By definition, paralegals (also called legal assistants) work directly under the supervision of an attorney. While the attorney assumes responsibility for the paralegal’s work, a paralegal is often allowed to perform all the functions of an attorney other than accepting clients, setting legal fees, giving legal advice, or presenting a case for trial. Generally, paralegals do background work for attorneys, including research to identify the appropriate laws, judicial decisions, legal articles, and other material used to determine if a client has a good case. In addition to litigation, paralegals may also work in areas such as bankruptcy, corporate law and real estate.

Individuals interested in a career in this field must be able to handle legal problems logically and communicate, both orally and in writing, their findings and opinions. Because paralegals often work with the public, they must be courteous and uphold the high ethical standards expected of the legal profession. They must also have a clear understanding of legal terminology, good research and investigative skills and stay abreast of new developments in the laws that affect their area of practice. As computers are playing an increasingly larger role in legal research and litigation support, familiarity with their operation and applications is vital.

All of the paralegal courses are taught by licensed attorneys.


paralegal/legal assistant
SEMESTER CURRICULUM MODEL