family law

the body of law that deals with marriage, divorce, custody, 

adoption, support, paternity, and other domestic relations issues.

pro se

without legal representation 

ex parte

without advance notice to or hear-

 ing argument from the opposing 

 party based on the urgency of the 

 matter or the harm that might 

 otherwise result 

paralegals

 a distinguishable 

group of persons who through formal education, training, and experience, have 

knowledge and expertise regarding the legal system and substantive and proce-

dural law which qualify them to do work of a legal nature under the supervision of 

an attorney. 

4 things that shape the role of the paralegal:

1.Size of the Practice

2.Style and expectations of the supervising attorney

3.The scope of the practice

4.the skill of the paralegal

guardian ad litem

 a person, usually a lawyer, 

 appointed by the court to conduct 

an investigation and/or represent a 

party who is a minor or otherwise 

unable to represent himself or 

 herself in a legal proceeding; the 

guardian’s role may be limited to 

 investigation of a particular matter, 

such as custody 

Qualified Domestic Relations Order

(QDRO)

 a court order directing the adminis-

 trator of a pension plan to pay a 

 specified portion of a current or 

 former employee’s pension to an 

 alternate payee to satisfy a support 

 or other marital obligation 

unauthorized practice of law

engaging in the practice of the law without a license

letter of engagement

a letter from an attorney to a client 

confirming that the attorney agrees 

to represent the client in a particular 

legal matter 

letter of nonengagement

 a letter from an attorney to an indi-

 vidual confirming that the attorney 

 will NOT be representing that indi-

 vidual with respect to a particular 

 legal matter 

Reasons attornies may decline representation:

-inability to pay

-baseless/frivolous claims

-conflicts of interest

-concerns about perjury

-case complexity beyond scope of practice

fee agreement

 a contract between an attorney and 

a client regarding payment for the 

attorney’s professional services 

unbundling of legal services

 an alternative to full representation 

in which an attorney performs dis-

crete tasks rather than comprehen-

sive representation in a legal matter, 

usually at a substantial overall 

 savings to the client 

limited scope agreement

an agreement between an attorney 

and a client that specifically limits 

the nature and extent of the profes-

sional representation to be provided 

ethics

 the standards or rules of conduct to 

which members of a profession are 

expected to conform 

jurisdiction

a geographical area in which a cer-

tain law or procedure is governing; 

the authority of a court to issue en-

forceable orders concerning a par-

ticular type of legal matter, person, 

or thing 

subject matter jurisdiction 

 the authority of a court to hear and 

 decide a particular type of claim or 

 controversy 

personal jurisdiction

(personam jurisdiction)

 the authority of a court to issue and 

 enforce orders binding a particular 

 individual; sometimes called  in per-

 sonam jurisdiction 

in rem jurisdiction 

 [Latin: against a thing] the authority 

 a court has over a property or thing 

 rather than over a person 

doctrine of respondeat superior

the doctrine under which an 

 attorney is held vicariously liable for 

the acts of his or her employees 

performed within the scope of 

 employment 

malpractice

intentional or negligent professional 

 misconduct of an attorney that may 

 occur in the form of a failure to 

 properly supervise a paralegal 

pleadings

informing an 

 adverse party of the nature of a

claim or defense

***

a document in which a party to a  legal proceeding sets forth or 

 responds to a claim, allegation,  defense, or denial 

motions

applications to the court for an order

***

a written or oral request that a court issue a particular ruling 

 or order

conflict of interest 

 a situation or circumstance that in-

 terferes with the attorney’s or a pa-

 ralegal’s duties of zealous advocacy 

 and loyalty to the client 

ethical wall

a screening mechanism designed 

 to protect a client from a conflict of 

 interest by preventing one or more 

 lawyers (or paralegals) within a firm 

 from participating in any legal mat-

 ter involving that client 

attorney-client privilege

 the client’s right to refuse to dis-

 close and to prevent the attorney 

 from disclosing confidential com-

 munications between the client and 

 the attorney unless the communica-

 tion concerns future commission of 

 a serious crime; the privilege is es-

 tablished by statute 

rule of attorney-client confidentiality 

 the duty of an attorney not to reveal 

 any information relating to represen-

 tation of a client; the rule is an ethi-

 cal rule established in codes of 

 professional conduct 

substantive law

laws that relate to rights and obligations/duties rather than to technical procedures