PLGL 142 - Law Office Procedures and Ethics » Sprimg 2023 » Quiz Chapter 7 Competence

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Question #1
In California, paralegals must certify completion of their required continuing legal education every 4 years.
A.   TRUE
B.   FALSE
Question #2
For each reporting period, paralegals are required to complete 4 hours of continuing legal education in legal ethics and 4 hours in either general law or in an area of specialized law.
A.   TRUE
B.   FALSE
Question #3
In California, competence includes the duty to keep abreast of the changes in the law and its practice, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology.
A.   TRUE
B.   FALSE
Question #4
The ethics rules about competence generally require lawyers to:
A.   Provide monthly reports to clients about activities in their cases
B.   Keep clients reasonably informed about what is going on in their matters
C.   Submit monthly bills showing what they have done and the agreed-upon fee
D.   Take 10 hours of continuing education in their area of practice annually
Question #5
A trend in law practice is:
A.   Growth in the proportion of small general practice firms
B.   More lawyers specializing in one or two areas of practice
C.   None of these
D.   Increase in litigation and probate
Question #6
“Skills” needed to work competently usually refers to:
A.   The execution of tasks in the handling of a client matter
B.   What lawyers and paralegals learn in substantive law courses
C.   Mastery of a body of knowledge in a specified area of law
Question #7
The best definition of “diligence” is:
A.   Proofreading carefully
B.   Working well as a team
C.   Knowing the law well
D.   Persistent attention to a matter
Question #8
The paralegal role in communicating with clients is:
A.   Very important because paralegals often act as a liaison with clients and a source of information for them
B.   Not very important because paralegals do not usually have much client contact
C.   Not very important because paralegals have to be wary about giving legal advice
D.   Very important because usually most communication between lawyers and clients is filtered through the paralegal
Question #9
Legal malpractice is:
A.   The same as the grounds for disciplining a lawyer under ethics rules
B.   Improper conduct in the performance of the lawyer’s duties, whether intentionally or by negligence
C.   Improper intentional conduct in the performance of the lawyer’s duties
D.   The same as the grounds for holding a lawyer in contempt of court
Question #10
Professional negligence by a lawyer:
A.   Is the failure to exercise the standard of care commonly observed in other lawyers
B.   Can result in damages paid to the plaintiff for the loss of the client’s legal rights
C.   Can result is damages for losing a case in which the client would have prevailed if the lawyer had not been negligent
D.   All of these
Question #11
Which of the following best describes how the malpractice rules apply to paralegals?
A.   Paralegals may be named in malpractice suits
B.   Paralegals are usually named in malpractice suits in case they were the ones who made the mistake
C.   Paralegals cannot be named in a malpractice suit because the lawyer is ultimately responsible for their work.
D.   Paralegals are not often named in suits because they are less likely than lawyers to make mistakes
Question #12
The most common bases for malpractice claims relate to:
A.   None of these
B.   Lack of competence, fees, communication, and substance abuse
C.   Intentional acts and incompetence
D.   Lack of competence and fees only
Question #13
A typical malpractice scenario is:
A.   Missing deadlines, not returning phone calls
B.   Representing both plaintiff and defendant in an action
C.   Misrepresenting the state of the law in a brief
D.   None of these
Question #14
Which of the following statements about lawyers and substance abuse is true?
A.   As many as 20 percent of lawyers have alcohol/substance abuse problems
B.   Substance abuse rates are tied to disciplinary actions but not malpractice suits
C.   Lawyers have relatively low rates of depression and stress
D.   Lawyers have relatively low rates of substance abuse
Question #15
Which of the following can be the basis for a malpractice suit?
A.   The lawyer has a conflict of interest
B.   The lawyer becomes ill during the trial
C.   The lawyer loses the case
D.   The lawyer does not get the client what he/she wants
Question #16
Side effects of using addictive drugs include:
A.   impaired thinking and memory
B.   personality changes
C.   All of these
D.   behavioral deterioration
E.   eventual disfunction
Question #17
Addiction (including alcoholism) is widely regarded as a chronic, progressive and fatal brain disease rather than a choice. 
A.   FALSE
B.   TRUE
Question #18
Even though initial use of an addictive substance may have no negative consequences, repetition of the behavior can cause dependency and the need for higher doses, which may lead to a variety of negative consequences. 
A.   TRUE
B.   FALSE
Question #19
Like professional athletes, lawyers are routinely drug tested.
A.   FALSE
B.   TRUE
Question #20
If attorneys with whom paralegals work are experiencing mental health issues at a greater rate, it would stand to reason that paralegals and legal support staff are subject to the same concerns. 
A.   FALSE
B.   TRUE
Question #21
Research shows that we can do simple things to improve our mental health, including:
A.   getting enough sleep
B.   exercising
C.   All of these
D.   eating a balanced diet
E.   spending time outside

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