Recent orders
four (4) specific policies that should be included in the Manual and outline three (3) key points or reasons for choosing EAC
1. (a) Identify four (4) specific policies that should be included in the Manual and outline three (3) key points or reasons for choosing EACH policy.
Each organization needs to have specific policies that aide in execution of its duties. These policies should be legally binding to both the staff and the clients. There are several administrative policies involved in law practice. The four specific policies that should be included in the manual to guide the assistant include employment policies, employment benefits policies, employee conduct policies and workplace guideline policies (Canon, 2008). The choice of the most suitable policies to employ depends on the nature of the work that someone is going to do as well as the kind of organizational structure (National Association of Legal Assistants, 2010). However, employment policies are universal and must feature in any office manual. Employment policies are of critical importance in this case for three main reasons. First, these policies guide hiring practices (Canon, 2008). Therefore, any person hiring or being hired must become acquainted with these policies.
Employment policies also serve to orient the new employees. In this regard, the new employees get familiar with the organization in which their services are required. Employment policies also act to maintain confidentiality within the organization, thus is critical for inclusion in any office manual. Employment benefits policies are critical because they familiarize employees with the benefits like insurance. In addition, they make the employee become familiar with important dates for vacations and holidays. Moreover, they help employees understand the terms of employee reimbursements. Employment conduct policies are crucial in controlling employee’s and employer behaviors in the work place (Canon, 2008). As such, they cannot easily exploit their employees who are also expected to observe certain codes of conduct. These policies set the codes of conduct to all the staff in the workplace. These policies also act to guide drug abuse and harassment in the workplace.
b) Outline three (3) procedures that your assistant must follow after a new client comes in. For each procedure, provide two (2) reasons as to why the procedure must be followed, with reference to applicable authority for your answer.
Whenever a new client enters, the assistant will be expected to follow certain procedures in handling the client. There are three basic procedures that can be followed. The assistant will first identify who the client is. Secondly, the assistant will be expected to establish what the mater of the client is (Canon, 2008). Lastly, the assistant will be expected to determine the most appropriate person to provide instructions with regards to the client’s identity and matter at hand. This is important for two main reasons. First, it helps in avoiding problems that may arise due to encounter with phantom clients (National Association of Legal Assistants, 2010). Some of the phantom clients are so problematic. The second reason for following the procedures is that it helps dispel the possibilities of misrepresentation.
2. (a)What steps must you take in order to ensure compliance with client identification and client verification requirements?
Several steps can guide a person to ensure compliance with the client identification as well as verification requirements. First, when someone is engaged in provision of legal services, he is bound to identify the client and any third party represented by the client (National Association of Legal Assistants, 2010). This may include individual employer or an organization. However, in this scenario, it is critical to keep certain information regarding the client. The information should detail the name of the client, business contacts including address and phone numbers as well as home address (Canon, 2008). In addition, the occupation of the client should also be captured. In case the client is an organization, there is need to record the type of business and the government body in which the business operates. The contacts as well as names of the personnel responsible for feeding the client with information in that organization should also be recorded (National Association of Legal Assistants, 2010).
2.(b) Provide examples of documentation which would meet the verification requirements in this matter.
The identification of clients, whether employed by individuals of organizations is important in several perspectives. However, verification of such identity is of critical significance. The following are the key examples of documentations which would meet the verification of the client’s identity. Government issued identification documents like birth certificate, driver’s license and passports can help in case of clients employed by individuals in their firms (Canon, 2008). However, in case of clients within organizations, documents such as government issued copy of certificate of corporate status can be used (National Association of Legal Assistants, 2010). Other documents include reviewed trust and partnership agreements of the organization.
3. (a) Identify which Rules and Guidelines of the Paralegal Rules of Conduct and the Paralegal Professional Conduct Guidelines would apply in this situation and why.
