Paralegal Studies

The Santa Rosa Junior College Paralegal Studies Certificate is a program for students seeking employment in the legal field and in business. The curriculum blends an understanding of legal theory and practical skills, based on actual paralegal job responsibilities. Classes are taught by practicing attorneys and paralegals primarily online in either synchronous or asynchronous formats.
The guiding principles of the program are two-fold: to offer a curriculum that teaches the practical applications of legal theory and to advance the paralegal profession by offering a rigorous course of study that develops resourceful legal problem solvers. By completing this program, students will have met the educational requirements for paralegals as stated in the California Business and Professions Code, commencing with section 6450.

15-20 annually

1.            Locate statutes and case law by researching legal issues;
2.            Compose legal documents and complete mandated legal court forms;
3.            Apply learned critical thinking and analytical skills to client matters;
4.            Compile and organize materials efficiently for trials;
5.            Interview witnesses and conduct investigations on the behalf of clients; and
6.            Complete specific, substantive tasks as delegated by the supervising attorney

This certificate provides a school-to- career path to those students who already possess a post-secondary degree in another discipline or those students who are seeking a Paralegal Certificate and not an AA in Paralegal Studies. Being able to complete the Paralegal core courses and go to work will allow more completers in a timely fashion. Students have the option to continue on and receive an AA in Paralegal Studies.

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
PLS 50	Introduction to Paralegal Studies	3.0	S1
PLS 51	Legal Research	3.0	S1
PLS 52	Legal Writing	3.0	S2
PLS 53	Civil Procedure: Pleadings	3.0	S3
PLS 54	Civil Procedure: Discovery	3.0	S4
PLS 55	Legal Ethics	2.0	S3
PLS 56	Civil Litigation and Discovery Practices and Procedures	3.0	S2
PLS 57	Legal Professions	1.0	S3
BGN 71	Business English Grammar	3.0	S1
CS 60.11A	Microsoft Word Part 1	1.5	S2
CS 61.11A	Microsoft Excel Part 1	1.5	S2
Elective Options	need 7 units
BAD 18	The Legal Environment of Business	3.0
RE 55	Legal Aspects of Real Estate	3.0
HR 61	Human Resource Employment Law	1.5
PLS 60	Legal Calendaring	1.0
PLS 64	The American Jury System	1.0
BAD 62	Intellectual Property Law	3.0
PLS 62	Torts	3.0
PLS 63	Contracts	3.0
PLS 65	Technology in the Law Office	3.0
PLS 66	Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning	3.0
PLS 67	Family Law	3.0
WEOC 99i	Internship Occupational Work Experience	0.5-8.0

There currently exists a Paralegal Studies Major. This certificate mirrors the major.

Neither College of Marin, Mendocino College, nor Napa Valley College offers a Paralegal Program