Family Law Professional

The practice of family law examines state regulation of sexual and marital relationships, including the delicate balance of family privacy against state intervention in the marital relationship. Litigating around the institution of marriage and family that is most personal to individuals, family law brings to light a number of issues that affect peoples’ lives at a very deep level. Further, family law also covers principles governing child custody and visitation, child support, and the regulation of non-traditional relationships as they pose a variety of questions about what a “family” is under the law.

This online program is taught by Condensed Curriculum International, an educational partner working with the University of Arkansas. Covering these intriguing and recently developing issues, this program provides an overview of family law. Learners will explore fundamental topics including marriage, divorce, annulment, property division, parenthood, adoption, custody, support, and family violence as well as emerging areas such as legal recognition of non-marital families and assisted reproductive technology. Participants will study all of these points with special attention to the legal principles, ethical issues, research, interviewing, discovery, drafting, and other essential practice skills that make up the work product surrounding this field.

For individuals looking toward law school or who are interested in the paralegal profession, this program offers an incredibly useful and realistic look into the actual work that lawyers and legal professionals do every day. Examining the initial organization, operation and potential dissolution of a family unit, the Family Law program addresses premarital controversies, capacity to marry and the formalities of marriage in light of the rights and duties of marital partners, various grounds for divorce, annulment and separation, spousal support and basic issues of property distribution.

Course Outcomes

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

• Learn the basics of family law and practice
• Understand the ethics in a family law practice
• Determine how to compile a family history
• Appraise premarital, postnuptial, and cohabitation agreements
• Analyze marriage and annulment
• Discuss divorce grounds and procedures
• Determine spousal support, property division, and the separation agreement
• Understand child custody and child support
• Appraise the tax consequences of separation and divorce
• Discuss legal rights of women
• Analyze illegitimacy and paternity
• Understand the legal status of children
• Discuss adoption
• Examine the new science of motherhood
• Analyze torts and family law

Certification

Family Law Professional is not a state-licensed profession in Arkansas or under Federal law. This course is not part of any program leading to professional licensure, such as attorney. To become an attorney, one must complete a legal education program and pass the bar exam.

After completing this program, learners will have the opportunity to take a national/industry recognized certification exam for entry-level employment in this field.

National Workforce Career Association (NWCA) Family Law (L-FAM)

Prior Learning

This professional skills training course is beginner-friendly, with no prior expertise required. However, to ensure success, students should:

• Be comfortable reading and understanding English, as all materials are provided in English.
• Have basic computer skills, including navigating the internet, downloading/uploading files, installing software, and using applications like Microsoft Word.

These foundational skills will help you engage fully with our primarily online courses.

Optional Volunteer Externship Opportunity

Students who complete this program are eligible to participate in an optional volunteer externship opportunity with a local company/agency/organization whose work aligns with this area of study in order to gain valuable hands-on experience. As students progress through their eLearning program, an Externship Coordinator will reach out to coordinate placement.

Note: Additional documentation including health records, immunizations, drug-screening, criminal background checks, etc. may be required by the externship facility.