There are several rules that may apply to the scenario of Pearl and Catnip. The rule of professionalism must greatly be applied in this case. This is going to be applied regardless of whether Pearl knows Catnip or not. It is important to apply this rule to foster integrity and duty to the clients. The paralegals are supposed to depict high degree of commitment to their work and profession (Canon, 2008). As such it s on order that the interests of clients are taken care of appropriately. Secondly, the rule on duty to clients also applies o this scenario. This is because Pearl is expected to represent the interest s of the clients in the case without discrimination. As such, it is quite essential since it will espouse a sense of integrity and competence to both the company and the paralegal himself.
3. (b)Describe what actions (if any) should be taken by Catnip Everard AND Parryl Eagle.
Concerning this case, Parry Eagle, being the paralegal, should clearly discuss the matter with Catnip. He should agree with Catnip not to be part of the case even though she is linked with the clients. catnip needs not represent FETA when the case is being discussed. Both Parryl and Catnip should reach such an agreement.
4. (a)Which specific Rules and Guidelines apply here?
There are several rules and guidelines that may apply in this scenario of Walden and Mr. Allan’s. The first is the rule of professionalism. This entails issues touching on the integrity and undertakings. This rule also touches on discrimination of clients. The second rule entails duty to the clients (Canon, 2008). The paralegals are supposed to depict high degree of competence to their clients. Advocacy is the third rule applying to this scenario. This concerns tribunals and duty to clients as is evidenced in the scenario. The last rule here is the Responsibility to the Law Society.
4. (b) What steps should Walden have taken to avoid this situation?
Walden should have communicated early enough with Mr. Allan, stating his position on the take on Landlord and Tenant law. He should have stated his disinterest in representing Mr. Allan on the case. This could have helped Mr. Allan make an informed choice in choosing someone else to represent him on the case. In addition, he should have invited Mr. Allan to his office and discuss with him there. Holding a discussion in a party under the influence of alcohol is quite unprofessional. When Mr. Allan paid him a visit, he should have been clear to Mr Allan on the matter, but not bank his hopes in uncertainty. Banking hopes in uncertainty sends bad messages regarding he professional credentials of someone.
4. (c) What must he tell the tribunal?
In concern to the scenario, Walden should be clear on his stand on the matter before the tribunal. He should request a withdrawal from representation on this case following the fact that he never planned for it. If consent is not permitted, he should request the tribunal to extend the time for listening to give him ample time to prepare for the case. He should be clear on the fact that he has not yet fully prepared.
5. With reference to specific sections of By-law 7.1, the Rules and the Guidelines, clearly identify five delegation errors in this scenario.
The scenario of Bella and Edward is having several delegation errors. Both Bella and Edward have committed the errors. It is prudent enough to highlight that there are several delegation errors. However, only five are highlighted. First, the error of misrepresentation is evident in the scenario (Canon, 2008). Although Bella is cognizant of the case of misrepresentation by Edward, he is just comfortable and sees no offence in it. He only acts to encourage it. The second delegation error committed by Edward agrees to represent a client who has been charged with an assault yet that is not supposed to be his duty. There is also the virtue of dishonesty in representation as an error in delegation. This follows that Edward demands for unnecessary payments from the client to justify illegal representation of that client. The fourth delegation error is failure to advice the client regarding the law and the likely outcomes, risks and repercussions of his matter. This is too bad since it lacks an act of professionalism as an acting paralegal. The fifth error in delegation is that Edward was not wary of the policies guiding his tenure. He fails to explain to the client the conditions under which his services may be limited. As such, he ends up misrepresenting Bella, and never discloses it to Bella.
References
Cannon, T. A. (2008). Ethics and professional responsibility for paralegals. New York: Aspen Publishers.
National Association of Legal Assistants, (2010). NALA manual for paralegals and legal assistants: A general skills & litigation guide for today’s professionals. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage Learning.
Fountain of the Four Seasons
(Name)
(Instructors’ name)
(Course)
(Date)
Fountain of the Four Seasons
The fountain of the four seasons is a fountain located in the Memorial Union at the Lowa State University. The fountain was created by Christian Peterson in 1941, and it is a sculpture of four American Indian women who have sat around a circular fountain as a representation of an ancient Osage prayer.
