Introduction to the American Legal System


This two-hour webinar is designed to provide an introduction to our legal system. The webinar discusses the sources of law in America (cases, constitutions, statutes, administrative regulations, and secondary sources) and then provides a thorough review of both the federal and state court structures. Webinar attendees are then introduced to statutes and judicial opinions. The webinar also provides a review of the most commonly used secondary sources (encyclopedias, treatises, and law reviews). The presentation concludes with a brief overview on how to “read” a citation so legal professionals can locate cases and statutes when asked to do so.

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Deborah Bouchoux

Deborah Bouchoux

Deborah Bouchoux is a licensed attorney who was engaged in private practice for more than twenty-five years, specializing in corporate and intellectual property law. She also served for four years as in-house counsel for a high-tech company in northern Virginia. VPG is thrilled to collaborate with someone of Deborah’s reputation and caliber to deliver our on-demand solutions as an e-learning and training platform for law firms, corporations, and non-profit associations. We are excited to launch our on-demand training program as the preferred training platform for the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU of NorCal).  


Ms. Bouchoux has more than twenty-five years of experience in legal education. She has taught at various universities, including the University of San Diego and The George Washington University and has been an adjunct faculty member of Georgetown University for more than twenty years. She is the author of the following books and writings: Business Organizations Law in Focus (co-author); Fundamentals of Business Organizations for Paralegals; Business Organizations for Paralegals; Intellectual Property: The Law of Trademarks, Copyrights, Patents, and Trade Secrets; Protecting Your Company’s Intellectual Property; Concise Guide to Legal Research and Writing, Legal Research Explained; The Aspen Handbook for Legal Writers; Cite-Checker: Your Guide to Using The Bluebook, and several other textbooks adopted by universities across the nation. Ms. Bouchoux has spoken on a variety of legal topics at private law firms, Fortune 500 companies, for NCAPA, and various government agencies and independent organizations, including the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Financial Institution Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), and the U.S. Tax Court. 

For California Paralegals: Pursuant to California Business and Professions Code section 6450, paralegals are required to certify completion of continuing legal education. These webinars provide substantive information that helps paralegals progress in their careers. Please maintain accurate and complete records of your attendance at these webinars because they may help you satisfy California continuing legal education requirements.

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