Associate in Public Service - Major in Paralegal (LEPA)
69 Semester Hours
The goals of the Paralegal program are to offer a concentrated program of study to:
• prepare students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be qualified paralegals,
• prepare students for careers as paralegals working under the direct supervision of attorneys in pubic and private sectors, and
• prepare students who can perform effectively in a variety of legal settings and who can adapt to the changing legal environment.
A paralegal/legal assistant may not practice law, give advice, or represent clients in a court of law.
The Paralegal program is designed to meet the following objectives to:
• provide students with a general education that includes oral and written communications, computational skills, and an awareness and knowledge of the humanities and social sciences,
• provide students with knowledge of the roles and functions of a lawyer, the roles and functions of the paralegal, and law practice methods in a variety of settings in which paralegals work,
• give students an understanding of the court system and the process of civil and criminal litigation,
• provide students with substantive knowledge in different areas of law practice,
• prepare students with knowledge and procedures for conducting legal research and preparing legal documents in a minimum of three areas of law practice,
• provide students with an understanding of the rules of professional conduct governing lawyers and paralegals and a thorough knowledge of ethical and professional conduct,
• provide law office management skills which include computer, legal research, and client interviewing skills, and to ensure Paralegal program stays current with the needs of the paralegal community.
The Paralegal Program is approved by the American Bar Association as having met all curriculum requirements necessary for training qualified paralegals.
General Education Core Courses - 18 Credit Hours
- ENG 101 English Composition I (3)
- ENG 102 English Composition II (3)
-
MAT 110 College Algebra (3)
or - MAT 155 Contemporary Mathematics (3)
- SPC 205 Public Speaking (3)
- ___ ___ Humanities/Fine Arts Course (3)
- ___ ___ Social/Behavioral Science Course (3)
Following is a list of courses required to complete this program. Since some courses are offered once a year, courses should be taken in the following sequence in order to complete the program in a timely manner:
| Class | *Lab | Credit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester - First Year | |||
| AOT 104 Keyboarding and Input Technologies | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| CRJ 115 Criminal Law I | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| ENG 101 English Composition I | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| LEG 135 Introduction to Law and Ethics | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
MAT 110 College Algebra or MAT 155 Contemporary Mathematics |
3 | 0 | 3 |
|
|
|||
| Total Semester Credits | 15 | 0 | 15 |
|
Spring Semester - First Year |
|||
| CPT 101 Introduction to Computers | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
AOT 180 Customer Service or BUS 130 Business Communication |
3 | 0 | 3 |
| ENG 102 English Composition II | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| LEG 120 Torts** | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| LEG 132 Legal Bibliography** | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
|
|||
| Total Semester Credits | 15 | 0 | 15 |
|
Summer Semester - First Year |
|||
|
ACC 101 Accounting Principles I or AOT 137 Office Accointing |
3 | 0 | 3 |
| CPT 179 Microcomputer Word Processing | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| LEG 212 Workers' Compensation** | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
|
|||
| Total Semester Credits | 9 | 0 | 9 |
|
Fall Semester - Second Year |
|||
| LEG 201 Civil Litigation I** | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| LEG 214 Property Law** | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| LEG 233 Wills, Trusts, and Probate** | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| SPC 205 Public Speaking | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| ___ ___ Social/ Behavioral Science Elective | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
|
|||
| Total Semester Credits | 15 | 0 | 15 |
|
Spring Semester - Second Year |
|||
| BUS 121 Business Law I | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| CRJ 120 Constitutional Law | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| LEG 213 Family Law** | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
LEG 232 Law Office Management** or LEG 250 Internship for Legal Assistant/Paralegal** |
3/0 | 9 | 3 |
| ___ ___ Humanities/Fine Arts Elective | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
|
|||
| Total Semester Credits | 15/12 | 0/9 | 15 |
* 3 Lab hours equals 1 credit hour
** Core Legal Specialty Courses