PP Paralegal study plan
PP Paralegal · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Ethics and Professional Responsibility
Draft a one-page matrix of the core ethical duties (competence, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, communication, fees, safekeeping of client funds, supervision, unauthorized practice of law), restating each rule in your own words
Distinguish unauthorized practice of law, attorney-client privilege, and work-product protection by writing a three-sentence example of each
Analyze 10 short ethics fact patterns and label which duty was violated or upheld, with a one-line justification for each
Self-quiz the definitions of the four most-tested ethics concepts until you can recite them without notes
Your checkpoint
A one-page ethics duty matrix plus written answers to 10 ethics scenarios, scored at 80% or better against the answer key.
Ethics and Professional Responsibility & Substantive Law
Complete 30 practice ethics questions in 45 minutes and log every miss by rule category
Revise the ethics matrix to correct the three error patterns the practice set exposed
Compare the ABA Model Rules with your jurisdiction's variations on a one-page comparison sheet
Diagram subject-matter jurisdiction and the state/federal court hierarchy to open the substantive-law outline
Your checkpoint
Timed 30-question ethics set with an error log and a corrected, expanded ethics matrix, targeting 80% accuracy.
Substantive Law
Outline eight core substantive areas (civil procedure, torts, contracts, criminal law and procedure, real property, family law, wills and estates, business organizations) at two levels of detail
State the elements of the most frequently tested doctrine in each area and attach one short fact example per element
Build a single flow chart contrasting the civil and criminal pretrial timelines
Drill 40 flashcards on elements and definitions and record recall accuracy by topic
Your checkpoint
An eight-topic substantive-law outline of no more than 15 pages, with elements and one worked example per doctrine.
Substantive Law & Legal Research and Writing
Answer 25 mixed substantive-law questions and classify each miss by topic and error type
Locate and read three primary sources (one statute, one regulation, one case) using free research tools and brief each in IRAC format
Distinguish mandatory from persuasive authority and record five examples of each from your own research
Format every citation in your briefs using a consistent citation template and self-check it
Your checkpoint
Three completed IRAC case briefs plus a 25-question substantive-law score sheet with errors classified by topic.
Legal Research and Writing
Apply the core citation formats for cases, statutes, regulations, and secondary sources to 15 practice citations
Write a complete 4-6 page office memorandum using the question presented, brief answer, facts, discussion, and conclusion structure
Revise the memo against a writing checklist (organization, precision, active voice, citation form) and log every change made
Validate two authorities for subsequent history and note the results in the memo
Your checkpoint
A complete, citation-checked 5-page IRAC memorandum with one full revision pass and a change log.
Communication and Human Relations
Draft a client-intake script covering scope of representation, fee arrangement, confidentiality, and response-time expectations
Role-play two client interviews (an anxious client and an angry opposing-party call) and record a self-critique of tone, plain language, and active listening
Rewrite three legalese paragraphs into plain English at roughly an eighth-grade reading level
Outline the escalation path for handling a client complaint or a developing conflict of interest
Your checkpoint
A client-intake script plus a written self-assessment of two recorded role-plays naming three concrete communication improvements.
Practice Management and Technology
Build a docketing and calendaring protocol that includes tickler systems, statute-of-limitations tracking, and a redundancy check
Outline trust-accounting rules covering deposits, earned versus unearned fees, three-way reconciliation, and record retention
List technology-competence duties (metadata, cloud confidentiality, e-filing, email security) and pair each with one workplace safeguard
Draft an outline of a records-retention and disaster-recovery plan for a small firm
Your checkpoint
A one-page practice-management checklist covering calendaring, trust accounting, e-filing, and data security.
Ethics and Professional Responsibility & Substantive Law & Legal Research and Writing & Communication and Human Relations & Practice Management and Technology
Complete a 100-question mixed mock exam under timed conditions and score each domain separately
Re-drill the two weakest domains with targeted question sets until each reaches 80%
Recite the ten most-missed rules and definitions from memory without notes
Assemble a final one-page review sheet for each of the five domains
Your checkpoint
A full-length timed mock exam with per-domain scores and a remediation log showing 80% or better in the two weakest domains.
Milestones
Week 2: Score 80% or better on the timed 30-question ethics set and show a corrected ethics matrix that resolves every logged error category.
Week 4: Score 75% or better on a 25-question mixed ethics and substantive-law assessment and submit three correctly formatted IRAC case briefs.
Week 6: Submit the completed client-intake script and role-play self-assessment, scoring at least 3 of 5 on every rubric item (plain language, active listening, confidentiality, expectation setting).
Week 8: Complete the 100-question timed mock exam with a recorded per-domain score and evidence of 80% or better in the two previously weakest domains.