two people reviewing contracts

Who We Are

The Paralegal Studies program provides a solid foundation in procedural and substantive areas of law including research, drafting legal documents, interviewing clients and witnesses, investigative techniques, and managing law offices. Additionally, it prepares students to transfer to a four year program. It also provides eligible students with the necessary skills the students need to take the Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal Examination offered by the National Association of Legal Assistants. http://www.nala.org.

What You Do 

Paralegals perform every type of legal support service imaginable, often taking on many of the same tasks lawyers perform with the exception of dishing out legal advice or representing clients in court. This means as a paralegal, you can research the law, conduct investigations, maintain trial calendars, prepare documents, interview clients and witnesses, perform document review, and much more.

Launch you path with a Paralegal Studies degree

career options

The majority of paralegals (68 percent in 2016, according to the National Association of Legal Assistants - NALA) work for private law firms, ranging from small practices with just one attorney to major firms consisting of several hundred.

The remainder work primarily as in-house legal staff for corporations or for government agencies. Corporate paralegals work for large companies that include software developers, finance firms, insurance firms, consulting firms and health care providers/hospitals.

A slightly smaller subset work in the public sector within all levels of government, from city agencies to the U.S. Department of Justice. Some work for non-profits that specialize in pro-bono work. Some are even self-employed, and work for law firms on a freelance basis.

person reviewing and writing a contract

Additional Information about the Paralegal Studies Degree

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