The introductory one semester course is for the layman interested in obtaining a broad overview of his legal rights and responsibilities. It is not intended to provide him with the training necessary to try his own case; rather, it is intended to give him a legal framework within which he can find guidelines for his actions in various common situations. The material is presented in outline form, but with no rigid structure; each statement, question, or subheading of the outline is explained. The material is divided into 15 sessions, each designed to last from one to two hours, dealing with the following topics: wills defined, wills and estate planning, family relations, accidents, local government, criminal law, courts, litigation, contracts, real estate, negotiable instruments, business organization, and employment laws. There is also a section explaining New York's new laws governing illegal possession or sale of drugs. Appendixes explain the State's no-fault insurance system and provide a brief annotated list of relevant films available from the New York State Bar Association. (Author/PR)