Paralegal/Legal Assistant Studies

Catalog Description

Upon successful completion of the Paralegal/Legal Assistant Certificate of Achievement program, the student will be prepared to work as a Paralegal (Legal Assistant) and legal support professional in a variety of settings, including in administrative agencies, corporations, government, insurance companies, nonprofit organizations, private law firms, and other legal environments. This certificate program is specifically designed to provide students with the analytical abilities, oral and written communication skills, technological proficiency, and legal competency necessary to assist attorneys in the practice of law. Please note: Paralegals (Legal Assistants) may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law—a Paralegal (Legal Assistant) may not engage in, encourage, or contribute to any act which could constitute the unauthorized practice of law. The student will take academic courses to complete the requirements to become a paralegal according to California law. The student will receive a breadth of training in litigation and transactional practices, as well as administrative, civil, and criminal law and procedures in a variety of legal specialties. Topics embedded in most courses in the program include Paralegal (Legal Assistant) skills and practices, technology use, research, writing, oral communication, legal document production, ethics, and professional responsibility and development. Students must have previously earned a baccalaureate degree or an associate of arts or science degree from an accredited postsecondary institution to be eligible for the certificate. If a student has not previously earned a baccalaureate degree or an associate of arts or science degree from an accredited postsecondary institution, the student should complete the requirements for the associate of science degree in Paralegal/Legal Assistant Studies instead. Students who do not already have a bachelor's degree are strongly encouraged to plan on earning one. In compliance with California Business and Professions Code section 6450 regarding preparation for work in this field, this certificate consists of a minimum of 31 units of law-related legal specialty courses that can be completed in one year.

Program Learning Outcomes

1.     Program completers will demonstrate technology skills appropriate to work successfully as a paralegal/legal assistant.

2.     Program completers will demonstrate strongwritten and oral communication skills to produce legal documents, to ethically and effectively interact with others, and to complete tasks performed by paralegal/legal assistants.

3.     Program completers will be prepared with substantive legal knowledge and practical skills for positions as paralegals/legal assistants as a means of improving their own quality of life and the accessibility, quality and affordability of legal services for the people of the State of California.

5

The Paralegal/Legal Assistant Studies Certificate of Achievement addresses a CTE program goal intended to prepare students who previously earned an associate of arts or science degree or a baccalaureate degree from an accredited postsecondary institution for a career as a paralegal/legal assistant (TOP Code 1402.00 –Paralegal) or other legal support professional. The program assists with CTE workforce preparation, basic skill development, civic education, and lifelong learning purposes.  The overarching program goal is for students to complete the certificate coursework and thereby meet the requirements of California Business & Professions Code § 6450 regarding requirements to become a paralegal/legal assistant in California. Specifically, California Business & Professions Code § 6450 requires paralegals/legal assistants to possess a “certificate of completion of a paralegal program at, or a degree from, a postsecondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester, or equivalent,units in law-related courses and that has been accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization or approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.” 

Program Objectives

1.      Demonstrate knowledge and abilities to succeed asa paralegal/legal assistant based on the balanced education they receive fromthe integration of general education, legal theory, and practical legalcoursework.

2.      Demonstrate skills needed to function in thoseareas of practice offered as electives by the program.

3.      Demonstrate the ability to apply the ethicalrules and regulations applicable to paralegals and other legal professionals togiven situations.

4.      Demonstrate the skills and knowledge needed tosuccessfully complete legal research and analysis.

5.      Demonstrate the ability to describe the practiceof law and the paralegal's role in the legal profession.

6.      Demonstrate skills and knowledge at the end ofthe program to secure employment in a paralegal/legal assistant position.

7.      Demonstrate appropriate technology skills tosucceed as a paralegal/legal assistant.

8.      Demonstrate competency in oral communication andinterpersonal skills necessary to succeed as a paralegal/legal assistant.

9.      Demonstrate writing proficiency at the collegelevel and the ability to produce legal documents as a paralegal/legalassistant.

10.  Describe the American legal system.

NOTE: Students must earn a "C" grade in each course requirement, as well as an overall certificate applicable GPA of 2.0 plus be in “good standing” at Delta College in order to earn the Paralegal/Legal Assistant Studies certificate. Students must complete at least ten semester credits or the equivalent of legal specialty courses through traditional classroom instruction, and the remaining units may be completed online or in hybrid format. Students must complete the program within 5 years or repeat any legal specialty courses which were completed more than 5 years prior to graduation. Any potential award of credit through transfer, examination or portfolio must be approved by the program director or a qualified faculty member to ensure that the credit can be classified as legal specialty, meets the course objectives and practical skills to be developed for the course for which credit is being awarded, meets the needs of the legal community the program serves, and is comparable to course work offered within the program. The following additional limitations apply to courses accepted for credit by transfer, examination, or portfolio: 1. No more than 6 semester units may be used toward legal specialty (LAW) courses; 2. Only traditional, in-person courses in which the student earned a "C" or better may be used (no online courses will be accepted); and 3. Only courses from ABA-approved paralegal programs may be used.

Faculty created rationally sequenced and strategically designed coursework to develop knowledge and skills in legal specialties of relevance to paralegal work in the area,while also developing competency in oral communication, writing proficiency at the college level, and appropriate technology skills to succeed in the program and in a paralegal/legal assistant career. The introductory course in the program serves as a prerequisite or co-requisite to all other core courses in the program, and it provides an overview of the paralegal profession to help students make informed decisions, to motivate them to complete the program, and to prepare them for success. 

Other paralegal program coursework teaches fundamentals of legal research and writing, paralegal ethics and professional responsibility, law office communications and technology, legal document production and analysis, and advanced legal research technology designed to provide students with both soft skills and technical skills necessary to thrive in a variety of law office settings that utilize legal technology. Further, in order to maximize employment opportunities, preparation, and flexibility for changing market demands, the coursework exposes students to a variety of fields of law, including criminal and civil litigation, as well as transactions.  Course requirements also include an internship for students to gain work experience and contacts, as well as a capstone course designed to assist paralegals with securing employment the semester before graduation. 

Finally, coursework includes an elective course where paralegal students can take a legal specialty course reflecting the most recent market demands with students from outside of the paralegal program in order to obtain relevant experience working with those with little legal training in courses such as administrative law, environmental law and land use planning, constitutional law, alternative dispute resolution,and law and social change.