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Specialty Certification— A Professional Goal
How do your skills compare with the hallmarks of a professional?
Specialty certification in Texas civil litigation is an attainable goal for legal support staff who want to be identified as exceptional.
The purpose of the exam is to certify a legal support staff professional who possesses:
- A working knowledge of legal procedure
- The ability to interact with others on a professional level
- The discipline to assume responsibility
- The ability to appropriately exercise initiative and judgment
An individual who achieves the designation "Specialty Certified—Texas Civil Litigation" or "TSC-CL" demonstrates knowledge and understanding of:
- Legal ethics
- Procedures
- Applicable laws
- The legal system
- Principles
- Rules
This individual has the necessary skills to perform and assist an attorney with such duties pertaining to civil litigation as:
- Client intake
- File organization
- Docket control
- Factual investigation
- Research
- Discovery
- Witness communication
- Initial document drafting
- Trial preparation and organization
- Trial and post-trial activities
EXAM OUTLINE
Part 1 – General Knowledge and Practice Procedures
A. Procedures
B. Ethics
C. Legal Research
Part II – Civil Litigation
A. Application
B. Texas Rules and Procedures
C. Federal Rules and Procedures
(For the complete outline for the exam, you can purchase the Texas Civil Litigation Resource Manual.)
EXAM PREPARATION
Mock Exam—the Texas Association of Legal Professionals offers for sale a mock exam on Texas Civil Litigation, which is an excellent study tool. Contact the Texas ALP Finance Chairman (Sylvia Vela, PLS, TSC) for more information regarding the mock exam.
Resource Manuals—the Texas Institute offers for sale resource manuals for either individual study ($15) or group training courses ($20). Contact Meri Nelson, PP, PLS, TSC at mnelson37@austin.rr.com to purchase the manual.
Exam References for Civil Litigation
The following sources are merely recommendations for your study prior to taking the specialty certification exam. You are not expected to study from all the sources, but to use what is available to you from each category.
Ethics
State Bar of Texas, Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct (also found in Texas Rules of Court (State))
Legal Research
Harvard Law Review Assn., A Uniform System of Citation, 17th ed., Harvard PressTexas Law Review Assn.
Texas Rules of Form, 9th edition, The University of Texas at Austin
General Procedures
Black, Henry Campbell, M. A.—Black’s Law Dictionary
Jones McClure Publishing— Texas Rules
Jones McClure Publishing—Texas Rules of Court (State)
O’Connor, Justice Michol M.—O'Connor's
O’Connor, Justice Michol M.—O'Connor's Trial and Appeal
West Publishing—Advanced Manual for Lawyer’s Assistant
West Publishing—Texas Business and Commerce Code
West Publishing—Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code (also found in Vernon’s)
West Publishing—Texas Rules
West Publishing—Texas Rules of Court (Federal)
For Information, Contact:
Meri Nelson , PP, PLS
Specialty Certified—Texas Civil Litigation
3205 Amber Oak Drive
Austin, Texas 78748
512.292.7882
mnelson37@austin.rr.com
Texas Institute for Specialty Certification—Copyright ©2008