Bankruptcy Law Paralegal Training Classes

About This Course

Bankruptcy is an area of law that has provided significant employment for paralegals. This course examines the debtor-creditor relationship and the difference between voluntary and involuntary bankruptcy, both under Chapter 7 (liquidation) and 11 (reorganization). You will study the Bankruptcy Code in depth and learn how to prepare the most important bankruptcy forms.

This seven-week course is designed to introduce paralegal students to the complexities of bankruptcy law. The course is designed to train students to work as bankruptcy paralegals. It also provides paralegals working for attorneys who specialize in other areas of law with the knowledge they may need to assist their attorney with clients who receive notice of a bankruptcy. Coursework in Bankruptcy Law is equivalent to 45 clock hours of study.

Course Objectives:

Participants will demonstrate the following skills through successful completion of all required coursework and assignments:

Explain the purpose of bankruptcy
Demonstrate how to access the bankruptcy code
Discuss bankruptcy court structure
Examine the provisions of Chapters 1, 3 & 5 of the Bankruptcy Code
Discuss the ethical considerations of practicing bankruptcy law
Identify the elements of “341 meetings”
Define an automatic stay and adequate protection
Identify the elements of a proof of claim
Explain what constitutes exempt and non-exempt property
Explain the elements of and differences between Chapter 7, 11, 12, & 13 bankruptcies
Summarize the procedural rules governing bankruptcy law
Demonstrate how to prepare bankruptcy documents, including petitions, the statement of financial affairs, schedules, and the order confirming plans

Expectations

Students will be expected to spend an average of 8 hours per week reading and completing writing assignments. Please note that extensions will not be granted for this online course. 70% is the minimum passing score on all tests and assignments for this course. Students may consider working ahead in the curriculum if they have the time.

Prerequisites

Successful completion of Paralegal 1 and Paralegal 2, or the equivalent, or law office experience.

Course Books

Highly Recommended Legal Resources:

Oran’s Dictionary of the Law, 4th Edition, by Daniel Oran. Clifton Park: Delmar Cengage Learning

Paralegal Career for Dummies, 2nd Edition, by Scott A. Hatch, J.D. and Lisa Zimmer Hatch, M.A.

For more information, call CLS by BARBRI at 800-522-7737, or visit our Online Store to order.

Reading Assignments for Lesson Topics:

Lesson One: Introduction to Bankruptcy Law

Lessons Two and Three: Read Chapters 1, 3 & 5 of the Bankruptcy Code

Lessons Four and Five: Read Chapters 7, 9, 11, 12 & 13 of the Bankruptcy Code

Lessons Six and Seven: The Bankruptcy Rules

Tests:

For Lessons One through Six you will submit a 50-point short answer/essay test covering the information in that topic. Tests can be found under Assignments in the Activities Block.

Bulletin Board Assignments:

You will also post your responses to six class participation assignments. These assignments will be submitted using the Bulletin Board Submissions under Forums and make up your class participation grade. All lesson objectives, assignments, and tests can be found in the Lesson Material section of the course. Additional resources are available by accessing the URL Library tool.

Grading

Every assignment must be completed with a 70% or better to pass the course. Your grade will be based on your completion of six tests and class participation. You will have the opportunity to engage in “class participation” by using the Bulletin Board tool to respond to the bulletin board assignments throughout the course. Also, participating in the bulletin board assignments will enhance your understanding of the reading material.

Your final grade will be figured as follows:

The six exams are worth 50 points each and comprise 70% of your grade.
Your participation in the six class participation assignments comprises 30% of your grade.

Withdrawal Policy

Students may drop the course with a full tuition refund less a non-refundable $50 administrative fee, if written notice is sent to CLS by BARBRI by email [email protected] by the Wednesday before class begins. Students may drop the course with a 50% tuition refund if written notice is sent to CLS by BARBRI by email [email protected] anytime from the Thursday before the course begins until the first Thursday of class. After the first Thursday of class no refunds will be issued.

Please NOTE: If you registered for a CLS course directly with the college or university, you are subject to the school’s refund/drop policies.