This paper presents an analysis of a poster of the fountains of four seasons. The paper examines the genre selection, image selection and placement, color choices, font and typography choices, as well as, amount and placement of text as used in the poster.
Genre Selection
A poster was selected for this analysis. As a genre selection, the poster was chosen because it provides more visual and artistic elements as compared to other genre selections. Notably, the poster presents intriguing artistic features that can be analyzed for an visual communication study.
Image selection and Placement
Image selection and placement refers to the choice of pictures and images, as well as, their placement on the poster. Evidently, the poster consists of three similar images of the fountain of the four seasons, all taken at a different angle and arranged on the poster asymmetrically. The largest image is in a rectangular form and it covers the entire poster. The second largest image is circular in shape and is placed at the top-right hand corner of the poster, while the smaller image is oval and placed on the lower left side of the poster. Each of these images is placed on the poster so as to communicate the message regarding the fountain of the four seasons.
Color Choices
Three distinct color choices are identified in the poster including a black and white color scheme, which is used for the largest image and is the focal color point in the poster. The black and white color scheme draws the attention of the audience, especially when contrasted to the normal color schemes that make up the rest of the images in the poster. Other colors used in the poster are the colors of the font and typography. Two colors are used including red and blue color. The red color is the most consistent color in the font whereas the blue color is used for the communication of the email address.
Font and Typography Choices
A closer examination of the posters reveals three types of fonts and typography choices used for passing information about the poster, as well as, contact information for anyone who is interested in finding out more information about the poster. The fonts used in the poster are also of different sizes with the largest font size being located on the upper left side of the corner.
Amount and Placement of Text
Applicably, the amount and placement of text in the poster has also been used for visual communication of the poster. Evidently, the amount and number of text is used substantially in the poster and it adds on the visual communication of the posters. In terms of placement of the text in the poster the texts have been placed in such a way that creates balance in the poster. The words in the bottom right of the are clustered together thus drawing attention to the message being passed by the poster. The words on the upper left part of the poster are dispersed from each other, thus creating a balance in the poster.
Foundations of Psychology
Foundations of Psychology
Name
Institution
Foundations of Psychology
Introduction
Psychology is an academic discipline that deals with the study of mental processes and human behavior. It tends to explain the principles and factors that influence the behavior of individuals. Initially, psychologists defined psychology as a science that was different from philosophy and biology. However, psychologists have come up with theories that give a deeper meaning to psychology. Many schools of thought explain the foundations of psychology. The schools of psychology represent the main theories of psychology. Each theory has its own propositions, but it is common for most psychologists to combine several theories in their arguments. New theories are mostly critics or advancements of previous theories. This essay looks at the major schools of thought in psychology and their assumptions. It will also explain the biological foundations of psychology linked to behavior.
Major schools of thought in psychology
The earliest schools of thought that are the foundations of psychology are structuralism and functionalism. These are the theories that explained psychology when it was founded. However, psychologists have been advancing and criticizing these classical schools of thought to come up with modern or improved schools of thought.
Structuralism
Structuralism is the earliest school of thought in psychology. Its main interest was to establish psychology as an independent science. This school focused on understanding the mental processes of the mind besides the five senses in order to understand the structure of the mind. Its focus was breaking down the mental process into distinct stages and elements through an analysis of experiences and perception. This school applied the scientific theory of introspection, which involves having a detailed analysis of something and then drawing conclusions based on conscience and experiences. The main assumption of this school of thought is that two individuals will have the same perception on an occurrence or a thing. This assumption is the basis of criticism that psychologists and other parties have leveled against structuralism. Perception depends on an individual, and it is wrong to assume that different people will have the same perception of thing.
Functionalism
This school invests in the limitations of the structuralism theory. It acknowledges that consciousness and perception keep on changing thereby challenging any efforts to study the structure of the mind. The founders of this school of thought argued that the only way of understanding the mind was through the study of its functions. The main assumption of this school is that the brain functions lead to adaptation to a certain environment. Unlike the structuralism theory, which concentrated on defining psychology as an independent science, the functionalism theory concentrated on the application of psychology in solving real problems. Functionalism depends on introspection despite its limitations. Therefore, the two classical theories have received criticism on their ability to explain psychology.
