Outcomes
Students will describe and define the role of the paralegal in the legal profession through mastering legal terminology, reviewing basic legal research and writing techniques, and developing professional ethics.
Students will apply necessary paralegal skills from all previous courses into a) a real-life setting in a law firm or other legal organization or b) a comprehensive analysis of a problem or legal research issue.
Students will perform legal research in the library and online while stressing the fundamentals of legal analysis and writing, citation checking, and verification of authority.
Students will perform routine tasks involved in managing a law office, including managing case files, following ethics rules, and billing for work performed.
Students will research, analyze, and apply both federal and state codes, both civil and criminal, to a variety of fact patterns and will further be able to apply and analyze rules of evidence as they apply to those fact patterns.
Students will develop and apply their research and analytical skills to technology that is specific to a law office.
Students will develop the skills necessary to work on a variety of real property issues under direct attorney supervision, including document drafting and production.
Students will develop the skills necessary to work on a variety of corporate law issues under direct attorney supervision, including drafting and producing documents necessary to establish and maintain business organizations.
Students will develop the skills necessary to work on a variety of estate planning and probate issues under direct attorney supervision, including document drafting and production necessary to plan for and process probate proceedings.
Students will develop the skills necessary to work on a variety of family law issues under direct attorney supervision, including drafting appropriate documentation, managing case files, and conducting case-specific research.
Program Overview
The Paralegal/Legal Assistant Studies program is designed to train students as legal professionals who have the writing, thinking, and reasoning skills to effectively contribute to a legal organization. Program graduates may find employment opportunities in the judicial system, private law firms, state agencies, legal aid organizations, banks, title insurance companies, corporations and hospitals with corporate legal departments. Program graduates also are generally prepared to enter paralegal baccalaureate programs at selected colleges and universities with junior status.
Program Note
In many states, paralegals and legal assistants can carry out any function that lawyers perform with three notable exceptions: setting legal fees, giving legal advice to clients, and representing clients in court proceedings. Paralegals and legal assistants work directly under an attorney’s supervision, unless otherwise authorized by statute, court rules or agency regulations permitting paralegals to provide assistance directly to the public.
Additional Program Information
A transfer agreement with at least one four-year college or university exists for this A.A.S. program. Students should consult an advisor for more information.
This program is approved by the American Bar Association.
Program Requirements
Major Courses
A grade of B or better is required in PLAS 1103.
Choose four
General education
A higher level mathematics course may be substituted.
A higher level Spanish course may be substituted for SPAN 1503.
Choose one
Total Credit Hours: 64
Suggested Course Sequence
Fall semester
Spring semester
Summer term
Fall semester
| PLAS 1133 | Legal Research & Writing II | 3 |
| PLAS 2113 | Legal Technology | 3 |
| Humanities Course | 3 Credits |
| Paralegal/Legal Assistant Electives | 6 Credits |
Spring semester
| PLAS 2413 | Paralegal Internship | 3 |
| Paralegal/Legal Assistant Electives | 6 Credits |
| Mathematics Course | 4 Credits |
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