by Dawn Papandrea
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True or false:
1. You can effectively copyright your work by mailing a copy of it to yourself, then retaining the sealed, postmarked envelope as proof of the date of your authorship.
Answer: False. There is no provision in the copyright law regarding any such type of "poor man's copyright" protection, and it is not a substitute for registration, according to the United States Copyright Office. That's important to know if you're considering a law career, especially if it's within the booming field of intellectual property. Attorneys involved in such cases help protect clients' claims to copyrights, artwork under contract, product designs, and computer programs.
2. If you don't have an employment contract, an employer can fire you if you tell corny jokes.
Answer: True. Unless you have an employment contract, your employment is probably "at will," which means your boss can fire you for any reason that isn't illegal. Illegal reasons include discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, disability and age, and in some states, sexual orientation, marital status and whether a person receives public funds.
Protect your career by joining an organization that considers you valuable. In the law field, paralegal opportunities are exploding. "Paralegals offer a delivery of services that are more efficient and affordable," says, Louise Gussin, academic director of legal studies at University of Maryland University College (UMUC), which offers an online paralegal certificate program. "And they can do anything from interviewing clients, to gathering evidence, and conducting legal research."
3. If you slip and fall in front of a residential home because show has not been shoveled properly, you will most likely win if you sue for your injury.
Answer: False. Generally, the law doesn't require a property owner/possessor to remove ice or snow that accumulates outside his or her building as the result of weather. However, if conditions on the property cause an unnatural accumulation of ice or snow, the property owner may be liable for slip and fall accidents.
Because personal injury cases like these abound, having prior medical knowledge is one way to gain an edge in the paralegal field. "Paralegals can apply a medical background into a legal career that deals with malpractice, for instance, assisting in reading medical records, evaluating cases, etc.," says Gussin. "A lot of lawyers don't have a medical background." The same idea can apply for a variety of career changers, who can draw upon previous professional knowledge and increase their marketability.
4. Killing praying mantises is illegal in parts of the USA, with fines up to $50.
Answer: False. There is not (and never has been) any federal or state law proscribing the killing of praying mantises, reports Snopes.com, an urban legend reference Web site. Keeping abreast of the law is required if you decide to enter the law profession. Currently, 40 states and jurisdictions mandate continuing legal education (CLE), says the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Some states allow CLE credits to be obtained through participation in seminars on the Internet.
5. The head of actor Leslie Nielsen was superimposed on Annie Liebowitz's photograph of a naked and pregnant Demi Moore, in an advertisement for a Naked Gun movie. Is this copyright infringement?
Answer: False. In this real case, the "fair use" doctrine was used to argue that the use of the photo was a parody (which the Supreme Court says falls within the scope of the fair-use defense), and not an infringement of the copyright in the Liebowitz photograph.
Do "celebrity justice" items like these intrigue you? If so, you can combine your knowledge of show biz with an online paralegal studies program, to make a case for yourself with an entertainment law firm. In fact, paralegals can find work in a number of places and in a variety of ways since the profession is projected to increase by 35 percent through 2012.
6. Cutting down a saguaro cactus plant in Arizona can get you time in prison.
Answer: True. Arizona's Native Plant Law protects endangered plant life like the Saguaro from theft, vandalism, or unnecessary destruction. Penalties for breaking that law can result in a prison sentence. If protecting the environment is important to you, a law career may be right for you - the BLS foresees a demand for lawyers due to the growth of legal action in environmental law. Other hot areas include health care, intellectual property, international law, elder law, and sexual harassment.
7. It is legal to marry your first cousin in 26 US states.
Answer: True. While marrying your cousin may not be on your priority list, if becoming a lawyer is, take note of this about your state bar exam: Although there is no nationwide bar examination, 48 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands require the six-hour Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) as part of the overall bar examination.
8. Sororities are outlawed on certain campuses because local "brothel laws" prohibit more than a specified number of females from living together.
Answer: False. Label this one an urban legend, according to Snopes.com. Some municipalities do indeed have zoning laws prohibiting more than a specified number of non-family members (male or female) from living together, but not even in those cases would a household in violation of those codes be labeled a brothel. Of course, if you opt to take your paralegal studies courses online from your own home, then you'll have nothing to worry about. Either way, heed the BLS' advice: Employers increasingly prefer graduates of postsecondary paralegal education programs.
What's the verdict?
0-2 Correct
Uh-oh, you're guilty of bending the law. The good news is you can use your short period of house arrest to take online paralegal studies classes.
3-5 Correct
There may be an "objection" to your law knowledge, but you could win on appeal by researching your online paralegal or law degree program options.
6-8 Correct
Congratulations, you've won the case for your law career! Get started by pursuing your passion for law in an online program.
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