Primary biological foundations of psychology linked to behavior
The limitations of the above school of thoughts influenced psychologists in coming up with other modernized thoughts about psychology. These modern schools of thoughts towards psychology include behaviorism, psychodynamic perspective, cognitive perspective, humanistic perspective and gestalt perspective among others. These theories have one thing in common. All of them try to explain the behavior of different behaviors. Therefore, they are the biological foundations of explaining behavior in philosophy. The new schools of thought are able to propose their ideas through an analysis of the weaknesses and limitations of the classical schools. However, most of them concentrate on understanding human behaviors by looking at the biological foundations of psychology.
Behaviorism
Behaviorism suggests that the environment influences the behavior of human beings. It suggests that the internal structures of the brain and the human body have no effect on behavior. This theory uses animals as experiments of natural science. Its main assumption is that human beings will display the same features of behavior. The theory argues that the environment has some events (stimuli), which trigger behaviors seen in people (responses). Different scientists used this theory to develop their work. For instance, Charles Darwin used this school of thought to study the adaptation of animals to their environment (Westen & Kowalski, 2011).
Psychodynamic perspective
Sigmund Freud developed this school of thought. He noted the three elements of the human mind, which are the id, the ego and the superego. The id determines the urges to a behavioral pattern; the ego determines personality and reality while the superego is a collection of values and attitudes that man borrows from parents and culture. According to Freud, the three factors interact with each other and influence human behavior. Thus, the school of thought stresses the effect of the unconscious mind in determining human behavior. Individuals are not aware of the factors that influence their behavior because they cannot control the factors.
Cognitive perspective
This school of thought uses the limitations of behaviorism in its arguments. Behaviorism does not outline the role of internal functions and processes in influencing human behavior. This school examines how people think and how they perceive and remember what they learn. The school of thought examines how people perceive and process information in understanding how the brain works. However, cognitive psychology has many similarities with behaviorism. The two schools highlight the importance of the environment in determining and influencing the behavior of human beings.
Evolutionary perspective and biopsychology
Evolutionary perspective foundation of philosophy suggests that the ability of humans to perceive and respond to certain issues in the environment is a result of evolution over time. The school of thought explains how evolution helps in passing adaptive characteristics from parents to their offsprings (Westen & Kowalski, 2011). Different scientists used this theory to explain the process of evolution and heredity. The theory highlights the effect of the environment in influencing behavior just like the behaviorist perspective. Biopsychology school of thought uses the nervous system in explaining human behavior. This foundation of human behavior analyzes the limits of the brain in determining psychological functions. The school uses the example of an individual with a brain injury to show the relationship between the brain and the cognitive functions of the body.
Conclusion
The essay has outlined the main schools of thought in psychology and the basic assumptions that the theories use in their arguments. Structuralism and functionalism are the earliest theories that explain the foundations of psychology. The focus of these theories was to distinguish between psychology and other sciences. For example, the structuralism school of thought explains the difference between psychology and biology (Westen & Kowalski, 2011, p. 6). The essay has also examined the interplay of different schools of thought and their effects on human behavior. Different schools of thought lay the biological foundations of understanding human behavior. Different schools of thought of psychology focus on giving their meaning of psychology while sidelining others. However, they do not achieve this because in the end all of them narrow to the same understanding of psychology.
The combination of all schools of thought leads to new perspectives of understanding psychology, for example, the clinical and physiological perspectives. The physiological perspective focuses on the effects of the brain on behavior and the how effects of behavior on the brain. The clinical perspective is a combination of several schools of thought aimed at diversifying the field of psychology. The schools of thought are mostly the foundation of explaining human behavior. Individuals portray different characteristics due to factors that the schools of thought highlight. For instance, the environment and adaptation determines the behavior of individuals. Human beings have different ways of perceiving and understanding certain aspects and things in life. Different views of reality and the ability of individuals to make their own choices influences their behavior.
References
Westen, D., & Kowalski, R. (2011). Psychology. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons Ltd.