinguish the duty of confidentiality from attorney-client privilege with concrete examples of each

Describe how to handle a client who asks for advice outside the paralegal's permitted scope

Outline the rules on fees, trust account handling, and commingling in your own words

Build a calendaring procedure that captures court deadlines, statutes of limitations, and internal review dates with a tickler system

Draft a document retention and destruction policy outline that accounts for confidentiality and pending matters

Describe the elements of a secure file-naming and version-control convention and apply it to a sample matter folder

Identify the ethical risks of email, cloud storage, and metadata, and state one mitigation for each

Set up a matter-management workflow from client intake through closing, listing each document generated at each stage

Demonstrate competent use of a word processor's styles, tables of authorities, and tracked changes on a sample document

Revisit the Domain 1 flow chart and correct any step you now explain differently

Practice a timed set of mixed procedural and technology questions and log your accuracy by subtopic

Take two full-length timed practice exams under exam conditions and record scaled scores by domain

Review every missed question and write the correct rule in one sentence for each

Re-drill your three weakest subtopics from across all four domains until accuracy is consistent

Assemble a one-page personal reference sheet of rules you repeatedly forget, and confirm you can recreate it from memory